Zurich, September 25, 2025 – Business magazines BILANZ and PME, together with Statista, have announced Switzerland’s “Top Innovative Companies 2026.” Microsoft Switzerland ranks first in the overall ranking of all international companies based in Switzerland, earning recognition for its leading role in the digital transformation of the Swiss economy.
Microsoft stood out to the jury in all three key areas: overall innovation, product innovation, and innovation culture.
Catrin Hinkel, CEO of Microsoft Switzerland, is delighted by the recognition: “Every day, our employees, customers, and partners show that true innovation comes from collaboration and mutual trust. Together, we’re shaping Switzerland’s digital future and driving its economic growth. This recognition is a tribute to the entire Swiss innovation ecosystem.”
A Trusted Partner for Switzerland’s Digital Economy
For 36 years, Microsoft has been shaping Switzerland’s digital future. From establishing local data centers six years ago and the opening of the Microsoft Innovation Hub in 2022 to announcing an additional investment of $400 million in June this year, Microsoft continues to strengthen Switzerland’s position in cloud and artificial intelligence, while providing reliable and secure digital infrastructure. Today, Microsoft supports over 50,000 customers and 4,600 partners in Switzerland in their digital transformation, thereby strengthening the country’s digital sovereignty. Numerous Swiss companies and startups are already using Microsoft’s AI technologies in their daily operations.
Catrin Hinkel: “New technologies such as AI are fundamentally transforming the economy. With our long-term commitment to Switzerland, we are actively shaping this transformation – for example through our recent investment in cloud and AI infrastructure and skilling. We ensure that our Swiss customers have access to the latest technological developments, whether they’re large corporations, SMEs, or startups.”
Since 2019, Microsoft has provided over 30 million Swiss francs in technological resources to more than 1,500 local startups, creating over 11,000 jobs. Additionally, Microsoft advances AI skills across the broader population through platforms such as AI-Fitness.ch and LerneKI.ch. By 2027, Microsoft aims to support one million people in Switzerland with AI skilling.
About the Methodology
Each year, Bilanz, PME, and Statista recognize the “Top Innovative Companies” in Switzerland based on surveys of innovation experts and employees in Switzerland, as well as objective criteria such as the number of patents and their technological relevance. In 2024, Microsoft already ranked first in the overall ranking of all international companies based in Switzerland. In 2025, Microsoft Switzerland was recognized with first place in the “Electrical Engineering and Industrial Technology” sector category and second place in the overall ranking of all international companies based in Switzerland.
About Microsoft Switzerland
Microsoft operates four data centers in Switzerland, enabling customers to securely store data in the Microsoft Cloud. In close cooperation with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH Zurich and EPFL Lausanne, Microsoft conducts research and development in its own Microsoft Spatial AI Lab and through open collaborative research efforts. In 2022, Microsoft Switzerland opened its Microsoft Innovation Hub at its new headquarters in The Circle at the Zurich Airport. This newly created space delivers immersive industry experiences and deep technical engagement focused on business outcomes for customers.
Governed by its 15-member Swiss Leadership Team, the company has had Catrin Hinkel at the helm as CEO of Microsoft Switzerland since May 2021. Together with over 1,000 colleagues working in Bern, Geneva, and Zurich, the team is highly committed to furthering impactful cloud transformation strategies and partnerships for customers in Switzerland.