Forty-six personalities from Swiss companies operating nationally and abroad applied for the 21 edition of the “EY Entrepreneur Of The Year” competition. An independent jury of nine members has now revealed 18 finalists, five of whom are women and three from Western Switzerland.
The finalists are divided in five categories. They include:
Emerging Entrepreneur:
Nicolas Durand: Abionic SA – Established in 2010 in Epalinges, the company offers medtech solutions and employs 15 people.
Emanuel and Daniela Steiner: They founded FELFEL AG in 2013 in Zurich and specialise in food/beverages. It has a team of 44 employees.
Yann Tissot: L.E.S.S. SA – with its headquarters in Renens, the company established in 2012 offers lighting technology solutions. It has 12 employees.
Services/Trade:
Philipp Gregor Man: Chronext AG – Founded in 2013 in Zug the company specialises in luxury goods and jewellery and has 113 employees.
Christina Mair, Kristina Rebsamen and Caroline Staehelin: Globegarden GmbH – Founded in 2009 in Zurich the company offers childcare services and employs 600 people.
Stefan Mühlemann: Loanboox – with its headquarters in Zurich the company was incorporated in 2015, focuses on Fintech solutions with its team of 30 employees.
Industry / High-Tech / Life Sciences:
Christian Brönnimann: Dectris AG – the company, a spin-off from Paul Scherrer Institute, was founded in 2006 in Baden-Dättwil (ZH). It focuses on electrical and electronics manufacturing and has 100 employees.
Carlo R. Centonze: HeiQ Materials AG – with its headquarters in Schlieren (ZH) the ETH-Spinoff founded in 2005, is specialising in textile technologies and has 75 employees.
Romeo Corvaglia: Corvaglia Holding AG – Founded in 1991 in Steckborn (TG) the company offers solutions for the packaging industry and has 275 employees
Family Business:
Jonathan Brossard: Fischer Connectors SA founded in 1954 in Saint-Prex (VD) specialises in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering. The company has 460 employees.
Jan Schibli: Hans K. Schibli AG – Founded in 1972 in Zurich, the company offers electrical engineering and building services, and employs 500 people.
George, Roger and Corinne Kuratle: Kuratle Group AG – Established in 1955 in Leibstadt (AG), the group offers construction materials. It employs 500 people.
In the coming weeks, the jury will select the prize winners. The announcement of the winners, the award ceremony and the associated gala will take place on 26 October 2018 in Baden.
(Press release/ran)