RIS Eastern Switzerland

Regional Innovation System

Initial Situation

Inter-cantonal Initiative to support Innovation

In 2013, the 8 cantons which make up Eastern Switzerland joined forces to create a regional innovation system: RIS East. The remit of RIS East is to accelerate innovation across the region.

Enabling measures include specific initiatives to promote innovation, bespoke consultancy on individual cases and access to sources of expertise and capability across the eastern region of Switzerland.

Project Profile

Cantons

Administrative office

Approach

Designing and implementing RIS East

Establishing an inter-cantonal institution with a common strategy comes with challenges. Firstly, the 8 cantons had to develop a shared view of aims and scope, followed by the definition and creation of the service portfolio, structure and inter-cantonal processes. The final piece was to agree and implement a package of innovation support measures.

In parallel, negotiations were held between the cantons and the national government to ensure the new service was recognised at national level. Generis AG represented the Canton of Schaffhausen throughout this process, in line with its remit to lead economic development of the Canton.

Achievements

A shared strategy

An inter-cantonal effort of this scale can only be achieved as a result of intensive negotiation with the numerous players and creating new impulses to keep driving the process forward. The cantons which form “RIS East” now have a shared view of what they can gain by promoting innovation on a regional basis and of what measures they want to deploy to achieve this aim.

In 2020, RIS East enters its first implementation period under the national New Regional Policy (NRP) programme. Preparations started in 2018 with the opening of an office. From 2020, new services will be made available to SMEs to promote and support innovation.