Fribourg Development Agency

What Fribourg Development Agency does

Fribourg Development Agency (operating under the brands PromFR in French, WIF in German, FDA in English, and the newly launched fribourg.swiss international brand since July 2025) is the cantonal economic promotion agency of Canton Fribourg, Switzerland. Founded in 1971 as the first cantonal economic development agency in Switzerland, it sits within the Direction de l'économie, de l'emploi et de la formation professionnelle (DEE/FP) and is staffed by a 14-person specialist team headquartered at Boulevard de Pérolles 25 in Fribourg. Its functional role is to attract, retain and grow economic activity within the canton by supporting business creation, establishment (implantation), expansion and regional policy, with a particular focus on the bioeconomy (29% of cantonal GDP, 28% of employment) and life sciences (10% of cantonal GDP).

The agency's core offering is structured around four service lines — Créer (Create), Implanter (Establish), Développer (Expand), and Politique régionale (Regional Policy) — delivered free of charge to beneficiaries. It operates a multi-stakeholder platform model rather than a product business: it channels federal and cantonal NPR (new regional policy) co-funding via thematic calls (most recently low-carbon logistics in 2025 and circular construction in 2026, each around CHF 290K), runs the Prix IFF innovation award (since 1991), and orchestrates a network of academic and innovation partners including EPFL (and the EPFL CWSC, expanding toward 10 chairs by 2030), HEIA-FR, UniFR, bluefactory, INNOSQUARE, Fri Up, Seed Capital Fribourg, CCIF and ECPF. In 2024 alone it accompanied 32 company projects representing CHF 116M of planned investment and 527 planned jobs, and since 2008 it has completed 74 NPR projects involving more than 390 companies.

Its business model is that of a publicly funded agency rather than a commercial enterprise: revenue derives from cantonal and federal budget allocations and NPR co-funding, with no fees charged to users. There is no disclosed budget figure, no external funding rounds, no M&A activity and no commercial pricing. The agency's strategic posture in 2024–2026 is one of incremental internationalisation — the fribourg.swiss brand relaunch, the hosting of BIOKET 2026 (the first time the global bioeconomy conference is held in Switzerland, with 485 specialists from approximately 30 countries), and the broadening of thematic APC calls — executed within the constraints of a fixed public-sector headcount and mandate.

Name

Fribourg Development Agency

Legal name

Promotion économique du canton de Fribourg

Website

https://promfr.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fribourg Development Agency is the cantonal economic promotion agency of Canton Fribourg, Switzerland, supporting business creation, establishment, expansion and regional policy through government-funded services and a network of academic and innovation partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Development Services

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Other Management Consulting Services (541618), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Investment Promotion & FDI Facilitation (BPADAMAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Program & Project Implementation (TA Delivery) (BPADAEAA), Sustainability & ESG Consulting (BPAHACAK)

Keywords

• Economic development services
• Business creation support
• Company establishment assistance
• Regional innovation funding
• Cantonal business promotion

Headquarters

HQ city

Fribourg

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: The agency operates as part of the Direction de l'économie, de l'emploi et de la formation professionnelle (DEE/FP) of the canton of Fribourg, funded through cantonal government budgets. Additional funding for specific programs (e.g., NPR) comes from federal and cantonal sources.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Fribourg Development Agency provides free, government-funded accompaniment services to companies that want to create, establish, expand, or innovate within the Canton of Fribourg, Switzerland. Its deliverables include direct consultancy, access to NPR funding instruments (including the Appel à Projets Collaboratifs), the biennial Prix IFF innovation award, the fribourg.swiss economic magazine, and coordination across cantonal departments, academic partners and innovation platforms such as bluefactory and INNOSQUARE.

Product overview

Fribourg Development Agency (FDA/PromFR/WIF) is a cantonal economic development agency created in 1971, serving as the first economic promotion agency in Switzerland. The organization operates as a government service within the Cantonal Ministry of Economic Affairs. Its offering consists of four core service programs (Create, Establish, Expand, Regional Policy) that support business creation, relocation, expansion, and innovation projects. Additional offerings include funding programs like the Appel à Projets Collaboratifs (APC) for collaborative industrial projects, the biennial Prix IFF innovation award, the official fribourg.swiss economic magazine, and newsletter communications. The agency does not offer a technology product in the traditional sense but rather provides business development services, funding instruments, and promotional platforms for companies in the canton of Fribourg.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Créer (Create) Service programme that supports the creation of start-up companies leveraging academic know-how from higher education institutions in the canton (e.g. via Fri Up, Seed Capital Fribourg and academic partners). Targeted at founders and academic spin-offs.
• Implanter (Establish) Service programme that facilitates the establishment of new companies from outside the canton through exogenous promotion efforts, including site selection support, industrial land brokering (AgriCo, La Maillarde) and introductions to local partners.
• Développer (Expand) Service programme that supports existing Fribourg companies in developing new high-value generating projects through endogenous promotion.
• Politique régionale / Innover (Regional Policy / Innovate) Service programme that supports innovative projects initiated by regional associations and tourism professionals through the Nouvelle Politique Régionale (NPR) framework.
• Appel à Projets Collaboratifs (APC) Collaborative project funding instrument under NPR providing up to CHF 290,000 per call to support industrial cooperation projects between companies in strategic sectors such as logistics and construction.
• Prix IFF (Innovation Fribourg Freiburg) Biennial innovation award recognising innovative Fribourg companies across three categories — Start-up (CHF 30,000), Enterprise (CHF 10,000) and Sustainability (CHF 10,000) — for a total prize pool of CHF 50,000.
• fribourg.swiss Magazine Official economic magazine of the Canton of Fribourg featuring company profiles, business news and innovation stories, published in multiple languages as a visibility platform for Fribourg enterprises.
• Newsletter PromFR Free subscription newsletter delivering news about Fribourg economic activities, press releases and the fribourg.swiss magazine online version.

Quantifiable outcome

• 32 company projects accompanied in 2024 with 527 planned new jobs and CHF 116 million in planned investments; 1000+ existing jobs consolidated
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• INNOSQUAREcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 25 June 2025INNOSQUARE is the Fribourg technology and innovation platform responsible for implementing the Call for Collaborative Projects (APC/CCP) under the New Regional Policy (NPR). Nicolas Huet serves as Head of INNOSQUARE and the contact for APC project submissions. INNOSQUARE provides project coaching and implementation support for collaborative innovation projects funded by NPR.
• Chambre de commerce et d'industrie du canton de Fribourg (CCIF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2025CCIF (also known as HIKF in German) represents businesses in the canton and is a key partner in the NPR ecosystem. CCIF co-awards the IFF Sustainability prize alongside the energy service and PromFR. Christophe Emmenegger, Director of CCIF, is a member of the IFF jury.
• EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPFL operates the Centre for Worldwide Sustainable Construction (CWSC) in Fribourg, in close collaboration with the canton. By 2030, six new academic chairs will be added, bringing to ten the number of EPFL chairs based in Fribourg. The Smart Living Lab experimental building, under construction since 2025, will house these chairs.
• bluefactorycoreStrategic or Co-development Partnerbluefactory is Fribourg's innovation district, a technology hub where PromFR's annual press conference is held. The site houses companies including Swiss Marketplace Group and hosts EPFL's CWSC. Building B (opened 2024) is nearly full with 17 private companies and 340 employees out of 700 total on site.
• Etablissement cantonal de promotion foncière (ECPF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerECPF manages industrial land sites at AgriCo (Saint-Aubin) and La Maillarde (Romont), representing the land policy pillar of the canton's economic development strategy. AgriCo and La Maillarde are key sites for attracting and hosting industrial companies in the canton.
• Fri UpcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial start-up support body for the canton of Fribourg. Since July 2017, Fri Up collaborates with Seed Capital Fribourg to provide seed financing to selected start-ups. Fri Up serves as the entry point for any business creation project in the canton, offering comprehensive accompaniment from early stages.
• Swiss Marketplace Group (SMG)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSMG established operations in October 2024 at bluefactory in Fribourg with over 100 employees. Its relocation to Fribourg was facilitated by PromFR to retain jobs previously based in Flamatt. SMG operates leading Swiss online marketplaces including ImmoScout24, AutoScout24, Ricardo, and tutti.ch.
• HEIA-FR (Haute école d'ingénierie et d'architecture de Fribourg)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHEIA-FR is the Fribourg University of Applied Sciences and Arts. Hosts the ChemTech institute (organic chemistry) and the Biofactory Competence Center (Bioprocesses), key research partners for bioeconomy. Its Sustainable Engineering Systems Institute led the H2TICE hydrogen retrofit project under NPR. The HEIA-FR is a partner in the APC calls for collaborative projects.
• Cellap Laboratoire SAminorOthersPremium cellular cosmetics company (Cellcosmet and Cellmen brands) established at Châtel-Saint-Denis in 2024, occupying 4,000+ m² of shared industrial space with Marvinpac and MS Swiss Cosmetics. Supported by PromFR in its establishment, representing the life sciences sector's growth in the canton.
• Swiss Food & Nutrition ValleyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe canton of Fribourg joined the Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley association in November 2020, aiming to increase international visibility and networking of the Swiss agrifood sector. Fribourg brings proven expertise in this sector as part of its broader bioeconomy strategy.
• Cluster Food & Nutrition and Swiss Plastics ClusterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry clusters cited by PromFR Director Jerry Krattiger as federating actors driving the canton's bioeconomy strategy, alongside academic institutions, major companies, and innovative start-ups such as Bloom Biorenewables and Seprify.
• Bioeconomy For Change (B4C) / IAR ClusterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench bioeconomy cluster that created the BIOKET congress in 2018. Fribourg hosted BIOKET 2026 (March 2026) — the first edition in Switzerland. The IAR (Industrie et Agro-Ressources) competitiveness cluster from Grand Est, France, co-organized the event, marking a new step in cross-border cooperation between the two regions.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Standortförderung Kanton Bern: Cantonal economic promotion body of the Canton of Bern, focused on attracting companies, supporting startups, and managing NPR-funded regional innovation programs. Highly comparable as a Swiss cantonal economic development agency with a similar NPR mandate.
• Basel Area Business & Innovation: Economic promotion agency for the Basel region focused on company establishment, innovation, and life sciences. Highly comparable to PromFR given its emphasis on company attraction, innovation funding, and academic-industry partnerships in a Swiss cantonal context.
• Office de promotion économique de Genève (OPEG): Economic promotion office of the Canton of Geneva responsible for attracting companies, supporting entrepreneurship, and coordinating innovation policy. Directly comparable to PromFR as a cantonal-level Swiss economic promotion entity with similar missions.
• Invest in Vaud: Cantonal economic development and investment promotion agency for the Canton of Vaud. Performs the same FDI attraction, company establishment, and business support activities as PromFR, with comparable size and French-speaking Swiss positioning.
• Greater Zurich Area: Swiss cantonal economic development and investment promotion agency covering the Greater Zurich region. Directly comparable to PromFR as it performs the same FDI attraction, company relocation, and innovation promotion function at the cantonal level, but for a larger and more internationally recognized Swiss economic region.
• St. GallenBodenseeArea: Economic development agency for the St. Gallen region and Bodensee area in Eastern Switzerland. Comparable to PromFR for its role in attracting companies, supporting regional innovation, and managing cantonal-level funding programs.

Regional players

• Bioeconomy For Change (B4C): French bioeconomy cluster and partner of PromFR for the BIOKET international congress. Comparable because it performs the same cluster-level promotion and innovation coordination function for the bioeconomy sector that PromFR does at the cantonal level.
• Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley: Swiss association promoting the agrifood sector internationally, of which the Canton of Fribourg is a member since November 2020. Comparable because it performs cross-canton investment promotion and visibility functions for the food and nutrition sector in which PromFR is active.

Broad incumbents

• Innovation Place Basel / Switzerland Innovation: Swiss federal innovation network with sites including the Basel Area. Comparable to PromFR because it provides the broader national innovation park infrastructure and partnerships that the agency leverages through its bluefactory district and EPFL collaborations.
• SECO – State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Switzerland): Federal Swiss authority overseeing national economic policy and the NPR framework that PromFR administers locally. Comparable because it sets the funding and regulatory framework within which PromFR operates, and is the broader Swiss incumbent in economic promotion.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/promfr_en
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@promfr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/promfr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fribourg Development Agency