Switzerland Innovation Park Ost

What Switzerland Innovation Park Ost does

Switzerland Innovation Park Ost AG (SIP Ost) operates a physical innovation campus at Lerchenfeldstrasse 3 in St. Gallen, Switzerland, functioning as the eastern Swiss node within the national Switzerland Innovation network — the sixth park in the system. Founded in 2022 as a private Swiss corporation (Aktiengesellschaft), SIP Ost serves as an intermediary between academic research institutions, early-stage technology startups, and established SMEs, primarily in eastern Switzerland. Its principal customers are early-stage companies, applied research projects, and corporate innovation teams seeking proximity to research partners including the University of St. Gallen (HSG), Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences (OST), EMPA, RhySearch, and Kantonsspital St.Gallen. As of the input data, the organization employs approximately 27 staff.

The park organizes its operations around three thematic Innovation Hubs: Health (with sub-focuses on Longevity and Smart Textiles), Sensor (focused on Photonics), and Business. Beyond the thematic hubs, SIP Ost runs startup support programming through its Startfeld initiative (integrated via merger in 2022) and co-founded the HSG START Accelerator with the University of St. Gallen in 2024. The physical campus provides offices, laboratories, co-working space, and event venues to tenants. A planned Sensor Innovation Hub expansion, financed via a successful public referendum, is targeted for launch in 2025-2026.

SIP Ost generates revenue through three primary streams: (1) recurring space rental income from offices, laboratories, and co-working tenants; (2) event and venue fees for programming, conferences, and partner gatherings, with pricing publicly listed on the website; and (3) membership and sponsoring income from institutional partners. Distribution operates through institutional partnerships and a community-led go-to-market model rather than outbound sales. No revenue, ARR, or financial figures are publicly disclosed in the input data.

Name

Switzerland Innovation Park Ost

Legal name

Switzerland Innovation Park Ost AG

Website

https://innovationspark-ost.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Switzerland Innovation Park Ost AG operates a physical innovation campus in St. Gallen, Switzerland, serving as the eastern node of the national Switzerland Innovation network. It provides themed Innovation Hubs (Health, Sensor, Business), office and lab rentals, startup acceleration, and event venues to startups, SMEs, and research institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Innovation Hub and Startup Incubation Services

NAICS

Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Universities with Entrepreneurship & Incubation Focus (EDAHAEAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Technical Universities with Strong Industry Partnerships (EDAHAEAG), Technology Transfer & Innovation-Driven Research Universities (High Commercialization) (EDAHABAH), Science, Technology & Innovation Administration (National R&D Policy) (BPAIAAAK)

Keywords

• Innovation hub services
• Startup accelerator programs
• Co-working spaces
• Office laboratory rental
• Research collaboration

Headquarters

HQ city

St. Gallen

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Space Rental (Offices, Labs, Co-working): Rental of modern infrastructure on the Lerchenfeld Campus in St.Gallen, including Büros & Labore (offices and labs), Co-Working spaces, and Event & meeting rooms.
2. Event Participation Fees: Fees charged for participation in events organized by SIP Ost, including partner lunches, networking events, and the annual SWISS AUTOMATION symposium.
3. Membership / Sponsoring: SIP Ost offers membership and sponsoring arrangements as part of its offering, as referenced in the AGB.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Switzerland Innovation Park Ost operates a physical innovation campus in St. Gallen, providing office, laboratory, and co-working space rentals alongside three thematic Innovation Hubs (Health, Sensor, Business) and startup support programs (Startfeld, HSG START Accelerator). The park connects startups, SMEs, research institutions, and investors to accelerate collaborative innovation projects in Eastern Switzerland as the eastern node of the national Switzerland Innovation network.

Product overview

Switzerland Innovation Park Ost is a physical innovation park and co-working campus located in St. Gallen, Switzerland, operating as the eastern Swiss location of the national Switzerland Innovation initiative. Its offering is organized around three Innovation Hubs (Health, Sensor, and Business) that provide thematic focus areas for collaborative innovation between industry and academia. The park provides physical infrastructure for startups and companies, including offices, laboratories, co-working spaces, and event/meeting rooms at its Lerchenfeld Campus. Startup support is delivered through the Startfeld ecosystem (advisory, financing, infrastructure) and the HSG START Accelerator launched in 2024 in partnership with the University of St.Gallen. A community platform enables networking across the ecosystem. The portfolio does not include a standalone software product; rather, the integrated offering combines physical spaces, acceleration programs, thematic hubs, and community connectivity to accelerate innovation projects between companies and research institutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Startfeld: Startup support program and brand operated within SIP Ost, offering financing, consulting, and infrastructure for startups. Awarded 'Europe's Leading Start-up Hubs' recognition.
• HSG START Accelerator
• Sensor Innovation Hub
• Health Innovation Hub
• Business Innovation Hub

Products and services

• Health Innovation Hub Thematic Innovation Hub focused on health and medical technology projects, connecting health startups, clinicians, and research partners to co-develop innovations in diagnostics, therapeutics, and MedTech.
• Sensor Innovation Hub Thematic Innovation Hub dedicated to sensor technology, IoT, and intelligent sensing applications, providing dedicated laboratory and prototyping infrastructure to sensor startups and corporate R&D teams.
• Business Innovation Hub Thematic Innovation Hub aimed at business model innovation, corporate-startup collaboration, and entrepreneur support across industries not covered by the Health and Sensor Hubs.
• HSG START Accelerator University-linked startup accelerator founded by the University of St.Gallen, hosted at the Lerchenfeld Campus, providing structured cohort-based acceleration, mentorship, and a public Demo Day for investor exposure.
• Startfeld Startup Support Program Startup support program operated in partnership with Startfeld, including the Startfeld Diamant pitch competition, founder coaching, and curated access to investors and ecosystem partners.
• Office and Laboratory Space Rental Rental of private offices and equipped laboratories on the Lerchenfeld Campus in St. Gallen for resident startups, SMEs, and corporate R&D teams.
• Co-Working Space Flexible co-working desks and shared working areas on the Lerchenfeld Campus, available to founders, visiting teams, and flexible tenants who need occasional or project-based access.
• Event and Meeting Room Hire Bookable meeting rooms and event spaces on the Lerchenfeld Campus that can be hired by member companies, partners, and external organizations for workshops, partner meetings, and events.
• Founders Club Corporate Sponsorship Program Tiered corporate sponsorship and partnership program through which SMEs and corporates contribute to the park's budget and gain access to curated startup pipelines, visibility, and event participation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Startfeld recognized as 'Europe's Leading Startup Hubs'

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• EMPA (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEMPA is a key research partner of SIP Ost, collaborating on technology transfer and applied research projects. EMPA's expertise in materials science and technology supports innovation projects within the park's ecosystem.
• University of St.Gallen (HSG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHSG is a founding research partner of SIP Ost, contributing academic expertise and facilitating collaboration between students, researchers, and industry. SIP Ost also co-founded the HSG START Accelerator with HSG.
• OST (Ostschweizer Fachhochschule)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOST is a key research partner providing expertise across multiple disciplines. The Rapperswil campus of OST is used for SIP Ost events and programs, including the Startup Lunch Rapperswil.
• RhySearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRhySearch is a research partner of SIP Ost, contributing to the park's innovation ecosystem with applied research capabilities.
• Kantonsspital St.Gallen (KSSG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKantonsspital St.Gallen is a research partner contributing to the Health Innovation Hub, particularly in areas such as Longevity and Smart Textiles.
• Switzerland Innovation (National Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIP Ost was established as the sixth park of the national Switzerland Innovation initiative, which operates parks across Switzerland including Park Innovaare, Park Zurich, Park Basel Area, Park Biel/Bienne, and Park West EPFL.
• Startnetzwerk ThurgauminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSIP Ost entered a cooperation with the Startnetzwerk Thurgau (Startup Network Thurgau) to support cross-regional startup collaboration.
• StartfeldcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStartfeld was merged into SIP Ost in 2022 and forms the startup support arm of the park. It provides advisory services, financing, and a strong network for startups. Startfeld was recognized as one of Europe's Leading Startup Hubs in 2024.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/switzerland-innovation-park-ost

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Switzerland Innovation Park Ost