In Switzerland, where bank vaults have long been synonymous with wealth, the real money today is made not from storing assets but from creating technologies that change the very nature of value. On 23 October 2026, at the Zurich Congress Hall, EY presented the Entrepreneur Of The Year award to three entrepreneurs whose companies work in biotechnology, artificial intelligence and high-tech materials.
The winners were Daniela Marino of CUTISS in the Scale-up Leaders category, Thomas Taroni of PHOENIQS in Visionary Entrepreneurs, and Pascal Burckart Jr. of BIWI in Entrepreneurs in Family Business. Out of 70 nominees from 57 companies, a jury of 11 independent experts chose them for their combination of scientific boldness, commercial acumen and long-term vision.
Under Marino's leadership, CUTISS is developing personalised denovoSkin™ skin for patients with severe burns and those in need of reconstructive surgery. The automated platform makes it possible to scale up the production of living tissue — this is no longer merely a medical innovation but a potential market with multibillion-dollar turnover, where every successfully treated patient turns a scientific development into a real economic asset.
Thomas Taroni and PHOENIQS focus on sovereign cloud and AI solutions that guarantee Swiss and European companies control over their data under strict regulations. In a world where data is becoming the new gold, the ability to preserve digital sovereignty is turning into a competitive advantage and a direct source of income for those who build the infrastructure of the future.
BIWI, under the management of Pascal Burckart, has been producing high-performance elastomers, composites and silicones for 45 years for luxury watches, medical technology, aerospace and defence. More than 22 patents and supplies to 300 international brands show how a family business, combining tradition with innovation, steadily generates capital in high-tech niches where the cost of error is minimal and the margin is maximal.
These three stories reveal one common mechanism: in Switzerland, wealth increasingly arises not from speculation or financial engineering but from the ability to turn complex scientific and engineering solutions into scalable products. Investors and entrepreneurs who understand this shift gain access to more sustainable sources of income than traditional assets.
The EY award also highlights another reality: success requires not only ideas but also persistence in translating research into commerce, a willingness to take risks and the ability to build long-term relationships with clients and teams. In this sense, the Swiss laureates of 2026 demonstrate a model in which innovation becomes not a fashionable trend but a proven way of creating and preserving capital.
For those who follow personal finance and investments, the example of these companies is a reminder: true value today is born where technologies solve specific human problems and at the same time shape new markets.
