September 15, 2026
Jura is building momentum as a location for companies that need to turn innovative ideas into real products. A strong industrial base, closer connections between startups and established SMEs, and growing links to research are creating practical opportunities across medtech, advanced manufacturing, digital technologies and industrial transformation.
At Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area – Jura Campus in Courroux, companies can tap into that ecosystem with flexible workspaces, prototyping infrastructure, a connected community and access to the support needed to move from an early idea toward production
Jura’s growing innovation ecosystem is attracting wider attention. Swiss business magazine Bilan recently highlighted the canton’s progress, pointing to its rise to 10th place in Switzerland’s 2026 Cantonal Innovation and Creativity Index.
The canton made significant gains in areas including patents, trademarks and designs, companies and startups, and economic growth. For startups and SMEs, that progress is another indication of a region strengthening the conditions for innovation: industrial expertise, connections to established companies, research capabilities and the infrastructure needed to develop and test new ideas.
At Jura Campus, companies can tap into this momentum while remaining focused on the practical work of building their business. The aim is simple: give startups and SMEs the space, connections and support to move from idea to impact in less time.
Jura Campus is designed for companies building technologies that need to be tested, refined and eventually brought into production.
Flexible offices and shared workspaces give teams room to adapt as their needs change. Meeting and innovation spaces make it easier to work with customers, partners and experts, while on-site prototyping infrastructure supports the hands-on development of new products and solutions.
For medtech ventures and advanced manufacturing companies in particular, that combination matters. Product development rarely follows a straight line. Teams need to build, test, learn and adjust without allowing their workspace or access to expertise to become a bottleneck.
The campus also brings startups into contact with entrepreneurs, SMEs, researchers and innovation partners working on related challenges. Those connections can turn a workspace into something much more useful: a place to find technical expertise, test assumptions and identify potential collaborators.
The support available to startups in the Jura has also evolved.
For several years, i4Challenge supported ventures working in industrial transformation, while DayOne Tech focused on accelerating medtech companies. The experience developed through these initiatives has now been brought together and expanded through the InnoJura Accelerator.
Powered by Basel Area Business & Innovation, InnoJura supports early-stage startups working in advanced manufacturing and related fields, including medtech. Its focus is strongly practical: helping companies strengthen their business model, prepare for market entry and build the skills needed to collaborate effectively with industrial SMEs.
Through individual coaching, group sessions, bootcamps and connections into the regional ecosystem, startups can prepare for concrete innovation projects rather than developing their technology in isolation.
That approach also creates value for established SMEs. Startups bring new technologies and ways of working, while industrial companies contribute production expertise, market knowledge and real-world challenges. Bringing the two together can create a faster route from promising technology to industrial application.
Jura’s advantage is closely tied to its industrial DNA.
The region has deep expertise in precision engineering, manufacturing and watchmaking, skills that increasingly intersect with medtech, automation, robotics and other advanced technologies. For startups moving from prototype to production, being close to that knowledge can make a tangible difference.
The ecosystem is also compact enough for connections to become practical. Startups can engage with local SMEs, innovation experts and potential partners rather than operating at the edge of a much larger network. For founders, visibility and access can be just as valuable as infrastructure.
The result is an environment designed around applied innovation: not simply generating ideas, but helping companies develop, validate and industrialize them.
The growing number of companies choosing the region illustrates that potential. Moonlight AI, for example, is based at Jura Campus as it prepares to commercialize its AI-powered approach to advanced cancer diagnostics. Inveel, which develops sensor skins that give robots a sense of touch, is also building its presence in the Jura as it moves toward the next stages of industrial development.
Different technologies, but a similar need: an environment where innovative companies can connect technical development with a realistic path to market.
Jura’s innovation culture extends beyond companies and research institutions. Initiatives such as Innovation Pour Tous, held at Jura Campus in May 2025, bring businesses, entrepreneurs, families and the wider community together around science, technology and entrepreneurship.
From robotics and renewable energy demonstrations to practical entrepreneurship sessions, the event showed how the region is building connections between industry, innovation and the next generation of talent.
That broader participation matters. Strong innovation ecosystems depend not only on individual startups or institutions, but on people sharing expertise, challenging ideas and creating new connections.
Jura’s rise in Switzerland’s innovation ranking is one signal of a wider development already taking place across the region.
For startups and SMEs, the opportunity is practical: access to industrial expertise, research connections, startup support and a campus built around the realities of developing and scaling new technologies.
At Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area – Jura Campus, the goal is to make those advantages easier to access. From building an MVP and perfecting a prototype to finding industrial partners and preparing for production, companies have a connected base from which to take the next step.
The École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) has strengthened its presence in the Jura, reinforcing the region’s positioning as a leader in applied innovation. By establishing closer collaborations in medtech, healthtech, and industrial transformation, EPFL creates new opportunities for startups to work with world-class researchers and benefit from academic partnerships.
This adds another layer of credibility to the region’s innovation ecosystem and connects early-stage ventures to cutting-edge thinking and talent.
The Canton of Jura, famous for its watchmaking and precision engineering industries, has in recent years successfully added the expanding field of medical technology (“medtech”) to its repertoire. This shift addresses the increasing global demand for high-tech medical devices, but it also comes with its own hurdles.
TOSA Swisstech scales from research to clean energy production in the Canton of Jura after being incubated at Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area in Courroux.
CNS Therapy is revolutionizing the approach to chronic pain management. By developing a unique solution that combines behavioral therapy with cutting-edge medical devices, they help patients live pain-free lives.