Since 2004, The Ark Foundation has been working to create and develop the right framework conditions to encourage creativity and innovation in the Valais economy. With its Accelerator, Incubator and Innovation services, The Ark offers pragmatic support to innovative entrepreneurs in its three core areas of focus: energy and the environment, information and communication sciences, and life sciences. This service is available on the BioArk Visp website for all innovative entrepreneurs.

Innovation (SME)

The Ark's Innovation Service is designed for SMEs in the Valais region that want to develop their innovative potential. Based on the principle that an SME has to face new challenges every day, the Innovation service offers proactive support through personalized assistance and the creation of tailor-made projects, whether to consolidate existing achievements or to develop new business potential.

Incubator (start-up)

The Ark Incubator provides personalized support to start-up companies. Its services include, among others:

• coaching
• the provision of fully equipped offices and laboratories
• networking
• support in the search for funding.

Proof of the effectiveness of the Incubator service: 85% of the companies incubated over the last 5 years are still in business today and several Valais start-ups appear each year in the Top 100 Swiss start-ups!

Accelerator (research institutes)

The Ark Accelerator acts as a bridge between science and the market, between the academic and business worlds! This service identifies and selects promising technologies from research projects and then guides them towards commercial application. The support extends to the design and development of new products and services.

To give you a brief overview of the support The Ark Foundation can provide to your company, a motion design video presentation illustrates the Foundation's activities.

Also, a guide for entrepreneurs created and published by The Ark Foundation can be ordered here!