A center championing collaborative innovation between academia and industry.
The Geneva Creativity Center was born out of a shared commitment between the University of Geneva (UNIGE), the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Geneva (HES-SO Genève), the Office for the Promotion of Industries and Technologies (OPI) and the Geneva Industrial Union (UIG).
Its objectives are to strengthen the links between academia and industry, to build a network of multidisciplinary experts and stimulate creativity for innovative collaborative projects benefitting the local economy.
Positioning
The GCC acts at the very early stage of the innovation process.
It aims to stimulate creativity and the emergence of new ideas through the interaction between academia and industry. It then nurtures these ideas towards further development and assures their feasibility. With the support of other organisations in Geneva, such as the HighTech Business Incubator (FONGIT), the Office for the Promotion of Industries and Technologies (OPI), the Fondation pour l’aide aux entreprises (FAE), the Office of Technology Transfer at the University of Geneva (UNITEC), these ideas can then be translated into the creation of a new business, a collaborative project between academia and industry, or a new product or service offered by an existing company.
Organization
The Geneva Creativity Center was jointly founded by the University of Geneva (UNIGE) partners, the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland – Geneva (HES-SO Genève), Geneva Industrial Union (UIG) and the Office for the Promotion of Industries and Technologies (OPI).
The GCC was initiated in 2011 by the late Øystein Fischer (MaNEP, UNIGE), who had worked with a lot of energy to bring together the founding partners around this project.
It is financially supported by the Department of Security (DS) and the Department of Education (DIP). It has strong support from Geneva-based industries through the UAPG network (Union of Geneva Employers’ Association) – which UIG is part of – as well as from members of the OPI.
Organization
The Council
- Prof. Yves Flückiger, Rector – UNIGE
- Mr. François Abbé-Decarroux, Director – HES-SO Geneva
- Ms. Ivana Vrbica, Director of tne Higher Education Unit – DIP
- Mr. Jean-Luc Favre, Director – UAPG
The Steering Committee
- Dr. Didier Raboud, Secretary General – UNIGE
- Mr. Yves Leuzinger, Director – HEPIA Geneva, Member of the HES-SO
- Mr. Nicolas Aune, Secretary General – UIG
- Dr. Gilles Triscone, Head of Research Coordination – HEPIA Geneva, Member of the HES-SO
- Mr. Jean-Marc Hilfiker, Consultant – OPI