organisation
Since 2004, The Ark, the Foundation promoting innovation in Valais, has been helping entrepreneurs and scientists in their quest for innovation and economic growth.
At The Ark, we operate on the basis of individual projects, providing support tailored to the requirements of each business.
missions
These missions illustrate how The Ark Foundation is committed to nurturing entrepreneurial growth and stimulating innovation in Valais.
Stimulating innovation
At The Ark, we guide entrepreneurs through each stage of their journey from conceiving to realising their novel ideas, providing strategic advice and personalised support along the way.
Realising the potential of applied research
At The Ark, we facilitate the transformation of scientific discoveries into commercial products by accelerating businesses through the process, from patenting to commercial exploitation.
Facilitating collaboration
At The Ark, we create an environment that fosters collaboration between scientists, entrepreneurs and industrial partners, giving rise to high-impact collaborative business projects. This is achieved through events and networking initiatives.
Supporting the ecosystem
At The Ark, we cultivate a dynamic ecosystem in which innovation thrives by providing cutting-edge resources, business opportunities and in-depth expertise.
Promoting sustainability and digitalisation
Through the initiatives and support we provide, at The Ark we encourage responsible, sustainable innovation that makes use of digitalisation where this is called for and creates value.
Operational areas
At The Ark, we operate in different development fields designed to galvanise and diversify the Valais economy.
These development fields include:
- information sciences and technologies
- life sciences
- energy
- resource management
- healthcare, sport and performance
- natural ingredients
But our work is not solely in these areas. We play a part at every point in the life of a business, not simply supporting technological innovation. Business innovation (in a company’s internal organisation, revamping processes, and in sales and marketing) is also part of our remit.
Foundation Board
the strategy and annual budget are managed by a foundation board, which includes the presidents of the cities hosting a technology site and the president of the ark foundation.
jean-albert
ferrez
president
philippe
Varone
vice-président
Mayor of Sion
niklaus
furger
Mayor of Visp
pierre
berthod
Mayor of Sierre
anne-laure
couchepin vouilloz
Mayor of Martigny
christophe
germanier
Mayor of Conthey
Fabrice
Thétaz
Mayor of Monthey
Fabien
Sauthier
Mayor of Bagnes
eric
bianco
permanent guest
frédéric
bagnoud
non-board secretary
paul-andré
vogel
Director of CimArk
Funding Committee
The decisions relating to support for innovations are submitted to a Funding Committee made up of specialists in various fields.
jean-marc
tornare
bioark monthey
Joël
Dumoulin
ideark
Laurent
sciboz
swiss digital center
viktor
Schnyder
bioark visp
Sergio
schmid
phytoark
Claude Alexandre
Fournier
spark
fabio
mazzucco
blueark
All of The Ark’s activities are reviewed annually by the Valais Inspectorate of Finances in its capacity as auditor.
The Ark exemplifies a unique and successful collaboration between the municipalities, the canton and the Confederation. We bring together these entities around a common goal: to galvanise and diversify the Valais economy. The Ark has been cited countless times by the Confederation as a system that supports innovation.
Annual report
The work of The Ark Foundation is published every year in our annual report, produced in recent years in the form of the Innovation Tribune. This is freely available as a PDF and in a printed version.