On Tuesday, 1 July 2025, the annual grow-Apéro took place at the Fabrikbeiz in Wädenswil. The event is a meeting point for stakeholders from business, science, and politics who are involved in the life sciences hub on the left bank of Lake Zurich. This year, the event focused on the further development of the ZHAW at the Tuwag-Areal and grow cluster – the incubator for start-ups in the fields of health, food, and environment. The new Managing Director was also introduced.
Matthias Kaiserswerth, President of the Foundation Board, welcomed about 70 guests. ‘grow cluster’ is a place where innovation is lived and the future is co-designed – in close cooperation with the Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften (ZHAW), the municipalities of Horgen and Wädenswil as well as the young companies and landowners.
New SOB stop coming
Heiner Treichler, member of the executive board of grow cluster, opened the content section with a look at the future Tuwag-Areal: ‘The ZHAW will remain in Wädenswil – and it will continue to grow,’ said Treichler. Despite cost-cutting measures by the Kanton Zürich, the campus is not being jeopardised. On the contrary: the 130-year-old Shedhalle is currently being extensively renovated at a cost of around 45 million Swiss francs. From summer 2026, eleven state-of-the-art laboratories will be available there on an area of 7,700 m². This will provide the ZHAW with additional cutting-edge infrastructure.
Another certainty, according to Treichler, is the construction and commissioning of the new SOB railway station on the Tuwag-Areal. Current planning assumes realisation between 2030 and 2035. Whether or not a new laboratory building for the ZHAW will then be constructed as planned remains open for the time being. ‘This is because the ZHAW still has development potential in the former Agroscope building near the castle. Either way, we would then construct a building at the same time as the bus stop.’
ZHAW presents development steps
Robine Baumgartner and Alexander Hämmerli from the ZHAW then presented the planned development on the Tuwag site in detail. In addition to the expansion of the laboratories, further areas will be created for teaching, student work and research projects. The open and modern library will be another highlight. Alex Hämmerli, Technical Director at the Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, said: ‘With the move of the Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology into the newly extended shed halls, the entire high-tech infrastructure of the ICBT will be bundled into a cluster on the Reidbach site. The symbiosis of state-of-the-art technology and new premises will create a cutting-edge biotech research hotspot that is internationally competitive and extremely attractive for projects with industry and start-ups.’
At the same time, the ZHAW is developing additional space on the new ‘Campus Schloss’ in the former Agroscope laboratories. Robine Baumgartner, ZHAW user representative, also commented on the importance of grow cluster from the ZHAW’s perspective: ‘The immediate proximity to the startup incubator grow cluster and its young entrepreneurs is a great added value for the ZHAW in Wädenswil – it opens up new perspectives for exchange, collaboration and innovation for students, employees and researchers.’
Space for start-ups – also in the future
Managing Director Dolf van Loon also addressed those present. He reminded the audience that grow has always offered start-ups a professional infrastructure and a strong network – and that this basic idea will remain in place in the future. ‘An important task of grow cluster will be to offer more space to small start-ups in the future – and thus give them the opportunity to grow and develop further at the grow locations.’
New Managing Director with start-up roots
A highlight of the evening was the introduction of the designated Managing Director Peter Steiner, who will take over the operational management from Dolf van Loon at the end of 2025. Van Loon, Managing Director for many years, will retire at the beginning of 2026.
Peter Steiner knows the ecosystem inside out – he founded his own company on the Tuwag-Areal and is now successful with his company Precomb, which specialises in oncology.
In him, grow cluster is gaining a Managing Director who knows science, entrepreneurship and site development from his own experience.
Switzerland as an international driver of innovation
Dr Michael Altorfer, CEO of the Swiss Biotech Association, rounded off the event with a pointed guest speech. Over 1,600 companies and 60,000 jobs make Switzerland one of the leading international biotech centres.
‘Innovative treatments have not only saved lives, but have also measurably improved quality of life and life expectancy worldwide,’ said Altorfer.
