From a Geneva-based SME heating 6,000 homes with a data centre to a three-person scale-up from
Sarnen locating methane leaks in real time: 30 companies from a wide range of industries have been
nominated for the eighth Green Business Award, demonstrating that sustainability also pays off
economically. SMEs and scale-ups will, for the first time, be recognised in separate categories.
The Green Business Award is being presented for the eighth time. For the first time, the diversity of
the nominated companies is also reflected in the award structure: the SME category honours
companies that have consistently transformed their existing business model towards climate
protection. The Scale-up category recognises young companies that see sustainability as a business
model from the ground up through new technologies. “If business is truly to become part of the
solution, we need both: the disruptive technologies of scale-ups and the broad reach of established
companies transforming their business models,” says Cédric Habermacher, Director of Green Business
Switzerland.
The Diversity of the Swiss Economy
The breadth of the nominated solutions shows how widely sustainability as a business model has
already spread. Infomaniak Network SA from Geneva feeds waste heat from its data centre into the
district heating network – enough to heat 6,000 homes in winter – thereby creating a new source of
revenue from infrastructure already in operation. JURA Materials AG replaces energy-intensive clinker
in cement with locally sourced Swiss clay: lower emissions, lower import dependency, and lower
production costs. Textilcolor AG increases production capacity with a new soaping agent while
simultaneously reducing CO₂ emissions by 56%. Among the scale-ups, SensorX Solutions makes
methane leaks visible in real time, helping energy companies avoid costly losses. Novamem AG reduces
electricity costs in the production of green hydrogen with a new membrane technology. “Saving our
planet is not a charitable project, but the business model of the future,” says Doris Leuthard, former
Federal Councillor and Chair of the Green Business Award jury.
The full list of the 30 nominees is available at:
https://greenbusinessaward.ch/nominierte/
Jury, Process and Award Ceremony
The selection process for the Green Business Award follows a unique multi-stage procedure. Around
40 partner organisations of the award – including Economiesuisse, Swisscleantech, Swissmem and
WWF – submit their nominations, after which a preliminary jury selects the three best solutions per
category. The finalists present their solutions in a pitch before the main jury chaired by Doris Leuthard.
The winners will be announced at two events:
- SME category: 3 September 2026, Maillot Vert Summer Party, Lucerne
- SME category: 3 September 2026, Maillot Vert Summer Party, Lucerne
Overview of the Nominees
