The Innovation Network was designed to provide a presentation and communication platform / meeting point for Swiss innovation and business over the internet. It serves as an information system for researchers, inventors, the industry, innovative entrepreneurs and company founders, but is also of interest to economic promoters, financiers and branches of the industry that represent growth potential and to all those interested in economic development and innovation in general. The CASH Entrepreneur Exchange is integrated into this network. Through the Exchange, those offering a service or product come in contact with potential partners - both cooperative and business - as well as licensees and financiers.

There are five categories:

• The Entrepreneur Center: meeting point for entrepreneurs and SME's; tips and hints for getting started in business, overcoming barriers, streamlining the organization and growing successfully
• The Business Center: Virtual Market for innovative ideas, products and companies; hints and tips for marketing; INNOFAIR, a 24-hour, 365-day internet exhibition of the absolute latest; Swiss products at World Fairs
• The Finance Center: Everything on venture capital, capital forums and corporate finance; who invests and why, how they decide, how to make a professional presentation, foundations that award innovative ideas with start-up funding
• Research & Development: Platform for scientists, researchers and inventors; useful organizations to contact for contacts, universities and their special interest activities, EU R&D programs, organizations that pool and coordinate research efforts
• Business Location: Presentation of potential research and worksites in Switzerland; organizations that promote the economy, cantons that provide optimal developmental conditions, tax information

The Outcome

Because INNONET is an interactive service in the internet, INNONET "only" acts as an intermediary, so we presently have no figures to reflect concrete results. We are in contact with several institutes who will be analyzing the results of our work in the future.

Purely the number of users/subscribers, however, testifies to the necessity of an innovation network. With over 26,000 hits per month, INNONET occupies a top position in providing information for small and middle-sized companies and young entrepreneurs.