It is hard to imagine a more fitting 125th anniversary gift than an entry in the Guinness World Records. This is precisely what Villars Maître Chocolatier achieved in 2026, when it held the world’s largest chocolate tasting event in Fribourg. The company, whose famed chocolate bars are sold in some 60 countries, may have changed a great deal since its founding in 1901, but its DNA remains the same: “A taste for tradition, a commitment to quality, and the almost exclusive use of local ingredients were, and still are, the hallmark of Villars,” its CEO, Nicolas Forget, explains. Read article

How do you stay agile as your business grows? This is the challenge currently facing CertX. In late 2024, the SGS group became the majority shareholder, ushering in a landmark new chapter for the School of Engineering and Architecture Fribourg (HEIA-FR) spin-off. “We continue to operate independently,” Vincent Sabot, CertX CEO, explains. “We’re a startup inside a large corporation.” Read article

A business cannot be built on a technology alone. You need to find partners who are the right fit, win over investors, and translate your innovation into a viable business model. Yann Steulet, director of Fri Up, and Brigitte Baumann, serial entrepreneur, business angel and seed fund manager, explain why the Fribourg ecosystem owes its strong position to compact, human-centered structures, close ties between research and industry, and a genuine culture of collaboration. Read article

What do nanotechnology, polymers, digital printing, biopharmaceuticals, plastics processing, and artificial intelligence have in common? All of them, and others besides, have a dedicated institute or center of expertise in Fribourg. With most based on the Pérolles plateau or close by, they form a leading-edge ecosystem where applied research–industry collaboration is an everyday occurrence. Read article

Boldness, speed, a willingness to experiment and take risks: entitled “The Startup Mindset,” the 2026 edition of fribourg.swiss, the official magazine of the Fribourg Development Agency (FDA), explores the mindset that drives startups and the ecosystem that supports their growth. From research and technology transfer to business support, innovation sites and collaboration with established companies, the magazine examines the many facets of Fribourg’s startup scene and shows how the startup mindset extends well beyond startups themselves. The new edition was unveiled at the Marly Innovation Center (MIC). Read article

For the second edition of its flagship publication under the fribourg.swiss brand, the Fribourg Development Agency (FDA) has chosen "The Startup Mindset" as its central theme. The magazine will be officially launched on September 23, 2026, at the Marly Innovation Center. Read article