Green Business Award: 37 nominated companies set new standards for a sustainable economy
Press release, Bern, April 15, 2025
From mushroom-based natural foam to vertical wind turbines – the seventh Green Business Award once again showcases the wide variety of nominees. Each year the award honors companies that combine ecological impact with economic success, thereby shaping the future of a sustainable economy.
37 companies with diverse solutions are nominated for the seventh Green Business Award: ranging from up-and-coming scale-ups to large corporations that have transformed their business models toward genuine sustainability. Among the nominees is a startup that has developed a sewing thread which completely dissolves under the influence of water, pressure and heat – an innovation with great potential for the textile industry. Also, a third-generation family business that uses its own sustainability index to transparently show how environmentally friendly and circular each piece of furniture is.
Innovations in the energy sector
This year, the energy sector stands out with a remarkable number of nominated solutions. A vertical wind turbine is setting new standards in energy generation, while geothermal panels are transforming underground spaces such as parking garages into renewable sources of heating and cooling. A heat-reflective coating helps reduce heating costs, thereby improving the energy efficiency of buildings. This marks an important step forward, considering that the building sector is responsible for approximately 23 % of Switzerland’s greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Federal Office for Environment1. «Technological innovation in the energy sector plays a key role in driving the energy transition”, says Doris Leuthard, former Federal Councilor and President of the Green Business Award jury. «Once again, the nominees demonstrate the diversity and forward-thinking nature of these solutions. They are an inspiration for the entire economy to actively help shape the transition.»
The importance of impact investing is increasing
«Personally, I am very pleased that this year, some sustainable solutions from companies in the financial sector are represented», says Cédric Habermacher, Director of Green Business Switzerland. «It shows that the topic of impact investing remains important and that we are on the right track with our new strategy.» For the past year, the Green Business Award has been presented jointly with Impact Gstaad. At the finale, the finalists are given the opportunity to pitch their solutions to investors to obtain growth capital.
The selection process of the Green Business Award follows a unique, multi-stage procedure. After around 40 partner organizations – such as the Federal Office for the Environment, Solar Impulse, Swiss Textiles and the WWF – have submitted their nominations, a preliminary jury awards the five best solutions with the label «Green Business Excellence». These five companies then pitch their solutions to the main jury, chaired by Doris Leuthard. The winner will be announced on February 13, 2026, at the Impact Circle event in Gstaad.
1 Federal Office for the Environment (2024)
MR_Nominees_ENG.pdf
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Overview of the nominees (alphabetical list)
Company | Solution | Short description |
|---|---|---|
Dübendorf, ZH | Vertical Sky – vertical wind turbine | Vertical Sky® from Agile Wind Power is a vertical wind turbine in the megawatt class that was developed for local, decentralized power generation in commercial and industrial applications. Its slow rotation reduces noise emissions, making it suitable for use in populated areas. |
Hinwil, ZH | CESIM – small devices with a big impact | Belimo's CESIM method aims to optimize the indoor climate using sensors, valves and actuators. Five central aspects are considered: Comfort, energy efficiency, safety, installation and maintenance. This method ensures sustainable building operation, cost savings, improved indoor air quality and reduced emissions. |
Marly, FR | Bloom – efficient biorefinery | Bloom processes plant biomass, including wood, straw, and nutshells, into environmentally friendly alternatives to petroleum products. This results in bio-based plastics, textiles, and cosmetics that replace fossil raw materials. This approach promotes the circular economy and reduces dependence on crude oil. |
Genf | Bordier Green, Climate & Sustainable Bonds – sustainable investments | Through its partnership with the Climate Bonds Initiative, Bordier & Cie invests sustainably while achieving attractive returns. They finance renewable energy and circular economy projects with measurable impact. This allows clients to pursue their financial goals while simultaneously supporting environmental solutions. |
Altendorf, SZ | Stitchlock – sewing thread for a circular textile industry | STITCHLOCK is an innovative sewing thread that dissolves when exposed to water, pressure and heat. This property enables the complete separation of seams so that even complex garments - including linings, interlinings and zippers - can be easily broken down into their original components and recycled. This process promotes the circular economy in the textile industry by facilitating the recycling of textiles. |
Root D4, LU | Cowa Compact Cell – highly compact thermal store for heat pumps | Heat pumps require thermal storage for domestic hot water and heating. The highly compact thermal store from Cowa Thermal Solutions enables heat pumps to be installed even in very limited spaces, such as in urban areas. |
St. Gallen | Delinat – holistic organic viticulture | Delinat established a holistic ecological viticulture approach throughout the entire value chain. As early as 1983, Delinat developed its own organic guidelines with the aim of transforming the vineyard into a stable ecosystem. This includes promoting robust grape varieties, implementing energy efficiency guidelines, and introducing a reusable system for cartons and wine bottles. |
Renens, VD
| Enerdrape Geothermal Panel – transforms underground spaces into renewable energy sources | Enerdrape has developed geothermal panels that can be installed in parking garages, tunnels or subway stations. The technology transforms underground spaces into renewable sources of heating and cooling. The panels are made from recyclable materials and reduce CO2emissions. |
Flums, SG | Flumroc – electric melting furnace for stone wool | Flumroc's electric melting furnace for stone wool is powered entirely by electricity from Swiss hydropower. By using the furnace, the company is reducing CO2 emissions from stone melting by 80%. This amounts to around 25,000 tons of CO2 per year. |
Zürich | FREITAG – circular Mono[PA6] backpack | The Mono[PA6] backpack from FREITAG is circular. All 17 components are made from the same material: nylon. This allows the entire backpack to be recycled, with the granulate being used to create new backpack components. |
Aadorf, TG | Griesser – green aluminum in sun protection products | Griesser relies on green aluminum in the production of their sun protection products. This reduces their CO₂ emissions per kilogram of produced aluminum by up to 30%. The newly used green aluminum consists of 65% pre-consumer and post-consumer scrap, with only 35% coming from primary aluminum. |
Schlieren, ZH | HeiQ Xpectra – transparent heat-reflective glaze | HeiQ Xpectra enables fast, cost-efficient building renovations with a scalable, easy-to-apply coating to enhance energy efficiency. The transparent, heat-reflective glaze is easy to apply and reduces heating costs. It reflects up to 74% of heat and improves the U-value (a measure of thermal conductivity) of walls by up to 25%. |
Kemptthal, ZH | Hivoduct – compressed air cable | Hivoduct develops and produces compressed air cables - an efficient and environmentally friendly technology for electrical energy transmission. Instead of climate-damaging SF₆ gas, these cables use compressed air as an insulating medium, which avoids harmful emissions and reduces the environmental impact. |
Jona, SG | I&W Engineering – electric drive system | The electric drive systems from I&W Engineering AG integrate the electric motor, gearbox, and brake into a single unit. This design enables easy and cost-efficient implementation without the need for additional components. Due to their high-power density, these drives are particularly suitable for applications with limited installation space, such as robotics and the automation of agriculture, construction, and logistics. The electric drive helps to reduce emissions and use energy more efficiently. |
Seegräben, ZH | Jucker Farm – transformation to regenerative agriculture | Jucker Farm is in the process of transforming towards regenerative agriculture. Healthy soil stores more CO₂, allows more water to seep in, protects against both drought and flooding, and promotes biodiversity. Therefore, Jucker Farm aims to build soil health to grow healthy plants and produce nutritious food. |
Basel | Kaffeemacher:innen – social-ecological coffee production | Kaffeemacher:innen is committed to social-ecological coffee production along the entire value chain. They make coffee from cultivation to the cup: on their own coffee farm in Nicaragua, they promote sustainable cultivation, maintain fair trade relations and focus on transparent supply chains. They process the coffee in their roastery in Basel, where they also pass on their knowledge of sustainable coffee production in the coffee school. |
Glattbrugg, ZH | Libattion - energy storage solutions | Libattion's energy storage solutions enable customers to use renewable energies more efficiently. Through intelligent control, the systems reduce CO₂ emissions and relieve the power grid. The storage solutions are flexibly adaptable to industrial and commercial requirements. |
Wyssachen, BE | Loosli Gruppe sustainable transformation in furniture manufacturing | The Loosli Group focuses on resource-efficient production and circular products with the ZOE bathroom furniture line and the sustainability index. Loosli furniture is labeled with a specific sustainability index that informs customers about the sustainability and circularity of each individual piece of furniture. |
Bern | Luya – plant-based meat alternatives | Luya produces plant-based meat alternatives by upcycling nutrient-rich byproducts like okara. Through natural fermentation, protein-rich products are created without additives. In this way, Luya reduces food waste and CO₂ emissions while promoting the circular economy. |
Seon, AG | LOOPINSULATION – resource-efficient insulation for jackets | With LOOPINSULATION, Mammut has developed an innovative, resource-efficient insulation for jackets. It is made from recycled plastic and industrial waste from rope production, providing reliable warmth even in wet conditions. It is both sustainable and easy to care for. |
Zürich | Large-scale heat pumps – for climate-friendly heat supply | Large-scale heat pumps are crucial for the decarbonization of urban heat supply. The mega heat pump from MAN Energy Solutions supplies entire cities with sustainable district heating and drives the expansion of renewable energies. Thanks to the scalable water tank for thermal energy storage, the system itself can be used as an energy reservoir. This flexibility stabilizes the grid, balances load fluctuations, and optimizes infrastructure utilization. |
Lausanne, VD | Medusoil – cement-free, low-carbon binders | Medusoil develops cement-free and low-carbon alternatives to conventional binders. These binders are used to stabilize soils in construction and infrastructure. They make the soil more stable, more resistant and less susceptible to erosion. Thanks to natural processes such as biomineralization and biopolymerization, material consumption is reduced, construction time is shortened and CO₂ emissions are lowered. |
Zürich | Platform for accelerating the energy transition in emerging markets | MPower supplies and finances small and medium-sized decentralized solar solutions in developing countries. They offer high-quality solar products and innovative financing and software solutions via their B2B2C platform. MPower thus supplies households, companies and social institutions with energy, promotes economic growth and supports the energy transition in Africa. |
Basel | Mycrobez – mushroom-based natural foam | Mycrobez combines organic raw materials with mycelium to produce sustainable zero-waste foam. This versatile natural foam can be used for packaging or construction, for example. Automated production ensures economic competitiveness and establishes a recyclable material standard for mass markets. |
Zürich | OctoCore – DataOps platform for sustainable optimization of production processes | OctoCore seamlessly connects IT and OT data and eliminates data silos. The platform ensures a uniform data structure, optimizes production processes in real time and facilitates analyses. The result: greater efficiency, lower CO₂ emissions and sustainable process improvements. |
Zürich | Optiml – Real Estate Decision Intelligence (REDI) | Optimls Real Estate Decision Intelligence (REDI) develops decarbonization strategies for asset managers, investors and advisors in line with financial and net zero targets. This reduces CO2 emissions, optimizes capital expenditure and lowers operating costs. |
Schlieren, ZH | Oxyle – PFAS destruction solution | Oxyle has developed an eco-friendly and cost-efficient solution to completely remove per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as "forever chemicals" from water. These chemicals enter the environment through industrial wastewater, firefighting foams, landfills, and sewage sludge, accumulating in rivers, lakes, and groundwater. The technology destroys over 99% of PFAS molecules with an average energy consumption of only 1 kWh per cubic meter of water, generating no secondary waste. |
Zürich | Pallon – sewer management platform | Pallon’s AI-powered platform automatically detects damages in inspection videos of channels and shafts. This eliminates the need for manual video analysis by experts, saving time and reducing errors. Early detection of defects enables targeted maintenance planning, avoiding unnecessary construction work and utilizing resources efficiently. This extends the lifespan of drainage systems, lowers maintenance costs, and contributes to a more sustainable urban infrastructure. |
Ecublens, VD
| Qaptis – mobile CO2 capture technology | Qaptis' mobile CO2 capture technology captures emissions directly at the source and either stores them permanently underground or uses them to produce chemicals such as synthetic fuels. It is suitable for small and medium-sized industrial applications - from mobile applications such as trucks to stationary applications such as power generators and gas boilers. |
Zürich | radicant bank – Switzerland's first digital sustainability bank | radicant bank is the first digital sustainability bank in Switzerland. It offers easy and attractive access to impact-oriented and environmentally friendly banking and investment solutions with full transparency. Every card transaction contributes to the restoration of mangrove ecosystems and every investment supports solutions to sustainability challenges. |
Baar, ZG | SikaFiber®– fibers for concrete reinforcement | SikaFiber® improves the durability and resistance of concrete by replacing conventional steel reinforcement with fiber-reinforced concrete. This extends the life cycle of infrastructures and reduces the CO₂ emissions of concrete by up to 20%. |
Genf | IMPACT – sustainable procurement program | IMPACT is Sucafina's procurement program for reliable, traceable coffee and sustainable growth for farmers and roasters. IMPACT Verified helps partners minimize risks and source products from supply chains by adhering to strict social, environmental, and economic standards. The program promotes measurable changes in five areas: living income, regenerative agriculture, CO₂ emissions, human rights, and forest protection. |
Basel | upVolt – e-bike battery service | The battery service from upVolt offers a sustainable solution for repairing e-bike batteries. Instead of expensive new purchases, battery life can be extended by replacing worn battery cells, repairing or replacing the battery management system (BMS) and through targeted software optimizations. This saves costs, reduces electronic waste and promotes a resource-conserving circular economy. |
Winterthur, ZH | Sympheny – configure optimal systems | Sympheny is a digital platform for planning energy systems. It helps to efficiently combine different energy sources, storage solutions and renewable energies. By using optimization algorithms and digital twin technology, planners can develop cost-effective and climate-friendly energy concepts. This reduces CO₂ emissions while also enabling economically viable solutions. |
Epalinges, VD | Voltiris – innovative solar panels for greenhouses | Voltris solar modules produce solar power without impairing plant growth in greenhouses. With the help of spectral filter technology, the solar modules transmit the light components that are important for photosynthesis to the plants, while the unused spectral elements are redirected to solar panels. |
Zürich | vyzn – optimization software for planning new construction and renovation projects | vyzn is an AI-powered and 3D/BIM-based optimization software that supports real estate developers in the planning phase with cross-disciplinary project optimization. Through optimal planning, CO₂ emissions can be reduced throughout the entire lifecycle, promoting the circular economy. |
Oberburg, BE | Yuon Optimizer – real-time optimization of district heating networks | Yuon Control optimizes heating and district heating networks with intelligent control technology. The heating control automatically adjusts energy consumption to the current demand. This reduces CO₂ emissions by up to 25% and lowers costs for energy users. |
«Green Business Award»
Each year since 2019, the Green Business Award has been honouring the most innovative Swiss companies that combine ecological innovation with economic success. In the first phase of the selection process, around 40 national scouts from the realm of business and science nominate the best solutions from their sector for the award. From these, an interdisciplinary expert jury distinguishes the five best solutions with the Green Business Excellence Label. These five companies present their business pitch to the main jury presided over by former federal councillor Doris Leuthard. The jury is also made up of 14 other well-known personalities, including Reto Knutti (ETH professor in climate physics), Michèle Rodoni (CEO die Mobiliar) and business journalist and entrepreneur Patrizia Laeri. Three of these five companies are selected as finalists for the Green Business Award, with the winning company presented with the coveted award on 14 February 2025 during the Impact Circle event organised by Impact Gstaad. In order to further expand the high requirements of the selection process for the best solutions, Green Business Switzerland has been working with the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW) as its scientific partner since 2024.
Green Business Switzerland
Green Business Switzerland focuses on the positive connection between business success and sustainable action. The forward-looking cooperation of key players from business and environmental protection is backed by Go for Impact, the FOEN, economiesuisse, öbu, Pusch, the Schweizerische Umweltstiftung, Scienceindustries, Swissmem, Swiss Textiles and WWF Switzerland, among others.
Partners
Swiss Post and Mobiliar support the Award as its partners, while simultaneously acting as trailblazers for sustainability in their industries.
Aperçu du jury. De gauche à droite : Cédric Habermacher, directeur de Green Business Switzerland, Doris Leuthard, présidente du jury, et Reto Knutti, membre du jury et professeur de physique du climat.
Le directeur de Green Business Switzerland, Cédric Habermacher, et la présidente du jury, Doris Leuthard.
