Three sustainable pioneers impress at the Green Business Award

Press release, Bern, August 20, 2025

August 20, 2025

From the fight against “forever chemicals” to climate-neutral heat supply for cities and solar power for greenhouses – the three finalists of the seventh Green Business Award, Oxyle, Everllence, and Voltiris, prove that sustainability leads to entrepreneurial success.

“A future worth living emerges where entrepreneurial spirit meets ecological responsibility,” says Cédric Habermacher, Director of Green Business Switzerland. Each year, the Green Business Award honors Swiss solutions that combine ecological impact with economic success. This year, the finalists include two up-and-coming scale-ups and one large company with a sustainable business model.

Of the 37 companies nominated, these three impressed the jury, chaired by former Federal Councilor Doris Leuthard, the most:

Everllence Switzerland from Zurich (ZH) – A large-scale heat pump that supplies entire cities with climate-neutral district heating

Around 40 % of global CO₂ emissions are generated by heat production¹. This is exactly where Everllence comes in, developing large-scale heat pumps that can convert entire cities to CO₂-neutral district heating. The company uses environmental heat from seawater, lakes, rivers, wastewater, ambient air, or industrial processes. An integrated water tank stores excess heat and supplies it on demand. In this way, the heat pump serves not only as a heat supplier but also as an energy storage system. This stabilizes the grid and increases efficiency. Everllence’s technology enables the simultaneous production of heat and cooling with high efficiency. In Esbjerg (DK), two large heat pumps replace an entire coal-fired power plant, supplying 25,000 households with climate-friendly district heating. This saves around 120,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually. Jury President Doris Leuthard: “Everllence shows how Swiss industry can drive decarbonization forward – with technological precision and economic viability. These are exactly the kinds of solutions we need.” The innovation is developed and manufactured in Zurich West – with 950 employees and 220 years of experience at the Swiss location.

Oxyle from Schlieren (Zurich) – Permanent PFAS Elimination for Clean Water

Dr. Fajer Mushtaq grew up in Delhi, where water scarcity and pollution were part of daily life. Today, she is the co-founder and CEO of Oxyle, where she and her 30-member team are developing a solution to one of the world’s most persistent water contaminants: PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals.” These substances are found in everyday products like outdoor clothing, baking paper, cosmetics, and non-stick pans. They enter the environment through wastewater, accumulating in soil, water, and the human body. Even the smallest amounts can be toxic – causing health issues such as cancer, infertility, and disruptions to the immune and hormonal systems. Due to their chemical properties, PFAS are considered particularly harmful to the environment. The water in Switzerland is also contaminated with PFAS: A 2021 study by the National Groundwater Monitoring (NAQUA) found PFAS in nearly half of over 500 groundwater monitoring sites². Oxyle is developing a solution that not only removes PFAS from water but also permanently degrades them – including the particularly problematic short-chain compounds. “Oxyle sheds light on an invisible danger that affects us all and impressively demonstrates how Swiss technology can contribute to solving global environmental problems,” says Doris Leuthard.

Voltiris from Epalinges (VD) – Innovative Solar Modules for Greenhouses Without Yield Loss
Greenhouse farmers face a dilemma: they have to decide whether to use the roof of their greenhouse for energy production or to allow sunlight in for crop cultivation. However, plants only require part of the light spectrum for photosynthesis. This is exactly where Voltiris comes in. The scale-up is developing solar modules that split light: special films allow the spectrum relevant for plant growth to pass through, while converting the remaining light into solar energy. The technology enables dual use of the same space — for crop yield and power generation — without compromising plant growth. The modules can be integrated into existing greenhouses and offer a solution for an especially energy-intensive sector. With Voltiris’ solar modules, greenhouses can reduce their CO₂ emissions by up to 95%. Co-founder and CEO Nicolas Weber and his 24-person team are already implementing the technology on a large scale: in May 2025, Voltiris installed its first hectare-scale system at Meier Gemüse in Rütihof (AG). Within just four weeks, they installed around 1,800 modules—without interrupting production. “Voltiris' technology combines agricultural production with renewable energy in a meaningful way. This is a powerful lever on the path to climate-neutral agriculture,” says Doris Leuthard about the jury's decision.

The Green Business Award final will take place on February 13, 2026, at Impact Gstaad. There the finalists will present their solutions to potential investors, giving them the opportunity to secure growth financing for international scaling. After all, true impact for our planet can only be achieved if Swiss solutions are applied internationally.

¹ International Energy Agency (2021)

² Bundesamt für Umwelt (2021)

Green Business Award
Since 2019, the Green Business Award has annually honored the most innovative Swiss companies that combine ecological impact with economic success. In the first phase of the selection process, around 40 national scouts from business, environmental protection, and science nominate the best solutions in their sector for the award. From these, an interdisciplinary panel of experts selects the five best solutions and awards them the Green Business Excellence label. These five companies then present their pitch to the main jury, chaired by former Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard. The jury includes 14 other renowned personalities, among them Reto Knutti (ETH Professor of Climate Physics), Michèle Rodoni (CEO of die Mobiliar), Bertrand Piccard (Founder of Solar Impulse) and business journalist and entrepreneur Patrizia Laeri. Three of these five companies are chosen as finalists for the Green Business Award, and one of them will receive the coveted prize on 13 February 2026 during the Impact Circle of Impact Gstaad.

Green Business Switzerland
Green Business Switzerland focuses on the positive link between entrepreneurial success and sustainable action. Behind this forward-looking cooperation of key players from business and environmental protection are, among others, Go for Impact, the Federal Office for the Environment, economiesuisse, öbu, Pusch, the Swiss Environmental Foundation, Scienceindustries, Swissmem, Swiss Textiles, and WWF Switzerland.

Partners
Swiss Post and Mobiliar support the Award as its partners, while simultaneously acting as trailblazers for sustainability in their industries.