EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2025: The finalists have been confirmed – Vaud and Zurich very well represented

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• Twelve business personalities have been nominated alongside their nine companies by an independent and distinguished panel of judges for this year’s EY Entrepreneur Of The Year award.
• This year, the finalists come from the Cantons of Lucerne, Nidwalden, St. Gallen, Vaud, Valais and Zurich. A total of seven business personalities come from the Cantons of Vaud and Zurich.
• The awards are divided into three categories and will be presented at a gala event at the Kursaal in Bern on Friday, October 17, 2025.

Zurich, 28 August 2025 – The finalists in the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2025 (the 28th edition) have been confirmed. The twelve business personalities and their nine companies nominated for this year’s prestigious awards were announced today. Almost half (45%) of the companies are active in the area of technology and innovation, with 11% in digital finance, 22% in real estate management and another 22% specializing in high-quality consumer goods. In total, 61 business personalities applied for the program in 2025, with the regions of French-speaking Switzerland, Central Switzerland and Zurich the best represented. Now, an independent jury has decided which ones to send though to the finals in the various categories of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year awards at the Kursaal Bern on October 17, 2025.

Frédéric Tissot, Head of EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Switzerland, commented: “We are very proud to have been promoting outstanding entrepreneurship in Switzerland for more than a quarter of a century. For months, we have been collaborating with the independent and distinguished panel of judges to select the finalists. We are impressed by the commitment and innovative spirit shown by the entrepreneurs.”

As in the previous year, the Canton of Vaud leads the rankings of companies nominated for the finals with three, followed by the Canton of Zurich with two. In all, five companies out of nine were selected from the two cantons for this year’s final round. The winners will be selected in three categories: “Scale-up Leaders”, “Visionary Entrepreneurs” and “Entrepreneurs in Family Business”. The winners will be announced at a celebratory gala at the Kursaal in Bern on Friday, October 17, 2025. The people and companies competing for the most coveted awards for entrepreneurship in Switzerland are listed below.

“Scale-up Leaders” category

Sami Arpa, Largo.ai (Vaud); sector: Technology and Innovation

Founded in 2018 as a spin-off of the EPFL, Largo.ai is revolutionizing film and advertising through AI-based pre-testing of content. Using generative and predictive tools, the company delivers data-driven insights for informed decisions. The success of Largo.ai is driven by the academic and practical expertise of the company’s co-founder Sami Arpa, who has a PhD in Computational Aesthetics. Largo.ai is headquartered in the EPFL Innovation Park in Lausanne and has offices in Los Angeles, London and Istanbul.

The judges say: “True to the motto ‘Switzerland goes Hollywood’, Sami Arpa is a pioneer who is reimagining the world of cinema with his flair for technology and creativity.”

Luc Burnier, nu glass (Vaud); sector: Technology and Innovation

Founded by Luc Burnier, nu glass is changing internal connectivity by making windows permeable to telecommunications frequencies. Through his research work at the EPFL, Burnier has gained expertise in materials science and engineering, allowing him to translate innovative technology into practical solutions.

The judges say: “We were impressed by Luc Burnier’s drive and personal commitment. With nu glass, he stands for a Swiss innovation that redefines wireless connectivity in indoor spaces.”

Pascal Uffer and Johannes Lermann, Boost inc (Zurich); sector: Technology and Innovation

The smart technology and resource-saving software from Boost inc enable vending machines to be used efficiently, sustainably and flexibly. Food waste is reduced from 30% to 2% thanks to Boost inc. Co-founded by Pascal Uffer and Johannes Lermann, the company is now active in more than ten countries and has tripled its annual turnover in just two years.

The judges say: “With their entrepreneurial spirit and technology, Pascal Uffer and Johannes Lermann have created a solution that drastically reduces food waste and reshapes the vending machine market.”

“Visionary Entrepreneurs” category

Beat Bühlmann and Ivo Blättler, finpension (Lucerne), sector: Digital Finance

“Redefine digital wealth management.” Beat Bühlmann and Ivo Blättler have set themselves this goal with finpension, a licensed securities firm on its way to becoming a bank. With a focus on transparency and innovation, the company manages over CHF 3 billion of assets and offers its customers cost-effective pension solutions that promote financial literacy. More than 500 companies with more than 5,500 policyholders are already opting for a 1e pension from finpension.

The judges say: “Beat Bühlmann and Ivo Blättler are pioneers of digital retirement provision and, in finpension, have built a platform centered around simplicity and transparency.”

Martin Fengler, Meteomatics (St. Gallen); sector: Technology and Innovation

During a turbulent private pilot flight, Martin Fengler, founder of Meteomatics, realized that weather forecasts focused on a very small, precisely defined geographical area offer tremendous benefits and the accuracy of forecasts needed to be drastically improved. This insight gave rise to his mission to revolutionize access to weather data. Today, the company is setting new standards with its innovative Weather API and sustainable Meteoglider system, serving 600 customers around the world and promoting informed decisions through precise atmospheric data collection.

The judges say: “Martin Fengler is an entrepreneur whose passion and vision made Meteomatics synonymous with precision in the world of weather data.”

Eric Corradin and Florent Bourachot, Neho (Vaud); sector: Real Estate Management

Co-founded by Eric Corradin and Florent Bourachot, Neho has been revolutionizing real estate transactions since its formation in 2017 by combining digital and human expertise to deliver efficient and transparent services at a fixed price rather than a broker’s commission. The company currently employs 120 staff and has established itself as a leading player in the Swiss real estate brokerage market.

The judges say: “We were impressed by the clarity and structure provided by Eric Corradin and Florent Bourachot. With Neho, they have fundamentally changed the real estate market through their fixed-price model.”

“Entrepreneurs in Family Business” category

Diego Mathier, Adrian & Diego Mathier Nouveau Salquenen (Valais); sector: High-Quality Consumer Goods

Redefining wine production is the aim of Diego Mathier of Adrian & Diego Mathier Nouveau Salquenen, a winery run by the fourth generation of the same family. Under the management of Diego Mathier, the winery is a multiple winner of the “Best Swiss Wine Cellar of the Year” award and has also been named “Best Swiss Wine Cellar of the Decade”. With a focus on quality, tradition and innovation, the Mathier family manages the vineyard spanning 50 hectares.

The judges say: “Diego Mathier, his wife Nadia and their five daughters embody a wine-growing family par excellence and are leading the winery into the next generation with passion and drive.”

Leandro Niederer, Glasi Hergiswil (Nidwalden); sector: High-Quality Consumer Goods

As one of the oldest Swiss manufacturers, Glasi Hergiswil has been manufacturing glassware entirely by hand since 1817. With Leandro Niederer, the company is continuing the tradition today and at the same time complementing it with modern tourism and hospitality initiatives. The combination of traditional know-how and modern products and services are the hallmarks of this family-run business. Thus, the manufacturer is opening up new avenues for sustainable growth whilst remaining a symbol of traditional craftsmanship.

The judges say: “Leandro Niederer is a young, dynamic personality who is leading the traditional craft of Glasi Hergiswil into the future with a clear will to develop it further.”

Béatrice Schaeppi, Schaeppi Grundstücke (Zurich); sector: Real Estate Management

Founded in 1935, Schaeppi Grundstücke is a family-run real estate company that has specialized in property management, marketing, construction and portfolio management. Now in its fourth generation, under the leadership of Béatrice Schaeppi, the company has successfully completed the transition to a public limited company. In all that time, it has never lost sight of its core values and commitment to sustainable business practices.

The judges say: “We were impressed by Béatrice Schaeppi’s palpable passion. She combines tradition with visionary foresight to successfully manage the fourth generation of the family business.”

EY Entrepreneur Of The Year – a global network for visionary entrepreneurs

The awards ceremony is the highlight of a year-long program for all the entrepreneurs in the running. However, the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year is much more than just the “Oscars for entrepreneurs”: It is a tight-knit and established network for business personalities that enables and fosters contact and exchanges between all those across the world who have ever been contenders. The global network stretches over 60 countries and now comprises more than 50,000 entrepreneurs.

The judges of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year awards in Switzerland

The judging panel for the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year awards in Switzerland consists of ten independent members who autonomously review all the candidates, select the finalists and finally decide on the winners. The panel is made up of the following personalities from the Swiss business scene:

• Adrienne Corboud Fumagalli | Board Chair Unyversal Technologies | Board Member Swiss Life
• Marco Gadola | Board Chair DKSH and Medartis | Board Vice Chair Straumann Group
• Thomas Hanan | Founder & CEO Webrepublic | EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2017
• Jan Lichtenberg | CEO & Co-Founder InSphero | EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2015
• Didier Maus | Board Chair Maus Frères
• Michael Mueller | Group CEO Valora & Head Europe FEMSA Proximity & Health
• Piero Poli | Board Chair & CEO Rivopharm
• Jean-Marc Probst | Board Chair Probst Group Holding
• Franziska Tschudi Sauber | Board Chair Weidmann Holding | EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2022
• Pascale Vonmont | CEO/Director Gebert Rüf Stiftung

About the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2025 award:
 

• A panel of ten judges is responsible for reviewing all the candidates, selecting the finalists and deciding on the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2025 award winners. It acts independently and autonomously of EY.
• The awards ceremony for the 28th Swiss edition of EY Entrepreneur Of The Year takes place in Bern on Friday, October 17.
• EY Switzerland is supported in the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year program by Julius Baer as program partner, as well as Ford Motor Company, Girard-Perregaux, HDI Global and SWISS as sponsors.
• Further information is available at eoy.ch.

About the global EY organization

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EY’s organization is represented in Switzerland by Ernst & Young Ltd, Basel, with 10 offices across Switzerland, and in Liechtenstein by Ernst & Young AG, Vaduz. In this publication, “EY” and “we” refer to Ernst & Young Ltd, Basel, a member firm of Ernst & Young Global Limited.