The Sunrise Innovation Day 2025 brought together global technology leaders, researchers, and entrepreneurs to discuss how artificial intelligence, data, and cloud technologies are transforming industries. Among the keynote speakers was Dr. Klaus L. Fuchs, Co-Founder of Rockstar Recruiting, who shared his vision of how AI-driven collaboration and talent ecosystems are reshaping enterprise innovation in Switzerland and beyond.
AI as the New Enterprise Core
The event, held at Sunrise headquarters in Opfikon, celebrated a milestone moment for the Swiss tech landscape — bringing together over 300 industry participants to explore how AI, data, and cloud can fuel corporate transformation. What stood out most was the convergence of thought leaders and practitioners from across sectors, from telecom and cloud providers to AI startups and system integrators.
“The interest in your keynote went beyond our expectations. Thank you so much for being part of our Sunrise Innovation Day.”
— Alda Daka, Head of AI & Cloud Enablement, Sunrise GmbH
Dr. Fuchs emphasized the increasing importance of cross-sector collaboration between enterprises, academia, and startups. “We are moving into an age where enterprise innovation depends not only on technology, but on how quickly organizations can integrate AI capabilities and talent into their value chain,” he noted.
Highlights from the Sunrise Innovation Day
Under the theme “Technology. Insights. Ideas.”, Sunrise united enthusiasts from across the tech sector to ignite new possibilities at the intersection of AI, data, and cloud. Through a mix of inspiring keynotes, hands-on demos, and interactive solution labs, participants experienced firsthand how AI is accelerating digital transformation in telecommunications and beyond.
The event featured a stellar lineup of speakers including Vanessa Cann (AI Hub Europe), Alessandro Santoro (Sunrise), and Dr. Klaus L. Fuchs (Rockstar Recruiting). Together, they explored how to responsibly scale AI and what it means for enterprise innovation, organizational agility, and the evolving world of work.
Key technology partners — Accenture, AWS, Amdocs, BMC Software, Buynomics, Cisco, Google, Huawei, Infosys, Microsoft, Nokia, Oracle, Salesforce, and SELISE Group — showcased next-generation solutions across AI infrastructure, automation, and customer experience.
“Innovation came to life at our headquarters — and Sunrise Innovation Day became a launchpad for collaboration and a testament to the power of shared vision in driving technological progress.”
Zurich: The Real Mountain View for Enterprise AI
The Greater Zurich Area stands out as one of the world’s most concentrated AI ecosystems — home to ETH Zurich’s AI Center, more than 60 AI startups per year, and a thriving deep tech investor community. This unique formula — Academia + Startups + Finance + Enterprises — has turned Zurich into Europe’s “Real Mountain View”, a place where global companies, researchers, and entrepreneurs collaborate to turn AI research into real-world products.
From autonomous systems and robotics to cybersecurity and drones, Zurich’s AI-driven innovation culture enables corporations to prototype faster and scale safer. Startups like Lakera (AI security), Daedalean (AI aviation), and EthonAI (industrial AI) are redefining enterprise partnerships across industries.
“AI innovation is no longer a department — it’s the operating system of the modern enterprise.”
Enterprise + AI Startup Partnerships: The New Innovation Engine
One of the strongest messages coming out of the Sunrise Innovation Day was the growing momentum of enterprise–startup collaboration. Switzerland’s corporates are increasingly partnering with AI startups to accelerate digital transformation, strengthen cybersecurity, and create new customer experiences powered by machine learning and generative AI.
Sunrise is a clear example of this innovation model. Beyond its new AI-powered home security bundle, Sunrise is actively collaborating with partners such as AWS, Google, Microsoft, and SELISE to integrate large-scale AI solutions for automation, customer insights, and 5G connectivity management.
These partnerships enable Sunrise to build smarter products, personalize customer journeys, and move toward a more intelligent network infrastructure. Similar collaborations are emerging across the Swiss economy:
- EthonAI × Siemens — Using industrial AI to optimize quality control and predictive maintenance in manufacturing.
- Daedalean × Rheinmetall — Developing autonomous AI pilots and navigation systems for defense and aerospace.
- Lakera × Check Point — Partnering to secure AI models against prompt injection and data breaches.
- ANYbotics × Equans — Deploying autonomous mobile robots for offshore and energy inspections.
“Enterprise innovation no longer happens inside silos — it’s powered by ecosystems. Startups bring speed, corporates bring scale, and together they deliver impact.”
This trend underscores the power of Switzerland’s AI ecosystem — one where Sunrise, ETH AI Center spin-offs, and global tech firms collaborate to bring research to market faster than ever.
Swiss Enterprise × AI Startup Collaborations 2025
| Sector | AI Startup | Enterprise Partner | Partnership Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture | ecoRobotix (CH) | RDO Equipment (US) | Deploying AI-guided precision spraying systems for North American farms. |
| Cloud | Inait (CH) | Microsoft (US) | Integrating brain-inspired AI models into Azure for more efficient edge computing. |
| Cloud | Lakera (CH) | Dropbox (US) | Providing AI-native security for LLM-based enterprise tools and chat assistants. |
| Consulting | Unit8 (CH) | OpenAI (US) | Official partner helping DACH enterprises integrate OpenAI models into workflows. |
| Defense | Auterion (CH) | Rheinmetall (DE) | Co-developing an open operating system for autonomous military drones. |
| Defense | Daedalean (CH) | Leonardo (IT) | AI-based computer vision for obstacle detection and GPS-free navigation in aircraft. |
| Energy | Jua (CH) | Volue (NO) | AI weather modeling integrated into energy forecasting for renewable sources. |
| Industry | EthonAI (CH) | Siemens (DE) | Industrial AI for automated visual inspection and quality analytics. |
| Industry | Sevensense (CH) | ABB (CH) | 3D vision and SLAM navigation integrated into ABB’s mobile robot line. |
| Insurance | Calvin Risk (CH) | Aviva (UK) | Developing AI-based risk management and model governance for insurers. |
| Insurance | Correntics (CH) | UNIQA (AT) | Integrating AI climate analytics to assess and mitigate sustainability risks. |
| Pharma | Cradle Bio (CH) | Ginkgo Bioworks (US) | Generative AI for faster protein engineering and drug discovery. |
| Pharma | Silver Brain AI (CH) | Roche (CH) | Automating chemical data entry for compliance with AI-based document processing. |
| Security | Fotokite (CH) | Pierce Manufacturing (US) | Tethered drones providing firefighters with real-time aerial visibility. |
| Security | LatticeFlow (CH) | Actuate (US) | Enhancing AI vision models for accurate threat and intrusion detection. |
| Telecom | Perplexity (US) | Sunrise (CH) | Introducing “Perplexity Pro” — an AI-powered assistant for Swiss telecom customers. |
Takeaways for Corporates
This growing wave of collaborations illustrates the new blueprint for enterprise innovation in Switzerland: corporates scale, startups innovate. By combining startup agility with enterprise infrastructure, these partnerships deliver measurable impact faster than traditional R&D cycles.
- Collaborate strategically: Partnering with AI startups enables faster adoption of new technologies while sharing risk and expertise.
- Leverage local ecosystems: The Zurich–Lausanne corridor gives corporates direct access to ETH spin-offs and world-class AI talent.
- Think beyond pilots: The most successful enterprises move from experimentation to full-scale deployment within 6–12 months.
- Prioritize explainability and safety: AI governance and security — as seen in collaborations with Lakera and Calvin Risk — are becoming key differentiators.
- Co-innovate for resilience: Partnerships across industries (from energy to insurance) show how AI can solve global challenges collaboratively.
“Corporates that learn to innovate with startups — not just acquire them — will lead the next decade of AI transformation.”
Corporate AI Innovation in Action — Sunrise Home Security Launch
A prime example of AI-driven enterprise innovation is the latest launch from Sunrise. The company is introducing an in-house designed smart home security system — a first-of-its-kind hardware offering that combines AI-based detection, automation, and mobile connectivity to bring enterprise-grade intelligence into private homes.
The Sunrise Home Security bundle marks a new milestone in Swiss telecom innovation — where AI meets connectivity. Designed internally by the Sunrise AI & Cloud Enablement team, the solution includes smart cameras, motion sensors, and connected alarms powered by real-time AI analytics.
The product not only enhances customer safety but also opens a new recurring revenue stream (ARPU) for the company, demonstrating that corporate innovation can create value for both users and shareholders. This initiative positions Sunrise at the forefront of AI security, IoT, and telecom convergence in Switzerland.
“Innovation is possible — even in mature markets. Sunrise proves that Swiss enterprises can design, launch, and scale AI-powered hardware products from within their own ecosystem. Launch is now — good luck Sunrise!”
Rockstar’s Take: Building Innovation Through Talent
As enterprise innovation accelerates, AI and human talent are becoming inseparable. Companies that invest in both — technology and people — will define the next decade of digital leadership.
At Rockstar Recruiting, we help organizations build the teams behind the innovation — connecting top engineers, data scientists, and AI specialists with visionary companies across Switzerland’s deep tech landscape.
“If you want to innovate fast and responsibly, hire people who think like founders — and build teams that learn faster than the market moves.”
