EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2026: 13 Finalists from Six Cantons

EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2026: 13 Finalists from Six Cantons

The finalists for the 2026 EY Entrepreneur of the Year award have been announced. An independent jury of eleven members selected thirteen entrepreneurs and nine companies from among 70 applicants representing 57 businesses to advance to the finals. The award is being presented in Switzerland for the 29th time and is considered one of the most prestigious recognitions of entrepreneurial achievement in the country.

This year’s finalists come from the cantons of Geneva, Jura, Schwyz, St. Gallen, Ticino, and Zurich. Ticino has the largest contingent, with four nominees, followed by the canton of Schwyz with three nominees. The awards ceremony will take place on Friday, October 23, 2026, as part of a gala event at the Kongresshaus Zürich.

Frédéric Tissot, Head of EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Switzerland, notes: «Entrepreneurship requires courage, vision, and perseverance. It is precisely these qualities that the finalists of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Switzerland 2026 embody in such an impressive way. They stand for innovation, responsibility, and sustainable growth, and demonstrate the important contribution that entrepreneurs make to the Swiss economy and society.»

The awards are presented in three categories: «Scale-up Leaders,» «Visionary Entrepreneurs,» and «Entrepreneurs in Family Business.».

«Scale-up Leaders» Category»

Three companies are competing in the «Scale-up Leaders» category. Daniela Marino leads Cutiss (ZH) in the biotechnology and healthcare sector. With de novoSkin™, the company is developing a personalized tissue therapy based on living human skin. A proprietary automation platform is designed to enable on-demand, scalable production of the therapy—for patients who have suffered severe burns or for reconstructive and cosmetic procedures.

Jonas Romer and Christian Stiefel lead Ofinto (SG) in the consumer goods and e-commerce sector. Founded in 2020, the company sells ergonomic office furniture through a digital direct-to-consumer model, which, according to the company, offers price advantages of up to 50 percent compared to traditional distribution models, as well as delivery times of less than five days. Today, Ofinto operates in five European countries and has reached more than 64,000 customers.

Giuseppe Perale heads Regenera – Spinosave (TI) in the field of medical technology and biotechnology. Through Spinosave, the company is developing a patented therapy in which the body’s own stem cells and immunocompetent cells, derived from adipose tissue, are embedded in a biodegradable hydrogel to support the self-regeneration of injured spinal cord tissue.

«Visionary Entrepreneurs» Category»

Three companies have also made it to the finals in the «Visionary Entrepreneurs» category. Yaron Spigel, Guy Jacoel, and Luciano Deportu lead Farmamondo (TI), an internationally active pharmaceutical group headquartered in Switzerland. According to the company, it operates in more than 40 countries, has 14 subsidiaries, and has commercialized more than 50 innovative therapies in emerging and growth markets.

Kai Eberhardt and Manuel Baumann lead Oviva (SZ) in the digital health sector. The company is digitizing the treatment of obesity, diabetes, and other chronic weight-related conditions by combining digital applications, artificial intelligence, and medical and nutritional care. Oviva operates in Switzerland, Germany, and the United Kingdom and has helped more than one million patients to date.

Thomas Taroni heads Phoeniqs (SZ) in the field of technology and artificial intelligence. According to the company, it positions itself as the only independent provider of high-end AI infrastructure in Switzerland and offers fully integrated AI and cloud environments designed to ensure compliance with strict data governance regulations.

Category: «Entrepreneurs in Family Business»

The «Entrepreneurs in Family Business» category brings together three family-owned companies with a long history. Pascal Bourquard Jr. leads Biwi (JU), a family-run company that has been developing and producing high-performance materials based on elastomers, composites, carbon, and silicone for more than 45 years. With more than 22 patents, Biwi supplies over 300 international brands in industries such as luxury watches, medical technology, motorsports, and aerospace—and, among other things, manufactures the Swiss national ID card.

Valentin Cerutti heads Cerutti Toitures (GE), a third-generation family business with more than 100 years of history in roofing and building envelope construction. The company operates in the fields of roofing, sheet metal work, waterproofing, timber construction, and photovoltaics, combining traditional craftsmanship with technical innovation.

Sylvain Roch is the seventh-generation head of V. Guimet Fils (GE). Founded in Geneva in 1873, this family-owned company has more than 150 years of experience in the maintenance, cleaning, and inspection of sewer and drainage networks, as well as in pumping services and wastewater management.

A Global Network for Entrepreneurs

The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year is not just an award, but also a network for entrepreneurs. The global program now comprises 60 programs in more than 94 countries and regions and connects more than 50,000 entrepreneurs worldwide. The awards ceremony is the culmination of a year-long program for all nominated entrepreneurs.

The 11-member jury operates independently and autonomously from EY and is composed of prominent figures from the Swiss business community, including past award winners such as Daniel Bossard (EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2023), Thomas Hanan (2017), Jan Lichtenberg (2015), and Franziska Tschudi Sauber (2022). EY Switzerland receives support for the program from Julius Bär as a program partner, as well as from Girard-Perregaux, HDI Global, Swiss, and Volvo Cars as sponsors.

For more information, visit https://www.eoy.ch available.