1. 11/19/10 7:07 PM| Boston World Partnerships
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BWP is a Boston alumni network
connecting you to Boston’s
innovation economy.
Boston is a hotbed of
entrepreneurship. 68% of
our Connectors have
started a company.

2. 11/19/10 7:07 PM| Boston World Partnerships
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BWP uses network
intelligence to identify
and capture opportunities
for economic growth.

3. 11/19/10 7:07 PM| Boston World Partnerships
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People networks are
the roads and bridges of
an idea-centric world.

4. 11/19/10 7:07 PM| Boston World Partnerships
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BWP is a mutual
benefit model. By helping
you grow, we strengthen
our city.

5. 11/19/10 7:07 PM| Boston World Partnerships
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BWP is a concierge desk
for growing businesses.
Tell us what resource
you need.

6. 11/19/10 7:07 PM| Boston World Partnerships
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BWP brings together
innovators, entrepreneurs,
and leaders to grow
Boston’s economy.

7. 11/19/10 7:07 PM| Boston World Partnerships
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BWP listens.
That’s how we capture
all the cool stuff
bubbling up in Boston.

8. 11/19/10 7:07 PM| Boston World Partnerships
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BWP brings together great
people for big, bold
conversations.

9. 11/19/10 7:07 PM| Boston World Partnerships
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BWP lifts people out of
silos to share ideas, spark
business growth, and
change the world.

10. 11/19/10 7:07 PM| Boston World Partnerships
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BWP gives global business
people a way to stay
connected to Boston’s
innovation economy.

11. 11/19/10 7:07 PM| Boston World Partnerships
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BWP is a tool for
you to access Boston’s
economic assets and
opportunities.

12. 11/19/10 7:07 PM| Boston World Partnerships
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Connectors unlock a
thousand different doors in
Boston’s global network.

13. 11/19/10 7:07 PM| Boston World Partnerships
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BWP is international.
Our Connectors come from
more than 30 different
countries.

14. 11/19/10 7:07 PM| Boston World Partnerships
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Inform & Connect. That’s
our mantra for serving you,
and serving Boston.

15. 11/19/10 7:07 PM| Boston World Partnerships
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BWP believes that Boston
offers the world’s best
environment for
innovative companies.

16. 11/19/10 7:07 PM| Boston World Partnerships
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Monday, April 6th, 2009
Interview with Pascal Marmier, Consul of
Switzerland
Switzerland has taken a unique approach to improving global collaboration in science,
technology and innovation. In 2000 a special type of Swiss Consulate was built, called
Swissnex. It has since grown to encompass a global Swiss Knowledge Network. I recently
met with the Consul of Swissnex Boston, Pascal Marmier, to learn more about the
founding, operations and future of Swissnex Boston, and how it works with innovators in
the New England area.
Bio: Pascal is the Director and Consul of Switzerland at swissnex Boston, a unique
private-public partnership dedicated to facilitating collaboration between New England,
Eastern Canada and Switzerland in all fields related to science, technology and innovation.
Pascal was previously in charge of innovation and entrepreneurship at swissnex Boston
helping Swiss entrepreneurs with US business development and working closely with

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Swiss decision-makers on policy decisions related to innovation. As a project manager, he
has also developed international collaborative programs in the fields of sustainability,
nanotechnology, and life sciences. Pascal holds an LL.M in US Business Law from Boston
University and he is admitted to the New York bar. Previously, he worked as an attorney
on international transactions with KPMG. He obtained his JD (licence en droit) and
Master in Law from University of Lausanne in 1995. He recently graduated from the Sloan
Fellows program at MIT Sloan School of Management with an MBA focusing on topics
such as sustainability, innovation, organizational design, negotiation and leadership.
JS: What was the early impetus for Swissnex within the Swiss Government in the last
decade?
PM: During the 1990s Swiss public policy was a gradual interest from science policy to
concrete policies. There was a call for a new strategy to implement science, technology
and innovation for Swiss scientists and technologists. There was also an increasing brain
drain from Switzerland. Many highly educated citizens were moving to North America or
other countries. High priority was placed on keeping these Swiss expats engaged.
The Swiss Government needed a place to be active in key locations where Swiss
expatriates are located. So the impetus has changed from dealing with brain drain to
brain circulation. We are focused on engaged citizens in both Switzerland and abroad and
facilitating innovation for both Swiss and non-Swiss citizens.
JS: Why was the Boston area chosen for the first Swissnex location?
PM: There was already a high percentage of Swiss expatriates working in science,
technology, and business in the New England area, especially in health care. The density
of academic and industry institutions in the area, in addition to pre-existing relationships
for the Swiss government made this location the perfect fit for the first Swissnex location.
JS: What is the core mission of Swissnex Boston?
PM: Swissnex at core is a collaborative space. Consulates have always been a two-way
street, but this is ever so more explicit with Swissnex. We mirror the strengths of science,
technology and innovation, and catalyze this collaboration. Our unofficial motto is to
connect the dots, by identifying people who should be working together. We are an
incubator in that sense.
JS: How does Swissnex improve contacts between Swiss innovators and Boston-based
professionals?
PM: We provide new opportunities for communication. On a local basis, we gather
groups who do not necessarily talk to each other, such as through interdisciplinary
workshops. As a result, new initiatives and companies are founded. We catalyze existing
networks to be an über-network. One example was an Internet Voting Workshop, in
which we brought together businesses, engineers, and public policy professionals, to look
at the systemic trends of Internet voting.
JS: How will Swissnex be changing or otherwise altering operations in the next 5+
years?
PM: We are inventing new ways to work with partners and sponsors. Third parties
finance two-thirds of our projects, and this makes our events more sustainable as we need
to generate our own funds.
The university landscape in Switzerland is getting more competitive, and there will need
to be much more strategic support given to and from institutions. Swissnex will take part
in this process. We will continue to assist trans-Atlantic ventures from founding, rather
than waiting for partnerships to be created late in development. Moreover, through
technology, there are whole new ways to ‘start-up’ together. Finally, we will see a lot more
action by larger companies, in particular large companies that see the value in access to

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talent and technology. More companies are getting actively involved with innovation.
JS: How does the unique mission as a governmental incubator in a foreign country offer
benefits or competitive advantage?
PM: The German government has announced a similar project to Swissnex – physical
locations dedicated to science and technology. Certain advanced Asian countries have
been interested in building similar projects in Europe. Switzerland has a very open-source
model, which contributed to the creation of Swissnex. The hybrid public/private
partnership has made it easy to work with many different partners and grow quickly.
JS: What are some lessons learned which you could share with similar organizations
promoting entrepreneurship?
PM: Keep an open eye to collaboration and mirror what is going on in the community.
There can be a much higher connection between countries if highly connected and
motivated professionals work closely with each other. The personal connection is very
important, and a major competitive advantage for Swissnex over traditional models for
innovation.
The mindset for Swissnex is quite similar to Boston World Partnerships. We are in a very
similar space: we identify people who have been here for some time and connect them up
with newcomers to the area. We promote Switzerland, New England, and other regions
through the people. We let them speak for themselves. We also keep in touch with our
own alumni network. There is great untapped value to bringing people together. You
should think in a network-oriented mindset. People in similar fields may not know each
other. Great partnerships and even companies can result from these micro-level
connections. The open model of building connections and collaboration helps us all build
a better shared future.
John Henry Silva is a Boston World Partnerships Connector, and Co-Founder and
President of Incunation.com.
Posted in Collaboration, Entrepreneurship, International, Synergy, Technology, University
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