One of three European countries on this list, Switzerland obtained an overall NECI score of 5.8, with 10 Framework Condition scores landing in the top ten globally. Infrastructure in particular received the highest NECI figure among all Group A countries with 7.8. On the flipside, Entrepreneurial Education at School (3.6) and Ease of Entry: Market Dynamics (3.8) were found to be national detriments, dragging its overall score down.

Just over one in ten Swiss adults intend to start a business in the next three years, nearly back to pre-pandemic levels, while one in 10 are investing in someone else’s new business. However, the percentage of adults starting or running a new business in Switzerland fell from 9.8 per cent in 2021 to 7.4 per cent in 2022. In addition, the median amount of informal investment more than halved – Switzerland was one of just four participating countries to see this trend globally, and is the only one on this list.

Switzerland had topped the table for NECI in 2019. However, along with the pandemic, some entrepreneurship in the country has been impacted by the rising costs of imported goods and services. To help mitigate this, the Swiss Innovation Agency launched “Innosuisse”, an initiative to support science-based innovation projects with significant market potential.