Entrepreneurs typically face two problems, says Didier Mesnier of the ICT Cluster in Geneva. "The classic one is finding solutions that correspond to the reality of what the market needs. But they also need to find a way to put in place business structures that suit innovative companies, in particular getting the pricing policy right."

Didier Mesnier of the ICT Cluster, Geneva

Mesnier is a former entrepreneur who now works with the ICT Cluster, housed in Geneva's OPI (Industrial Promotion Office) which is co-sponsoring a "Venture night" event with the Lift08 conference that begins today, "to put promising ventures in the spotlight."

Eight entrepreneurs will stand before the public in Geneva Wednesday evening to present their young companies. The event, at the start of the Lift conference, gives a welcome boost, feedback and publicity to the company owners, but it is also a sign of how seriously western Switzerland is taking the need to encourage young, innovative businesses in the region.

Of the eight ICT (information and communication technology) companies, five are Swiss, two Italian and one from Russia/USA. Their products and services range from online file-sharing to reducing the costs of realtime video game production. The eight were selected from a starting group of dozens of companies from several countries - Swiss companies were given no special weighting during the selection. They were reviewed by a panel of experts that included Robert Scoble and Pierre Chappaz. Scoble came to fame as Microsoft's official blogger and Chappaz is a successful ICT entrepreneur who founded Wikio, among other successful companies.

Laurent Haug, founder of Lift, is excited that Swiss companies did so well and that three of the finalists are from the Lake Geneva region because it underscores the dynamism in the area. The "Venture night" event is sponsored by Lift and the western Switzerland ICT Cluster "to put promising ventures in the spotlight," he told journalists at a conference briefing.

For Mesnier, the event is part of larger efforts by western Swiss cantons to acknowledge the value of know-how," to draw attention to people who have ICT know-how and are trying to commercialize it. The ICT Cluster is looking to identify good potential companies and then work with them to "clarify their needs and help sensitize them to the problem of finding a good business model."

It was organized by cantons Geneva, with Jura, Vaud, Valais and Neuchatel with Geneva given the mandate to run the ICT Cluster. It is financed through a mix of federal funds from Seco, the ministry for the economy, cantonal funds and member companies in the region.

Editor's note: GenevaLunch, a media sponsor for Lift, will be carrying a series of articles on the Lift08 conference beginning today. Also see:

* "Why is GenevaLunch special for us at Lift?" 12 December 2007, Lift blog [update to the figures: GL has now had well over 200,000 pages viewed, with more than 100,000 visitors]
* "Conference network to give Lift08 major boost," 23 October 2007, GenevaLunch
* "Lift08 lines up key speakers," 23 October 2007, GenevaLunch

Venture Night, Wednesday 6 February, open to the public and free of charge, at the Salle Communale de Plainpalais, 52 rue de Carouge, 1205 Geneva.