Firms support entrepreneurs at top Swiss university: Experts

GENEVA - Chinese companies are supporting young and talented, science-oriented entrepreneurs not only by investing in local entrepreneurship-promoted programs but lately also by bringing their expertise to global markets, Swiss experts have said.

Lukas Huber, Asia director of Greater Zurich Area AG, a non-profit organization helping international companies set up companies and make investments in the region, applauded Chinese telecommunications company Huawei's latest cooperation with ETH Zurich, the world-ranked Swiss university, by financing a so-called "Pioneer Fellowship Program."

ETH Zurich files around 100 patents each year and numerous discoveries are made in its laboratories and by its research groups on a daily basis. However, a startup or marketable product is often a long way off.