Investing in the Canton of Fribourg

Linking French- and German-speaking Switzerland, the canton of Fribourg is home to several well-known multinational companies. They take advantage of a competitive and direct access to two of the most important markets in Europe while benefiting from the free advice and support from the Fribourg Development Agency.

Fribourg’s economic fabric is characterized by its dynamism and diversity. The canton’s geographic location on the main road and rail networks and its multilingual population make it an ideal location for the Swiss and European headquarters of international companies. Thanks to the canton's strongest demographic growth and youngest population in Switzerland, companies are able to draw from a dense labor pool (1.5 million people living within 45 minutes of the city of Fribourg.)

Fribourg is considered to be a stronghold for education and science with notably its internationally oriented university, trilingual (French-German-English) Management School and College of Engineering collaborating with companies.

The following key sectors are well represented in Fribourg:

• life sciences (biotech, pharma, medtech)
• food industry
• information technology
• construction engineering
• mechanical engineering

Three Technology Parks provide the appropriate infrastructure for innovative startups and industrial companies in the canton of Fribourg:

• blueFACTORY, Fribourg
• Le Vivier, Villaz-St-Pierre
• Marly Innovation Center, Marly

Healthy public finances, low unemployment rate and strong exports (59% of GDP) characterize the canton.

Fribourg is a member of the Greater Geneva Bern Area.