Good Practice Category: Economy

Phoster swimming platform is a startup ecosystem that markets floating plant filters.Planted floating platforms form a root filter system in the water, which supports the natural purification of the water. At the root surface, biological processes (biofilm) bind both particulate and dissolved substances in the water. The root surface reaches more than 100m^2 per m^2 of floating platform and is therefore much more efficient in absorbing substances than comparable methods on land. An additional advantage is the cleaning directly on the water surface. It is therefore not in competition with activities on land.Phoster swimming platforms are made of biodegradable materials and are clearly more environmentally friendly. A novelty is the concept of a completely organic structure. The products are cost-effective to build and operate. Their properties open up new markets in the fields of aquaponics systems, water stabilization and partial cleaning in artificial waters and facilities.The aesthetic aspect is also in the foreground. Thus, water purification should also be perceived as a design object in a pond and not just as a technical measure for purifying the water. Thus, in the development of swimming platforms, great attention is paid to their design. 1m^2 Phoster swimming platforms work just as efficiently as 5m^2 bank area or compensation area in swimming ponds. This makes it possible to create swimming ponds with biological water quality in a smaller area.

The project foresees that all buildings in Luthern will be connected to the glass fiber network by the end of 2022, but on a voluntary basis. Residents and businesses would have to contribute to the initial costs with a one-time connection fee. Subsequently, a monthly connection fee will be due, as is the case today with most cable connections (TV, telephone, etc.).

The Bike-Flowtrail in Marbach is a bike path for everyone, maintained by the Sportbahnen Marbachegg, as a new, attractive summer offer with bike transport by gondola. A “flow trail” can be ridden by trained bikers as well as by the whole family: the route, which follows the natural terrain, allows biking without braking in wide bends and thus triggers the feeling of a “flow” for bikers. In addition, this new offer counters the snow uncertainty for a ski area at just 1500 m because it attracts a new target group. In this way, the tourist added value, jobs in the community and the future of the Sportbahnen Marbachegg AG as a tourist driving force for the entire region are secured.

For an Innovation lab a central location is perfect in order to guarantee accessibility for all citizens (e.g. commuters). The old railway station building in Löffingen was purchased by the municipality of Löffingen lends itself to establish as an Innovation Lab.

A short food supply chain connects local farmers with local customers. However, beside the agriculture domain, this process also includes logistics, trading and dissemination. Even though the process is more individual and natural, it still needs more improvement in order to facilitate its acceptance from the broader local communities. Furthermore, even though interesting, the potential customers sometimes also lack the trust into such food, which in many cases is more expensive, while giving no real proof of its origin. To improve the process in terms of efficiency, traceability and trust, a digital transformation of the process, backed by blockchain technology is the best possible solution.

On behalf of TALK AG, gutundgut integrated a co-working space in Adelboden and the Tourist Center under the roof of the Mountain Lab Adelboden. The Tourist Center in Adelboden has become an innovative open space where the staff of the Tourist Center and the ski school share space with independent entrepreneurs, digital nomads, and local talent.From the beginning of the project, it was important to involve the local population. Besides the co-working space, the Mountain Lab Adelboden offers external meeting rooms in various locations. In co-operation with hotels and vacation homeowners, a Coliving offer was developed. Together these three offers form an attractive opportunity to combine work with leisure time and support Adelboden in its positioning as an innovative place of tourism and work.