Al Gore, former Vice President of the United States, has opened a new floor at swissnex Boston, a collaborative platform for science and technology, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The ceremony took place in the presence of Mauro Dell’Ambrogio, Swiss State Secretary for Education and Research, Urs Ziswiler, Swiss Ambassador to the United States, Thierry Lombard, Managing Partner of Lombard Odier Darier Hentsch & Cie, one of the founding patrons of swissnex and Swiss representatives from the worlds of politics, science, academia, and finance.



In 2000, the Swiss government partnered with Lombard Odier, the Geneva Private Banker, to create the first science and technology consulate in the world close to Harvard Square in Cambridge. From this first visionary idea has emerged an innovative network of science and technology outposts run by the Swiss government in collaboration with many partners under the name of "swissnex". "What sets swissnex apart is its leading-edge role as a bridge between the economic sphere and innovation and research in both Switzerland and the United States," said Thierry Lombard, Managing Partner of Lombard Odier Darier Hentsch & Cie, who is one of the founding patrons of swissnex. The partnership, which was the born of Lombard Odier’s bicentenary in 1998, attests to Lombard Odier’s commitment as a firm of Private Bankers to the values of innovation, entrepreneurship, responsibility, and long-term vision. Lombard Odier sees its financial support to the creation of a second floor at swissnex Boston as an expression of the importance it places on the partnership.

Invited by swissnex Boston, Al Gore joined more than 120 leaders of the Boston area’s rich talent pool – from Nobel Prize laureates to world-class entrepreneurs – to celebrate the opening of this new floor at swissnex Boston and the continuing success of the swissnex network.

Al Gore shared his enthusiasm about the bold decision of the Swiss government to partner with leading institutions in creating a network of "knowledge" outposts in 5 key locations: Boston, San Francisco, Shanghai, Singapore and Bangalore (to be opened soon). "Every current global issue, such as climate change, requires the attention of experts and leaders from business, government, academia and other organizations across the world. With its focus on collaboration with all these communities, the swissnex network offers an unique platform to bring together leading scholars, entrepreneurs and innovators dedicated to exploring new technologies, and pushing for social innovations. Moreover it is not a coincidence that Switzerland chose Boston to set up his scientific network in the United States a few years ago. This country is known to have a real foresight in the field of Science and Technology"

For Thierry Lombard, swissnex provides an amazing collaborative space for future generations of Swiss and U.S. leaders to work together. "We believe that we are at a defining moment for climate change, sustainability, and other issues linking the environment, society and the economy. Swissnex provides a connecting point among the many people associated with these topics in Switzerland and in the U.S." Lombard Odier has been involved in promoting sustainable development, as well as innovation and science, for many years. Because Thierry Lombard shares the same values as Al Gore when it comes to finding the pragmatic solutions so vital to saving the planet, Lombard Odier has entered into an exclusive partnership with Generation Investment Management, co-founded by Al Gore, to promote sustainable investment. Lombard Odier’s involvement can also be seen in the academic sphere. It has worked with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne for many years and has recently joined with it to set up a chair to support multi-disciplinary and international research in sustainable development.

Following this inauguration, the Swiss delegation of science and business leaders led by Mauro Dell’Ambrogio Urs Ziswiler, took part in the event as part of a day-long program that brought them to local campuses (MIT, Harvard) and engaged them into discussion about current trends in science policy and international academic research. The day ended with an unveiling of a science exhibit showcasing 25 scientists from Switzerland at Logan Airport. The State Secretary Mauro Dell’Ambrogio continues his trip to Washington DC where he will sign a bilateral cooperation agreement in science and technology with the US government. “This agreement is the outcome of half a century of cooperation between the United States and Switzerland in the field of Science and Technology. The extension of the swissnex building in Boston and the Science Suisse exhibition that will travel through the United States, among other events, emphasize the vitality of our bilateral scientific collaboration. We have also realized that several academic institutions in the US were interested by the Swiss model of education” said Mr. Dell’Ambrogio.