The Canton of Neuchâtel is launching its first artificial intelligence-powered tool. This mapping initiative compiles all reliable public information on industrial companies in the canton and creates the first interactive and dynamic representation of the Neuchâtel ecosystem. The fully automated platform has just been launched by the Department of Economic Affairs (NECO).
This new platform positions companies along four axes: markets, skills, products, and services. Skills and expertise are displayed on an interactive map. This makes it possible to visualize where companies are positioned within their value chain. This tool is designed to facilitate connections between manufacturers and highlights unique skills that extend beyond cantonal borders.
Launched as part of a public-private partnership between the Neuchâtel-based company Enovating SA, NECO, and CSEM, the pilot phase was supported by the Regional Development Program (NPR). Its goal was to provide an interactive overview of MedTech companies in the canton. The excellent results of this pilot project and feedback from the partners led to the tool’s expansion to other export-oriented sectors, thereby showcasing the expertise of industrial companies on a single platform.
This overview of the canton's industrial landscape will facilitate collaboration among its stakeholders.
“It is also an excellent tool for economic promotion, as it helps highlight the canton’s various strengths abroad. It has become an innovative regional marketing tool for the Department of Economic Development.”
explains Alain Ribaux, State Councilor in charge of the economy.
A three-phase process based on artificial intelligence (AI)
The power of artificial intelligence has made it possible to identify the various professions, skills, and markets needed to create a taxonomy specific to the Neuchâtel ecosystem.
"Thanks to AI, machine learning, and deep learning, a unique three-phase iterative process has been developed, optimized, and streamlined."
adds Aldous Zaugg, CEO of Enovating SA.
The first phase involves data collection carried out by intelligent robots that crawl the web. This data consists of information published by companies across various sources (commercial registries, websites, publications, trade show participation, press articles, etc.). The second phase consists of automatically extracting structured information using dedicated algorithms. This enables the creation of a taxonomy and the classification of data by a machine-learning system. In the third phase, the system identifies links between the various sources of information in order to establish a ranking. The collected documents enable the system to position companies and identify their markets, areas of expertise, and products or services. This process is directly influenced by how companies communicate. It is precisely through this communication that the platform can digitally construct this dynamic visualization of the canton’s industrial ecosystem.
The platform can be accessed via the website: industries.neuchateleconomie.ch
Innovation at the Heart of Economic Development
In line with its economic development strategy, the Canton of Neuchâtel is using this pilot project to realize its ambition to be at the forefront of innovation, to explore the new technologies offered by an increasingly digital world, and to generate added value through collaborative efforts among innovative entities.