SJCC at WEF 2026 in Davos
SJCC reception at the House of Switzerland
The Swiss-Japanese Chamber of Commerce hosted a memorable event at the House of Switzerland during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 last week in Davos.
Under the theme “New Space Economy: Swiss research and cooperation with Japan and other countries”, the event brought together leading voices from science, industry and space exploration. The discussions highlighted the growing relevance of space as a source of innovation and economic opportunities.
The evening was opened by President SJCC Martin Herb, followed by a welcome address from Carmen Walker Späh, Government Councillor of the Canton of Zurich, Vice-President and Head of the Department for Economic Affairs. She emphasised the role of the Canton of Zurich as a key innovation hub and its growing importance related to space technologies.
Takehiro OKUBO, Deputy Chief of Mission and Minister at the Embassy of Japan to Switzerland and Liechtenstein, underlined the depth and continuity of Swiss-Japanese cooperation.
The evening’s central contributions linked scientific progress and international cooperation to the New Space Economy:
Prof. Dr. Elisabeth Stark, Vice President Research, University of Zurich, outlined how research and innovation in the New Space era are reshaping international cooperation. She highlighted the role of universities in building a strong position as a European hub for the New Space Economy.
Prof. Dr. Dr. Oliver Ullrich, Chairman, Center for Space and Aviation Switzerland and Liechtenstein (CSA), and Director of the Space Hub at the University of Zurich, explained how an organic and connected New Space ecosystem can be built. He also showed why a transformation is essential to fully realise its economic potential.
Prof. Matthew J. Kuta, Founder and President of Voyager Technologies, together with Kohei Okamura, Director of Business Development at Starlab Space LLC, presented Starlab’s role as a successor to the International Space Station ISS and its ecosystem-based approach.
As a special surprise guest of the evening, Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, Astronaut and Engineer at the European Space Agency – ESA, took the audience to a virtual mission and shared personal insights from his real mission to the International Space Station ISS. He vividly described daily life aboard the ISS, the lift-off, as well as the emotional process of undocking from the space station. His presentation left a lasting impression.
The Chamber wishes to thank Presence Switzerland for the generous hospitality and Prof. Dr. Christian Schwarzenegger, Vice President University of Zurich, for his outstanding support.
