Education as a Strategic Advantage
Jérôme Müggler has been Director of the Thurgau Chamber of Commerce and Industry since June 2019. The historian and germanist not only brings consulting experience from his time at KPMG, but also in-depth knowledge of marketing and strategic communication. His university career has taken him from Zurich to Basel to St. Gallen – and is reflected today in his vision: education as a strategic investment in the future.
“We want to support young people so they can succeed in their lives and careers.” (Jérôme Müggler)
Two initiatives stand out in particular: the upcoming Digital & Innovation Campus as a place where learning, research, and entrepreneurship intersect and a dedicated science week for primary school children to make STEM topics tangible at an early age.
However, educational horizons are also influenced by geography: “In Thurgau, many students have to leave the canton. There is a real risk that they will not return,” says Müggler. To counteract the brain-drain, the Chamber of Industry and Commerce supports partnerships with universities such as the University of Konstanz or HTWG Konstanz. The idea is to anchor academic expertise in the region through so-called affiliated institutes.
For Müggler, one thing is clear: if you want to retain both talent and companies in the canton, you need to make opportunities visible. This includes not only infrastructure, but also a regional mindset that sees innovation as part of its identity. “Many young people underestimate what’s possible here: because it’s not visible enough.” That’s why the IHK also invests in communications to position the canton as a place of transformation: “Young people need to feel: something is happening here – and you can be part of it.”
At the same time, better “translators” are needed between academia and business. “It’s not enough for research results to be good – they must also be explained and made accessible.” This is precisely where the Thurgau Digital & Innovation Campus and TIDIT come in.
TIDIT: A Regional Answer to Digital Transformation
“We’re not a standalone institute. We’re part of an ecosystem.” (Caroline Obolensky)
Founded in 2024, the Thurgau Institute for Digital Transformation (TIDIT) focuses its research on two areas: Data Systems and Probabilistic AI. The goal is to address upstream challenges of digitalization with scientific rigor while making them practically applicable.
For Dr. Caroline Obolensky, knowledge transfer into practice is essential: “Especially for smaller SMEs, it’s often difficult to collaborate with universities. We lower the barrier.” Entry-level formats such as innovation vouchers make it easier to get started. New collaborations are forming in areas like computer vision, predictive maintenance, and data analysis.
Student theses offer another low-threshold way for SMEs to collaborate with academia. But many potential partnerships fail in the early stages: often, companies are not visible to students, or it’s hard to find the right student for a given topic.This is where Studyond comes in. As a platform for applied student theses, it connects students with companies.
“Many SMEs in Thurgau don’t even realize they could benefit from student work or they don’t know how to find them,” says Obolensky.
For TIDIT, collaborating with Studyond is a strategic component: student theses act as a testing ground for larger projects. Companies can take initial digital steps without committing large budgets. Students get practice-based topics and a real chance to make an impact. “If we succeed in improving matching and visibility, we unlock tremendous potential,” says Müggler.
TIDIT is launching a new AI and digitalization study that will soon provide a clear picture of the current state in Thurgau and Eastern Switzerland. The first results are expected in spring 2026. “We want to show where Thurgau stands nationally and where there is still untapped potential,” says Obolensky. The study will be an annual barometer, enabling companies to track both their own progress and that of the region.
Embracing Uncertainty
“Courage means investing even when the outcome is uncertain.” (Jérôme Müggler)
Whether it’s infrastructure for exchange, space for ideas, or targeted research support –innovation requires courage. But that’s exactly what is still too often lacking in Thurgau, according to Müggler. “Many want to know in advance that something will work. But that’s not how real innovation works.”
Instead, he advocates for thoughtfully designed spaces, such as the Digital & Innovation Campus, where companies and universities can think together without pressure to deliver immediate results. “That’s where projects emerge that eventually have real impact through programs like Innosuisse.”
What does that look like in practice? Success stories such as the collaboration between the Kreuzlingen Institute for Materials Systems Technology (WITG) and Geobrugg AG from Romanshorn demonstrate this:their work led to the development of a new steel alloy that’s more resistant to saltwater corrosion. “That’s knowledge transfer the way it should be,” says Müggler.