Why Switzerland might be the deep-tech talent hub of tomorrow.

In its HR Tech Europe coverage, HR Executive asked a question we think the answer to is already clear: could Switzerland be the deep-tech talent hub of tomorrow? Featuring Justus Spengler, founder and CEO of Rockstar Recruiting, the piece makes the case that the country can rival the San Francisco Bay Area as the world's leading tech epicenter - across AI, machine learning and blockchain.

Part of the pull is economics. Per a Greater Zurich Area white paper - with input from Google Cloud, Rockstar Recruiting and DFINITY - machine-learning and AI professionals in Switzerland cost around 17% less than their Bay Area peers, and blockchain specialists around 26% less. That advantage is drawing global players like Google, Apple, IBM and Microsoft to expand their footprint in the region.

The rules help too. Since February 2023, hiring for AI and ML roles - officially recognised as shortage occupations - has been streamlined: labour-market tests are often waived, and relevant experience can substitute for a formal degree. Add the quality of life of a country regularly ranked the best in the world to live in, and Switzerland becomes a magnet for top candidates, whether they are already there or willing to relocate.

There is a catch, and it is the whole point. The talent is extremely scarce, and winning it takes a personalised, well-timed process - standard salary bands do not capture every candidate. Spengler's advice: build specialised talent-acquisition teams, or partner with recruiters who have the domain knowledge and networks to reach the otherwise "impossible" profiles.

With two of mainland Europe's top three computer-science universities and a dense network of deep-tech companies, Switzerland is, in Spengler's words, a campus for innovation. Reaching the people who power it is exactly what we do.