On 14 May 2025, Switzerland’s innovation community gathered in Bern for Start-Up Days 2025 (SUD25), the country’s premier event for founders, investors, and technology enablers. With over 40 sessions and 125+ experts in attendance, this year’s event explored the forces shaping the next generation of Swiss startups.
Opening the day with a powerful keynote was General Sir Richard Barrons KCB CBE, Co-Chair of Universal Defence and Security Solutions (UDSS) and co-author of the UK Prime Minister’s Strategic Defence Review. His address – “How Geopolitics Shapes Switzerland’s Startup Future” – delivered a timely and urgent message to innovators navigating an increasingly uncertain world.
Why Geopolitics Now Matters to Startups
General Barrons brought a unique perspective to the startup stage – one forged through decades at the forefront of defence, security, and strategic planning. His message was clear: startups and investors can no longer afford to ignore geopolitics.
“In a multipolar world defined by war, trade conflict, and technological rivalry,” he said, “your business strategy is now a geopolitical strategy.”
He outlined how global instability is redrawing the map of venture capital, talent mobility, and technology deployment – particularly in critical sectors such as AI, cybersecurity, and Deep Tech.
A Call to Action for Swiss Innovation
Speaking directly to Switzerland’s position as a neutral but globally connected innovation hub, General Barrons challenged the audience to rethink how they build and fund companies in this shifting environment:
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Where capital flows is now politically influenced
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Which technologies scale is shaped by regulation and resilience
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Strategic autonomy is becoming a competitive advantage
He called on startups and investors to embrace the responsibility of building not just scalable solutions, but secure and sovereign ones – particularly in high-impact areas such as defence technology, dual-use innovation, and cyber resilience.
UDSS at the Intersection of Innovation and Security
As Co-Chair of UDSS, General Barrons continues to champion the role of industry-government collaboration in responding to the twin demands of innovation and security. His participation at SUD25 signals UDSS’s commitment to supporting emerging technologies and enabling startups to navigate complex geopolitical realities.
To learn more about how UDSS supports technology innovators, strategic defence policy, and dual-use solutions, email: info@universal-defence.com.
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