AI strategy for Swiss SMEs

AI consulting for Swiss SMEs: measurable business value, not hype

We help executive teams and boards see where AI really changes money, risk and competition. Strategy first, measured against KPIs, guided by senior partners.

The simulator covers financial services and manufacturing. For law, fiduciary and advisory firms: take the AI check →

4 senior partners each with 25+ years of experienceETH · HSG · INSEAD Zurich

CHF 4.2m

annual cost savings at a global manufacturer with a presence in Switzerland

6 weeks

to an AI practice that law and fiduciary firms can defend, with around 8 hours of partner time

85 %

less manual work at a financial institution that processes documents from 50+ banks automatically

3 half days

to a prioritised 90-day plan in the Executive Kickstart

Where do you stand?

98% use AI. Only 4% generate substantial value from it.

The difference rarely lies in the technology, but in the decisions executive teams take, and in their order. Our path shows in five steps which decisions these are, who takes them and what helps.

BCG, Where’s the Value in AI?, 2024

  1. 0Where you standBoard and CEO
  2. 1Vision and strategyBoard and executive team
  3. 2Goals, planning, fundingExecutive team and unit heads
  4. 3Implementation, testing, scalingUnit heads and IT, backed by the executive team
  5. 4Proving impactUnit heads and executive team, reporting to the board
Our approach

Not a readiness quiz. Not a tool vendor.

AI is easy to start. Turning it into operational performance is hard. We combine the executive perspective with hands-on AI experience and stay independent of vendors.

Strategy first

We start from your goals and KPIs, not from tools.

People lead, AI supports

Your team's judgement, AI's speed.

Swiss standard

Data protection under the Swiss FADP and clear governance from day one.

Measurable

Clear decision points: continue, adjust or stop.

Sample report, page 1: executive summary with a first assessment for an industrial manufacturing companySample report: AI-supported target state from the strategic level to impactSample report: roadmap from prioritising the use case through the pilot to scaling
AI Future-State Simulator

See your AI future state before you invest

For financial services and manufacturing companies: get a first analysis for your company in minutes. No login, no IT setup.

  • Free overview right in your browser
  • Full report of around 10 pages, tailored to your case, by email
  • KPI hypotheses, workflow analysis and pilot roadmap
Simulate your AI potential

Currently for Financial Services and Industrial Manufacturing. Law, fiduciary or advisory firm? Take the AI check → · Another industry? Book a 15-minute call

Methodology

Five phases to the summit, with clear decision points

As on any serious climb, we check the weather and the equipment before we ascend. Every phase ends with a deliberate decision.

  1. Phase 1 · Why

    Position and North Star

    Where do we stand, what does waiting cost, which goals matter?

  2. Phase 2 · What

    Value discovery

    Real friction points instead of idea lists, ranked by impact.

  3. Phase 3 · Decide

    Concept and roadmap

    An initiative charter with budget, timeline and stop criteria.

  4. Phase 4 · Implement

    Pilot sprint

    In users’ hands early, measurable within weeks.

  5. Phase 5 · Scale

    Scale

    Harden the technology, build adoption, anchor the impact.

Decision points between phases: continue, adjust or stop. You only invest where the numbers add up.

The steps in Insights show where your company stands. The phases are how we take you on from there. See the path →

Polaris

Your digital companion through all five phases

Polaris brings our methodology into your executive team's daily work: structured phases, AI analyses before and after each task, an integrated AI coach and a strategic report after phase 3. Our partners join where it really matters.

Overview of the Polaris platform with its five phases
Our partners

Senior partners who know your situation

No juniors at your expense. You work directly with partners who have led and transformed companies themselves.

Patrick Zwyssig

Patrick Zwyssig

Managing Partner

25 years of experience, Certified Board Member HSG, INSEAD, IMD/MIT

LinkedIn →
Adam D. Wisniewski

Adam D. Wisniewski

Managing Partner

25 years in strategy and transformation, MSc Physics ETH Zurich, Yale, Oxford, HBS

LinkedIn →
Dr. Saïd Oualibouch

Dr. Saïd Oualibouch

Partner

30 years of ICT experience, PhD in Mathematics and Computer Science, Executive MBA

LinkedIn →
Stefan Metzger

Stefan Metzger

Partner

CEO and board member in IT and consulting, MIT AI Strategy Programme

LinkedIn →
Adam D. Wisniewski and Patrick Zwyssig at an AI4Leaders event with board members and owners
Experience

Our partners' experience includes mandates and roles at:

UBSHexagonAdeccoSygnumMorgan StanleyBoppTNT Treuhand

Enterprise-proven, SME-sized: what works for 30,000 technicians, we translate into the budget and reality of a company with 50 to 1,000 employees.

About us
Insights

Guides and insights for executives

Our playbook and concise, practical guides on AI in your industry, with the key points to read online and free to download.

See all guides and articles

Frequently asked questions

What executive teams ask us before the first conversation

Where should we start?

With an honest assessment of where you stand, not with a tool. Depending on your situation, there are three fixed-price entry points: the Executive Briefing for individual board or executive team members, the Team Briefing for the whole leadership team, and the Executive Kickstart if you want to prioritise and plan right away. Free beforehand: the simulator for financial services and manufacturing, or the AI check for law, fiduciary and advisory firms.

Is AI worth it for a company of our size?

Yes, if AI is measured against your goals rather than by the number of tools. 98% of companies use AI at least on a trial basis, but only 4% achieve substantial value with it (BCG, 2024). The difference rarely lies in the technology, but in clear priorities, leadership and measurement. That is why we record what a task costs today at the start, and decide after each step on that basis whether to continue.

What does working with you cost?

The entry points have fixed prices: Executive Briefing CHF 2,800 (two hours with a senior partner), Team Briefing from CHF 4,800 (half a day with two partners at your premises) and Executive Kickstart CHF 10,700 (three half-days to a prioritised 90-day plan). Polaris, our digital companion for implementation, costs from CHF 1,650 per month depending on the package. Partner-led AI strategy consulting is quoted by scope, with clear decision points where you can continue or stop. All prices are exclusive of VAT.

Do we need our own IT or data specialists?

Not to start with. Briefing, Kickstart and Polaris need no integration and no software set-up. We build on your existing systems, such as Microsoft 365, ERP or your file storage, and only clarify which data and skills are needed once there are concrete initiatives.

How do you handle data protection and confidential data?

Confidentiality is standard, and a non-disclosure agreement is available on request. In workshops, we work with as little sensitive data as possible. Guardrails are part of your AI use from the start: company accounts instead of personal subscriptions, clear rules on which data may go into which tools, and human review of everything that goes to clients. The framework is the Swiss Data Protection Act and, for financial institutions, FINMA's expectations.

Are you tied to particular software vendors?

No. We do not sell AI software and recommend what fits your goals and your existing landscape, often tools you already own. That keeps you free to choose your vendors.

Who works with us, and which companies do you serve?

You work directly with senior partners who have led and transformed companies themselves, with no juniors and the same partner throughout the engagement. We support Swiss companies from small firms up to around 1,000 employees, with particular industry depth in financial services, manufacturing and professional services. Smaller firms such as law firms, fiduciaries, asset managers, financial advisors and advisory firms start with the AI check and a secure foundation in six weeks, larger companies with our entry packages and our standard methodology.

Let's talk about your situation

30 minutes with a partner. No sales pitch, no jargon, no follow-up calls. Pick a time directly.

What to expect
  • A senior partner, not sales
  • Focus on your goals and context
  • A concrete proposal for the next step

How would you like to talk to us?

How would you like to talk to us?

Which number can we reach you on?

When suits you?

Next, you pick your time at Microsoft Bookings and can briefly note your topic.

Prefer to write? Go to the contact form