For AI founders evaluating where to build their company, location is strategy.
In this interview, Optiverse AG’s co-founders – Mario, Elio, and Raphaël – share why they chose Greater Zurich as their base to develop AI that captures and operationalizes conversational intelligence across enterprises.
Their story reflects why the Greater Zurich Area has become a launchpad for global innovation: world-class research, exceptional talent density, reliable governance, and a quality of life that fuels ambition for the long run.
🎥 Watch the full interview below with Mario Assaf, Elio Assaf, and Raphaël Ausilio – co-founders of Optiverse AG.
See who else is shaping innovation here
See who else is shaping innovation here
Greater Zurich is one of Europe’s most dynamic AI hubs, home to leading research, global tech giants, and deeptech startups. Global tech players like Google, Microsoft, IBM, OpenAI, and Apple have established AI labs, engineering hubs, or operational bases in the region. This unique mix of global reach and academic depth has made Greater Zurich a magnet for AI companies seeking scalable, secure, and interdisciplinary environments.
From MIT & Thailand to Greater Zurich
When the three co-founders of Optiverse AG decided to start building what they call the 'digital brain of the enterprise', they were scattered across continents: Mario was completing an executive exchange in Thailand, while co-founders Elio and Raphaël were conducting research at MIT in Boston.
They could have launched their AI venture in the US, Asia or any major European hub – but they chose Greater Zurich. For them, it was a strategic choice. The region offers world-class universities, a collaborative research culture, and a stable environment to grow globally from day one.
Today, Optiverse supports over 1000 companies worldwide with its AI meeting assistant – helping teams automate notes, follow-ups, and CRM updates. Their vision: to structure the intelligence hidden in daily conversations and make it accessible for operations.
Why Greater Zurich works for global founders
Greater Zurich’s ecosystem brings together what ambitious founders and global companies need most: research excellence, access to markets and capital, and trusted proximity between academia, industry, and investors.
“Honestly, where else would we have gone? There's the best early stage startup support across the board.
From a fundraising perspective: incredible ecosystem. From a talent perspective: another incredible ecosystem with ETH Zurich and EPFL.”, said Elio Assaf.
That talent density is one of the region’s strongest assets. With institutions like ETH Zurich, ZHAW, and the University of Zurich, companies can draw on a steady pipeline of top talent – often within walking distance.
Add to that the world-class infrastructure, innovation culture, and regulatory stability Switzerland is known for, Greater Zurich becomes a strategic operating advantage for any company thinking long term.
But don’t just take our word for it: Switzerland and the Greater Zurich Area regularly top global rankings for innovation, talent, and quality of life.
Where quality of life fuels innovation
Startups and global R&D teams alike thrive on focus – and perspective. Global companies choose the region not only for its efficiency and stability – but because it gives their people the space to think, recharge, and stay creative.
“For anyone in Europe, move to Switzerland. And for anyone inside Switzerland, move to Greater Zurich Area because it's the only place where you have this amount of talent and quality of life. You can work 12 hours a day and then you jump to the Limmat and you can restart this like every day.", said Raphaël Ausilio.
For Optiverse, this balance between high performance and high quality of life is what turns the Greater Zurich Area from a business location into a place to build a life. It’s a place where global ambition meets human scale – a combination that keeps talent anchored and innovation consistent.
💡Discover the top 9 reasons why Greater Zurich is the ideal location for your business.
Just getting started
From idea to supporting 1,000 companies in record time, the Optiverse team sees their early momentum as just the starting line in their mission to transform AI-driven meeting automation.
“We’re maybe 10% into building the full vision. We aim to become the foundational layer enterprises trust for conversational intelligence, a platform that quietly powers the future of SaaS.”
Greater Zurich gives the foundation to do that – market access, a stable and innovation-friendly environment, top-tier infrastrucutre, access to top talent, and a quality of life that makes long-term innovation possible.
The ideal location for business
The ideal location for business
The Greater Zurich Area is Switzerland’s financial and technological powerhouse. Pairing the stability of Swiss governance with the agility of a thriving global tech ecosystem, the region provides unmatched access to major European markets, highly skilled talent, and a liberal regulatory environment. This makes it the ideal launchpad for global companies aiming to expand in Europe.
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