Young entrepreneurs from all over Switzerland are gathering in the town of Thun in canton Bern for the annual Swiss Economic Forum. The theme of this year's conference is "Managing the Speed".

The forum is the largest economic event for small and medium-sized companies, as well as for young business people, and is increasing in size every year. Some 1,250 people representing politics, the economy and science are expected to attend the two-day event, which ends on Saturday.

The two founders of the event, Stefan Linder and Peter Stähli, say that speed is a central factor for innovative and successful businesses.

"What are needed are speed managers who are ready to accept risks and who have the ability to make decisions quickly, to identify new trends, to learn continually, to motivate and lead their own teams, to enter into the right cooperation agreements and therefore set new international benchmarks," they say.

Among the keynote speakers for the third forum are Luqman Arnold, the new chief executive of the UBS financial group, best-selling author Professor Lothar Seiwert and Swiss balloonist and psychologist Bertrand Piccard.

The forum includes presentations on topics such as high speed in the new economy, high speed in product development, and innovation safeguarding tradition. The conference also includes in-depth analysis of start-up companies.

The event features round tables, a pavilion for participants to explore the technology of tomorrow and knowledge laboratories.

The forum will on Friday evening make a presentation of the annual Swiss Economic Award to three young businesses that have impressed the most over the past 12 months.

swissinfo with agencies

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