"I listened to the presentations and I was spellbound. What a great selection of ideas so relevant to us! ZURICH.MINDS is great." (Prof. Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Thinker, Essayist, Philosopher and Author of New York Times bestseller, The Black Swan)
"First-class speakers, a world of fascinating and eye-opening insights. One of my intellectual highlights of the year! Lots of brilliant people to get to know and discuss with. Compliments to ZURICH.MINDS!" (Dr. Christoph Franz, CEO and Vice-Chairman, Lufthansa Airlines)
"It's ZURICH.MINDS time when beautiful minds share their passions. A perfectly inspiring event!" (Dr. Thomas Dübendorfer, Tech Lead, Google Switzerland)
"ZURICH.MINDS is not only intellectual highly inspiring and thrilling. It is a meeting point of brilliant ideas that are essential in shaping the future. " (Dr. Markus Spillmann, Editor-in-Chief, Neue Zürcher Zeitung)
"Thanks for a glorious day of ZURICH.MINDS. The program was packed with ideas (and facts – ideas without facts is not nourishing to me!) and the presentation was like Swiss clockwork, on time and smooth. The spirit in the room was very productive and lively. Keep it up; you're on to a great thing." (Prof. Daniel C. Dennett, Philosopher and Author of several New York Times bestsellers, Tufts University)
"Astonishing and inspiring presentations, world-class speakers and intense discussions make ZURICH.MINDS one of the very few events I really don't want to miss." (Georges Kern, CEO, IWC International Watch Company, Schaffhausen)
"Thank you for organizing ZURICH.MINDS so nicely. I very much enjoyed it." (Prof. Benoît Mandelbrot, Mathematician, Yale University & Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
"ZURICH.MINDS is an intellectual treasure trove." (Carolina Müller-Möhl, Board Member Nestlé Corporation)
"If you want to broaden your mind and escape the daily grunt, then go to ZURICH.MINDS. Emotionally engaged thinkers will instill you with awe! I went back to ‘normal' life with renewed energy." (Dr. Stefan Borgas, CEO, Lonza)
"What an astounding fireworks display of brilliant and diverse presentations. ZURICH.MINDS is unbeatable!" (Prof. Theodor Landis, MD, Chair, Dept. Clinical Neurosciences, University of Geneva)
"ZURICH.MINDS is a most amazing experience. What a unique opportunity to meet fascinating people and be confronted with ideas that normally would not cross your way. " (Harry Hohmeister, CEO, Swiss Airlines)
"ZURICH.MINDS is a bright idea. It brings leading edge thinkers together, inspiring all others. I felt like a bee in springtime, sitting on a flower and drinking all the smartness and goodies that exist in human brains." (Peter Friedli, Venture Capitalist and Entrepreneur)
"Thank you, ZURICH.MINDS. It was one of the best events I have been to." (Prof. Julian Savulescu, Bioethics, Oxford University)
"All my already high expectations were exceeded by far: ZURICH.MINDS is an effective melting pot of wonderful ingredients: interesting topics beyond your day-to-day experience, great speakers, interesting guests and a stimulating atmosphere. I really enjoyed this motivating and mind-opening experience." (Dr. Martin Strobel, CEO, Baloise Group)
"ZURICH.MINDS is the best evidence that intellectual standards are rising and that the general appetite for smart events is growing. Please, more of that!" (Finn Canonica, Chief Editor, Das Magazin)
"So many new ideas and insights. This sort of dialogue between science, culture and business must continue." (Prof. Mark Pauly, Computational Science, ETH Zurich)
"Food for thought at its best ... and an exciting community." (Riet Cadonau, CEO, Ascom Group)
"A most intriguing and thought-provoking experience. I found myself taking notes more than once. The atmosphere was very special, and such that it brought the best out of both presenters and audience." (Jacob Burak, Founder, Evergreen Ventures, Israel)
"ZURICH.MINDS has reached an enviable state." (Prof. Branco Weiss, Venture Capitalist, "The Grand Old Man" of the Swiss venture industry)
"ZURICH.MINDS starts with a great presentation, but then you are surprised by an even better presentation, and so on. Each time I thought that what I just saw cannot be topped, it was topped by the subsequent talk. Stunning." (Dr. Herbert Bay, Co-Founder, Kooaba)
"At ZURICH.MINDS, inspiration is not just a thought. It is a state of mind." (Dr. Dominique von Matt, CEO, Jung von Matt/Limmat Agency)
"So much knowledge about issues you normally don't hear about, combined with intensive discussions. ZURICH.MINDS is a great thing." (Prof. Peter Gomez, Chairman, SWX Group, Swiss Stock Exchange)
"ZURICH.MINDS is fun. Because it teases...entices...and draws out the brain. We work for years, centered in our own careers and our own businesses. Rarely do we have an opportunity to find out what it going on at the edges of the intellectual world. ZURICH.MINDS is an open door to the world of new ideas and new ways of understanding the world we live in." (Bill Bonner, CEO, Agora Publishing, Paris)
"I experienced ZURICH.MINDS as a groundbreaking initiative, where creative people from a wide variety of backgrounds come together to share knowledge, experience and energy." (Nils Hagander, Founder, a-connect)
"This was an exciting event! Congratulations. ZURICH.MINDS will have a huge impact on the intersection of science and business." (Prof. Dirk Helbing, Economics, ETH Zurich)
"Thank you for organizing the fascinating ZURICH.MINDS event. It was a pleasure to be there, and a wonderful experience to listen to such a diverse range of talks, and to get a glimpse into the minds and thoughts of many people with whom I would not normally have the chance to interact. I am really proud to be amongst such an amazing collection of people. And thank you for hosting such a great event – you have started something that is going to grow in prestige, visibility and stimulation!" (Prof. Ben Moore, Astrophysics, University of Zurich)
"Thanks so much for the great evening. I received a lot of insight from so many different fields." (Prof. Viola Vogel, Nanotechnology, ETH Zurich)
"ZURICH.MINDS provided a unique and wonderful opportunity for the young scientists at my faculty to interact with outstanding minds that come from a different walk of life – and with whom they would hardly ever interact otherwise. The exchange of ideas between business folk and science folk was refreshing and enriching for all involved." (Prof. Michael Hengartner, Molecular Biology, Dean, University of Zurich)
"I enjoyed the presentations and interaction with achievers in science, technology and art in a compact format. One certainly walks home with fresh insights, new ideas and a desire to look deeper into some topics." (Dr. Andreas Wicki, CEO, HBM BioVentures)
"ZURICH.MINDS is a grandiose experience. The talks are inspiring and the ambience is out of this world. Congratulations!" (Dr. Daniel Kampa, Diogenes Publishers)
"Thank you very much for the highly interesting evening. The idea was brilliant, the concept proved to work perfectly, and the speakers brought us many insights, not only in their fields of work but also in the questions and challenges which define our time." (Dr. Martin Meyer, Feuilleton-Chief, NZZ)
"Great fun, great challenge, great presentations, great food for thought, great people, great event." (Uwe Sommer, COO, Lindt & Sprüngli)
"I still have the fantastic event in my mind today." (Jens Wegmann, CEO, Siemens Industrial Solutions)
"Thanks for an intellectually challenging evening. The variety of topics was amazing and the fascination never dropped. Love the concept – Hungry for more." (Ton Büchner, CEO, Sulzer AG)
"Thank you very much for a great event. As it turns out, CEOs and scientists do admire and respect each other, and are keenly interested in each other's work – but they just never get a chance to sit togETH Zuricher. From my viewpoint, I can say that – besides attending elating lectures – I made the acquaintance of intriguing, passionate people. It was good!" (Prof. Adriano Aguzzi, Brain Science, University of Zurich)
"Very good event. Very motivated speakers (especially the youngsters)! This is motivation to continue!" (Prof. Ulrike Ehlert, Clinical Psychology, University of Zurich)
"Thank you very much for organizing this. I learned a lot from the talks and enjoyed all the interactions before and after the talks. I hope that you continue." (Prof. Petros Koumoutsakos, Computational Sciences, ETH Zurich)
"This was a great ZURICH.MINDS. Very interesting presentations." (Rainer-Marc Frey, Founder of RMF Hedge Fund and Chairman of Horizon21)
"The evening was great. The presentations and the subsequent conversations were a pleasure." (Prof. Ernst Fehr, Neuroeconomics, University Zurich)
"It was food for brain, heart and soul – very inspiring." (Prof. Thomas Gutzwiller, Business Innovation, University St.Gallen)
"ZURICH.MINDS: A great idea. A great event." (Martin Spieler, Chief Editor, Handelszeitung)
"At ZURICH.MINDS you are inspired and energized by experiencing the real people behind great ideas. You are able to feel the extraordinary passion that has driven them to their unique achievements." (Dr. Valentin Chapero, CEO, Sonova Holding)
"ZURICH.MINDS was interesting as well as useful for me; by coincidence it actually provided me with facts and insights that I would otherwise have had to obtain with more effort." (Prof. Kurth Wüthrich, Nobel Prize Winner in Chemistry 2002, ETH Zurich)
"When singular glowing sparks unite to build a firework: To make culture visible and radiant you need passionate, free-spirited personalities with surprising ideas. Zurich found this with Rolf Dobelli and his brilliant ZURICH.MINDS." (Bice Curiger, Editorial Director, Tate etc. and curator of the Museum of Fine Arts, Zurich)
"A stunning collection of diverse, dedicated and dynamic speakers was something to behold! ZURICH.MINDS created a highly charged, yet comfortable, environment where a free exchange of ideas resulted in one of the most enjoyable and stimulating intellectual events that I have ever witnessed." (Prof. Nathan Luedtke, Chemistry, University of Zurich)
"ZURICH.MINDS : WYTIWYG = What You THINK Is What You Get – a welcome change to the WYSIWYG of our superficial society." (Dr. Massimo Lattmann, Venture Capitalist)
"The intellectual depth of the great minds united at ZURICH.MINDS is unique." (Dirk Schütz, Editor in Chief, BILANZ Magazine)
"A great mix of exciting people. Great talks - short, to the point, and very interesting topics. I met people I never would have met otherwise. All in all a great event. I look forward to being invited again. " (Prof. Ursula Keller, Laser Physics, ETH Zurich)
"I had a great time. The talks and the choice of the topics were excellent, as were the surroundings!" (Prof. Ulrike Lohmann, Atmospheric Sciences, ETH Zurich)
"Thank you very much for the inspiring event! The quantity and quality of creative ideas was really overwhelming. In addition, it was fun to meet all the interesting people you invited. So, congratulations and thank you again!" (Prof. Renate Schubert, Economics, ETH Zurich)
"An exceptional event!" (Alex Wassmer, CEO, Kibag)
"ZURICH.MINDS sparks us toward lifelong learning and to include disciplines outside our daily routines. I was particularly impressed by the passion and intellectual prowess of the younger speakers. The insights I received at ZURICH.MINDS left me a little less worried about the future of nature and society. Thanks for a very special day." (Dr. Benedikt Goldkamp, CEO, Phoenix Mecano AG)
"I truly enjoyed ZURICH.MINDS. I found it very stimulating and enriching. You managed to identify a group of excellent people – both on a personal as well as on an intellectual level." (Prof. Nicolas Gruber, Atmospheric Physics, ETH Zurich)
"What a great event. ZURICH.MINDS is intellectual chamber music at its best." (Dr. Marcel Reichart, CEO Burda R&D / Young Global Leader World Economic Forum)
"Thanks for the inspiring event! Intelligence, competence, flexibility and sense of humor. A powerful mixture for a challenging and changing environment." (Christian De Prati, CEO, Merrill Lynch Capital Markets)
"ZURICH.MINDS opens up your mind. You discover areas that you normally don't touch in business life. ZURICH.MINDS takes you from the daily routine and powerfully redirects your thinking towards bigger perspectives." (Urs Riedener, CEO, Emmi)
"A firework of brilliant ideas, intriguing and occasionally provocative concepts – real brain food!" (Prof. Andreas Stemmer, Nanotechnology, ETH Zurich)
"An exciting mixture of ideas. Highly refreshing!" (Dr. Urs Stahel, CEO, Photography Museum Winterthur)
"Congratulations on this extraordinary and successful event! There was an enormous variety of speeches and participants. I truly enjoyed the evening and the inspiring ambiance." (Dr. Axel Lehmann, Chief Risk Officer, Zurich Financial)
"ZURICH.MINDS has delivered on its promise to bring together an interdisciplinary group of fascinating people in an informal, intellectually charged setting. Very unique!" (Daniel Aegerter, Owner & CEO, Armada Investment Group)
"Thank you for putting together such a wonderful meeting – a unique way of bringing scientists and business people together to learn from each other. ZURICH.MINDS was an unforgettable event and a great success. All the best and a long life to such a brilliant idea!" (Dr. Radja Boughezal, Theoretical Physics, University of Zurich)
"ZURICH.MINDS was a fantastic event. There were so many interesting people around, and I wish I could have talked to all of them!" (Prof. Laura Baudis, Theoretical Physics, University of Zurich)
"ZURICH.MINDS – what a great get-together! The chance to exchange ideas with excellent people from such a large variety of fields of activity is highly motivating. The combination of informative talks, a pleasant social part, good food and an impressive location made it a unique event. Thank you so much for organizing this fascinating evening." (Dr. Ruth Schwartländer, Nanotechnology, ETH Zurich)
"I very much enjoyed the event and it was a great opportunity to meet thinkers from the Zurich scene. This was a wonderful evening. Thank you very, very much. ZURICH.MINDS greatly helps structure the intellectual life in Zurich. What you are doing here is both unique and essential!" (Prof. Yves Barral, Cell Biology, ETH Zurich)
"A fun mixture of intellect and quality conversation. Intellectual talk without the heavy and dry feel of science conferences." (Yechezkel Zilber, Autodidact, Israel)
"New insights, inspiring discussions, interesting people – an invaluable break away from the daily routine. Keep going!" (Prof. Lino Guzzella, Mechanical Engineering, ETH Zurich)
"Talks ranging from mind over matter to dark matter...followed by enlightening discussions about everything in science and society that really matters – what a splendid event!" (Prof. Greta Patzke, Inorganic Chemistry, University of Zurich)
"There is nothing more inspiring than being with people who are passionate about what they do. Thank you." (Prof. Raffaello D'Andrea, Mechanical Engineering, ETH Zurich)
"An absolutely inspiring event among stimulating people – thank you for the intellectual energy." (Thomas Lustgarten, Managing Partner, Bain & Company)
"What a great concept! You should really scale up and carry it to other cities!" (Dr. Uli Sigg, Vice Chairman, Ringier Group, former Ambassador to China, Art Collector)
"ZURICH.MINDS was a great experience and a lot of fun! I hope that such events will become an institution to promote the ‘no tie' exchange of ideas across disciplines." (Prof. Ben Schuler, Biochemistry, University of Zurich)
"ZURICH.MINDS pushes you to expand your social and intellectual horizons, and it does so very well. You can´t expect more from an evening anywhere – unless you have a taste for watching William Shatner speaking Esperanto, in which case you should go to Davos." (Prof. Homayoun Bagheri, Biology, University of Zurich)
"The evening was loaded with inspiration. So much information in so little time! The passion and dedication each speaker showed for his or her own theme and profession was amazing. One could feel how the audience was fascinated by the topics and speakers. I truly enjoyed being there. It was a most interesting, exciting, powerful and passionate evening. Congratulations!" (Tatjana Frey, Chair, Frey Charitable Foundation)
"If your interests extend beyond your own field, attending ZURICH.MINDS is a must. Speakers were of the highest caliber, and the mix of topics was…very exciting, ranging from hard sciences and business to philosophy and art. I enjoyed it tremendously." (Prof. Marc Pollefeys, Computer Science, ETH Zurich)
"ZURICH.MINDS was a highly inspiring, exciting and entertaining event for me. Where else can you, as a researcher, get the chance to address such a top audience?" (Prof. Nils Thuerey, Computer Science, ETH Zurich)
"ZURICH.MINDS is a fantastic experience. It embodies a new way of thinking." (Ernst-Wilhelm Händler, Fiction Writer, Munich)
"ZURICH.MINDS has developed an excellent platform, featuring thinkers full of energy and passion, and with the potential to substantially improve scientific literacy in society." (Victor Willi, Global Leadership Fellow, World Economic Forum)
"ZURICH.MINDS is like diving in a pool full of high IQ-ed fish." (Prof. Sacha Menz, Architect and Chair for Building Processes, ETH Zurich)
"Quite an incredible event. Thanks so much for inviting us 'Rookies'! It's a wonderful way to tell people about what you're doing, and to gain ideas and insights for the future. It was great to meet so many interesting people and to be able to talk to them in such a uniquely informal setting." (Sergei Lupashin, Mechanical Engineering, ETH Zurich)
"ZURICH.MINDS was really fantastic. I enjoyed the talks and the discussions afterwards tremendously. The meeting was so well organized that I don't think it needs any changes." (Prof. Nenad Ban, Molecular Biology, ETH Zurich)
"A wonderfully entertaining form of studium generale." (Prof. Dominique Jakob, Law, University of Zurich)
"I was extremely happy to be invited to the ZURICH MINDS event. Needless to say, I was pleased to have the opportunity to talk to so many interesting people. What I particularly enjoyed were the talks and the discussion with our ‘Rookies' who showed impressive personalities." (Prof. Daniel Wyler, Theoretical Physics and Dean, University of Zurich)
"Congratulations to the founders of ZURICH.MINDS. Bringing leaders from science and business together in a knowledge-sharing environment is very innovative and refreshing. I also appreciated the additional perspective from the world of culture and art. I wish ZURICH.MINDS a great future, and I am curious to see how it further evolves in the context of ideas, people, exclusivity and media." (Dr. Ekkehard Kuppel, Managing Director, Axialent)
"The ZURICH.MINDS meeting provided a refreshing mix of science, business and politics. What I liked most about this meeting was that young new talents were also invited. This created both a horizontal (different disciplines) and vertical (different age groups) integration of Switzerland's brain power. I am looking forward to the next ZURICH.MINDS." (Prof. Ernst Hafen, Systems Biology, ETH Zurich)
"ZURICH.MINDS was a unique experience. The unexpected presentations about very different subjects were refreshing and inspiring." (Josef Felder, Independent Director)
"The evening was great, the insights inspiring, the presentations outstanding and the interactions enriching. Thank you! " (Thomas Frutiger, CEO, Frutiger AG)
"It was a fantastic experience in every sense. Improving it seems impossible to me!" (Prof. Cristina Nevado, Molecular Biology, University of Zurich)
"ZURICH.MINDS provides a unique and invaluable opportunity to bring together different cultures: academia, the business world, the media and the wider community. It's a true meeting of the minds." (Prof. Andy Hector, Biodiversity, University of Zurich)
"Drawn from inspiring settings in a majestic ballroom, thoughts of intrigue, brilliance and humor flowed from the stage. Not only were the talks of impressive quality, the event shaped around it and the possibility to engage with great people one on one made the event unforgettable." (David and Christopher Mikkelsen, Founders, Refugees United)
"I very much enjoyed the breadth of the ZURICH.MINDS presentations." (Prof. Lukas Keller, Evolutionary Biology, University of Zurich)
"A unique platform for inspiration, new ideas and great entertainment!" (Dr. Petra H. Wirtz, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Zurich)
"After travelling all year from film festival to festival, it was great to finally touch down in Zurich, where I received the warmest of welcomes at ZURICH.MINDS. It was a breathtaking experience and definitely my ‘Black Swan' of 2008 – in the most positive sense!" (Niels Laupert, Movie Director, Berlin)
"ZURICH.MINDS: a successful crossover between science, art, philosophy and economy. In our world of specialization this kind of exchange is truly an exception!" (Stefan Loacker, CEO, Helvetia Patria Insurance)
"ZURICH.MINDS allowed me to discover an entire new dimension of inspiration. An awesome feeling!" (Pascal Fleury, Engineer, Google)
"There is so much knowledge to share, and so many rich professional experiences and creative visions. To network all of them triples the benefit and pleasure for participants. A big ‘thank you' to ZURICH.MINDS. Keep on doing what you are doing. " (Dr. Elmar Ledergerber, former Mayor of the City of Zurich)
"ZURICH.MINDS is an intellectually multifaceted community. The breadth and depth of the talks impressed me." (Hugo Loetscher, Novelist)
"If you think you have seen it all, come and join ZURICH.MINDS. It will make you think again!" (Kai-Uwe Ricke, Ex CEO, Deutsche Telekom und Member of the Clinton Global Initiative)
"Insightful presentations and discussions - an excellent opportunity to mentally break out of daily professional life." (Dr. Thomas Buberl, CEO, Zurich Insurance)
"ZURICH.MINDS is like renewable energy. Dense and packed with presentations in the first part, fun and light in the second part (with food and wine). ZURICH.MINDS is always a priority in my agenda. The confluence of interesting and ambitious people with a hunger for knowledge and the unknown is unique." (Andreas Reinhard, Founder & CEO, iii-solutions)
"Exciting learning with a valuable takeaway: Real innovation and excellence can only be achieved when passionate individuals follow nonlinear and cross-functional approaches that allow for lateral thinking and creativity." (Dr. Carsten B. Henkel, Managing Partner, Roland Berger Consultants)
"ZURICH.MINDS is a wonderful bubble bath for mind and soul." (Markus Mettler, CEO, Brainstore)
"What a wonderful event! Thank you so much for this fantastic invitation. I enjoyed the inspiring discussions, and it was a great pleasure to meet so many interesting people." (Dr. Doris Agotai, Architect and Virtual-Reality Scientist, ETH Zurich)
"ZURICH.MINDS, under Rolf Dobelli's lead, is a platform where you can discuss ideas and insights outside the daily business routine." (Victor Aerni, Managing Partner, The Boston Consulting Group)
"Great inspiration in a very short time and lots interesting people to share all this!" (Katja Gentinetta, Vice President, Avenir Suisse)
"For one night, my brain was able to travel to destinations it usually never visits. It was an exciting trip, including the return from outer intellectual space with a glass of good wine and other inspiring travelers. Keep the format exactly as it is. Don't shrink it; don't blow it up. This journey of the brain is exactly the right size." (Martin Hellweg, Chairman, Ally Management Group and CEO, Swissmetal)
"It was a once-in-a-lifetime day for me." (Prof. Yoram Barak, Clinical Psychology, Tel-Aviv University)
"The day of a ZURICH.MINDS event stands out from all the ‘normal' days. Thanks so much for the inspiration. ZURICH.MINDS is fantastic!"(Pascale Bruderer, Chairperson and Speaker of the House, the Swiss Federal Parliament)