As Trust Square continues to evolve as a leading innovation hub, Marc Hauser steps into his role as CEO, bringing fresh perspectives and a commitment to shaping the future of technology. In his first 100 days, Marc has already set bold initiatives in motion and is preparing for the next growth phase.
We sat down with Marc to learn about his vision, experiences, and what’s ahead for Trust Square.
I'm excited about building on Trust Square’s strong foundation in blockchain and expanding into new technologies like AI, quantum, AR and VR. Our new location at Bahnhofstrasse 75 opens doors to further growth, and I’m eager to lead this evolution, especially as we slowly begin to internationalize with our strong partners.
The team’s dedication to the vision has been incredible. I also see a huge opportunity to bring together the different elements, "puzzle pieces", we already have to create what I call "TS 2.0"—the next chapter of Trust Square.
Our main focus is to create industry communities centered around digital public infrastructure and the future of finance and money. We’re bringing together partners from corporate sectors, startups, tech companies, academia, government, and industry associations to work toward a shared goal. We aim to build an innovation hub that drives both disruptive and incremental advancements supported by emerging technologies.
Another priority is uniting our team under a shared vision to fuel corporate innovation and promote the widespread adoption of these emerging technologies, ultimately improving lives on a global scale.
In my opinion, the Trust Square DNA is around unity, ambition, and a thirst for growth. Further, a sense of constant curiosity should drive us to remain at the forefront of innovation.
It’s also important that we celebrate our successes as a team, focusing not only on the end results but also on enjoying the journey and the impact we make along the way.
I’m most excited about positioning Trust Square as a key hub for corporate innovation—that’s our primary goal. To support this, we’re launching recurring event formats that will connect people and drive innovation forward. It’s all about delivering relevant content and fostering meaningful connections that can shape both industries and companies.
Additionally, we’re focusing on staying a top destination for events and co-working.
Well, fun fact: As a teenager, I worked at one of the two big retailers in Switzerland, packaging sausages and other meats in the early mornings—starting my day at 5 a.m.
My first "real" job was in 2006 at the Institut für Jungunternehmen (IFJ) / venturelab. We helped founders with business planning and offered affordable spaces for startups at big conferences. That experience was my first deep dive into the world of startups, and it sparked my interest in entrepreneurship, which ultimately led me to co-found two companies of my own.
At the moment, it’s my reMarkable tablet. It allows me to stay focused while taking notes digitally, and it’s become an essential tool for me for thinking and collaboration.
Beyond that, it’s the exchanges with my colleagues. I’m a strong believer in group discussions—collaborating with others always leads to better ideas and solutions than working alone.
Focusing on your circle of influence—control what you can, and let go of what you can’t. Another key lesson is to zoom out when faced with challenges—ask yourself if today’s issues will matter in a year or five years. Often, this perspective helps reduce unnecessary stress.
Lastly, practicing gratitude is something important to me—recognizing and appreciating the contributions of those around you, both personally and professionally, is something I continue to work on.
With a busier and busier life, it’s becoming harder to completely disconnect, but I find that spending time with my daughter helps me switch off from work and be fully present. On longer breaks, it usually takes until the second week of a holiday for the mental noise to quiet down, and that’s when I truly disconnect and recharge.
Markus Iofcea, who led UBS-Y’s think tank, has been an inspiration. His approach to future methodologies and his recent book "Zurück zur Zukunft" (Back to the Future) have influenced how I think about the future, particularly in making conscious decisions about which futures are desirable and how we can shape them. His insights have been extremely valuable in how I approach innovation and the future at Trust Square.