E-Government meets E-business: a portal site for startup companies in Switzerland

Networked computer technology for business purposes is no longer a domain of companies alone. The Internet has invaded private homes and is becoming a communication interface between private parties (e.g. personal E-Mail), companies (E-Commerce) and the government (E-Government). The pervasion of the "virtual world" triggers government agencies to think about their role in setting a proper social and legal framework and to offer electronic interfaces to citizens and companies alike. The paper gives a description of the relations between E-Business and E-Government with definitions of the new terms in the E-Business arena. We describe a portal site for the organization of intellectual property rights for startup companies as a representative E-Government scenario. We conclude by summarizing our main findings and stressing the importance of E-Government for a healthy economic and socio-political environment.