Observed Signal · Jul 7, 2026 · Founding · Source: persoenlich.com News · Impact: 1/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Heart: Hinderling launches AI-focused agency in Zurich
Michael Hinderling has founded Heart, a Zurich-based boutique agency, together with Severin Klaus and Milo Peter. Operations began in May 2026 and the company is based at Werdstrasse 109 in Zurich; Klaus and Peter joined the founders’ team in July. Beat Muttenzer is named as a co-founder and Katrin Park and Dario Linke are listed as core team members. The three founders most recently held senior roles at Hinderling Volkart and Dept. Heart positions itself as a deliberately small, senior-led firm focused on digital brand and product development guided by artificial intelligence, aiming to build adaptive, learning systems and to prioritise relevance and innovation over pure efficiency. The company gave no headcount or client details.
Local boutique agency launch with AI-focused positioning; notable within Swiss agency/creative market but not industry-shifting.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Michael Hinderling, Severin Klaus and Milo Peter founded Heart and began operations in May 2026.
- Heart is headquartered at Werdstrasse 109, Zurich (Zürcher Kreis 4).
- Beat Muttenzer is listed as a co‑founder; Katrin Park and Dario Linke are named as core team members.
- The three founders previously held senior roles at Hinderling Volkart and at Dept (Swiss unit).
- Heart describes itself as a small, senior-led boutique focused on AI-guided digital brand and product development, building 'adaptive, learning systems'.
Connected Companies & Entities
1 Entity mapped“The three most recently held senior positions at Hinderling Volkart and Dept; at Dept Michael Hinderling served as Co-CEO and Creative Direc...”
Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Michael Hinderling: Advertising World Is Fundamentally Changing
Michael Hinderling has launched a new Zurich-based digital agency, Heart Identity, positioning it as a studio against 'digital interchangeability.' In a persoenlich.com podcast episode for ADC Switzerland, Hinderling — co-founder of Hinderling Volkart and former Managing Director and Partner at Dept — discusses why he returned to self-employment and how artificial intelligence represents a 'tipping point' that will fundamentally change the advertising and marketing industry. The piece notes Hinderling sold Hinderling Volkart to Dept in 2020, left Dept in 2024, and recently founded Heart Identity. The podcast series '50 Jahre ADC' is being presented by the persönlich publisher with support from Migros Supermarkt AG and is available on major podcast platforms.
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Dynamics Group Names Mark Seall Partner for AI
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