

Digital map for storage solutions from renewable energy
The Swiss Power-to-X Collaborative Innovation Network (SPIN) is now working together with the Coalition for Green Energy & Storage (CGES) of ETH, EPFL, PSI and Empa. The aim is to create an interactive search tool that facilitates access to information on Power-to-X

Compact heat storage system wins innovation award for energy solutions
Cowa Thermal Solutions has won the Clean Energy & Storage category at the Start Up Energy Transition (SET) Award 2025. The jury praised the fact that Cowa's compact thermal storage systems with thermodynamic materials are five times smaller than water-based

Online tool to simplify district heating expansion
The cooperative Elektra Baselland (EBL) has set up a new online service for property owners. They can use wärmecheck.ch to check whether it is possible to connect their property to an EBL district heating network. The aim is to expand district heating

3D data platform optimizes transport and infrastructure projects
iNovitas and Geoinfra Ingenieure have created a digital twin of the road network in the Zurich Oberland. They are making around 800 kilometers of roads available in a high-resolution 3D data platform. Interested planners and decision-makers can license the

Photo analysis to efficiently record the condition of infrastructures
Straintest has won two major customers for pilot projects: SBB and, most recently, the Swiss Federal Armaments Office armasuisse. The start-up, which is only seven months old, already records and measures the finest hairline cracks on façades or infrastructure buildings using photos and creates

Life sciences boost the entire Basel Area
The Basel Area continues to develop dynamically: more and more life sciences companies from abroad are settling not only in Basel-Stadt, but also in the neighbouring cantons. in 2024, this key sector accounted for three quarters of all relocations. Innovation areas and targeted location promotion

Microsoft promotes Swiss AI innovation
The Lausanne-based AI start-up inait and Microsoft are joining forces. Together, they want to develop a new generation of intelligent systems with the aim of fundamentally transforming the world of finance and the robotics industry. At the centre is an AI platform that is based on the way the human

Digital property information on the rise
With the planned amendment to the Geoinformation Act, the Federal Council is taking an important step towards digitalisation and transparency in the land and planning sector. Access to public-law property restrictions will become more efficient, legally secure and user-friendly, with direct added

Digitalisation and AI as the answer to skills shortages and climate targets
Digitalisation and artificial intelligence (AI) are neither a curse nor a blessing in the construction industry, but a necessity. The 110 industry experts who took part in this year's seminar organised by the Institute of Building Technology and Energy at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and

Buildings contribute to grid stability
The energy supply of the future requires more than just the expansion of renewable energies. Smart technologies must ensure that energy is used efficiently and integrated into the power grid. Empa researchers have developed an algorithm that optimises energy management in buildings, reduces CO2

Empa opens quantum laboratory
Empa has inaugurated a new high-tech laboratory that researches quantum effects in carbon nanostructures. Using state-of-the-art scanning tunnelling microscopy and microwave technology, the laboratory is intended to pave the way for sustainable quantum technologies, from sensors to quantum


Research into the preservation of bridges using artificial intelligence
Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH) are working with SBB to find out how the maintenance and construction of bridges can be optimised using artificial intelligence. The aim of the project is to extend the service life of the structures and save


Winterthur invests in six smart city projects for 2025
How can artificial intelligence make cultural events more accessible? What solutions help to mitigate extreme heat in the city? And how can libraries be used outside of regular opening hours? These and other questions are the focus of six innovative projects that Winterthur 2025 is funding with the

Efficient cooling for data centres and more
Empa spin-off Ionic Wind Technologies is revolutionising the cooling of high-performance electronics with its patented airflow amplifier for ionic wind. The technology utilises electrostatic fields to set air in motion without mechanical components. With this method, data centres could reduce their

Online tool for climate-neutral industrial processes
The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE has developed an interactive online tool to help companies select the optimum high-temperature heat pump for their industrial processes. The platform offers a technology map that links heat pump systems with the specific requirements of

New measurement technology detects corrosion in reinforced concrete without intervention
Many reinforced concrete structures in Switzerland date from the 1960s to 1980s and are increasingly threatened by corrosion. The ETH start-up Talpa has developed an innovative method to identify damage in hard-to-reach areas at an early stage - without having to break open the concrete. The new

AI accelerates perovskite solar cells for the mass market
Perovskite solar cells could revolutionise photovoltaics. Their high efficiency and flexible application possibilities make them very promising. However, production hurdles are slowing market maturity. A new study by KIT shows how artificial intelligence optimises processes through machine learning

Bio-inspired “Solar Gate” regulates buildings in a climate-neutral way
A research team from the universities of Freiburg and Stuttgart has developed an innovative façade system that adapts automatically to changes in the weather without the need for energy. Inspired by pine cones, the "Solar Gate" offers a resource-saving solution for sustainable building

AI solution optimises solar systems
SmartHelio's Autopilot analysis software, which was launched at the beginning of 2024, has optimised the performance of more than 200 solar systems over the course of the year. It is designed to extend their service life by eight years, increase production by 10 per cent and predict faults and

Experienced executive takes over management of digital real estate marketplace
Myriam Reinle will become the new CEO of Houzy, bringing over 20 years of experience in building digital marketplaces and tech start-ups. Her appointment marks a strategic move to lead the merged proptech company into the next phase of growth. Her predecessor Florian Rüegg takes on the role of