EMPA

What EMPA does

EMPA (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology) is a Swiss federal research institute within the ETH Domain, headquartered in Dübendorf with additional sites in St. Gallen and Thun. Founded in 1985, the institute employs 501-1000 staff including approximately 550 highly qualified scientists conducting interdisciplinary materials science and technology research across four focus areas: Nanoscale Materials & Manufacturing Technologies, Built Environment, Health, and Energy/Resources/Emissions. EMPA serves three primary customer segments — industry partners (BASF, Implenia, Omya, Belimo, Viessmann, H2 Energy AG), academic and research institutions (ETH Zurich, EPFL, Imperial College, NIMS, KIST, LLNL, LANL), and Swiss/international public authorities (EU Graphene Flagship, EU CO2M satellite mission, UNEP) — through commissioned research, bilateral collaborations, and participation in international programs.

EMPA's core delivery vehicles are five demonstration platforms: NEST (modular research and innovation building with 150+ partner organizations), move (future mobility demonstrator), ehub (district-level energy management), dhub (digital hub for AI, AR, big data, and blockchain in built environments), and SELF (energy-autonomous living lab). Notable proprietary technologies include polyimide aerogel insulation enabling drones operating at 200°C (FireDrone spin-off), five-nanometer artificial interlayers for satellite durability, ultra-thin solid-state lithium-ion batteries charging in one minute (BTRY AG spin-off), 3D-printed dielectric elastomer artificial muscles, and a fire-retardant building material binding sawdust with struvite using a watermelon-seed enzyme. The institute's patent portfolio is active across these areas and several researchers are Clarivate Highly Cited in 2025.

EMPA's revenue model operates as a hybrid: federal appropriation through the ETH Domain provides a baseline, supplemented by competitive grants (e.g., CHF 2.2M SNSF Advanced Grant 2022), industry-commissioned research, technology licensing, and spin-off commercialization (BTRY AG, Swiss Cluster, Lepto GmbH, FireDrone, Circelec). Pricing operates through negotiated research mandates and government funding rather than standard commercial pricing. Analytical and accredited testing services are delivered via the Empa Portal. Revenue is not publicly disclosed as EMPA is a government entity rather than a commercial company.

Name

EMPA

Legal name

Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology

Website

https://empa.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

EMPA is a Swiss federal research institute within the ETH Domain, employing approximately 550 scientists to conduct interdisciplinary materials science and technology research across nanoscale materials, built environment, health, and energy sectors for industry partners, government bodies, and academic institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubendorf

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Research Mandates and Collaborations: EMPA generates revenue through commissioned research projects, bilateral collaborations with industry partners, and participation in national and international research programs including EU Flagship projects and Swiss National Science Foundation grants
2. Technology Transfer and Licensing: Commercialization of research outcomes through spin-off companies, technology licensing, and intellectual property licensing arrangements
3. Analytical and Testing Services: High-end technical and analytical services provided to industry through the Empa Portal, including assessment and accreditation services

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

EMPA is a federal research institute conducting interdisciplinary materials science and technology research across nanoscale materials, built environment, health, and energy, resources and emissions. It delivers these capabilities through commissioned research mandates, bilateral industry collaborations, demonstration platforms (NEST, move, ehub, dhub, SELF), technical and analytical services via the Empa Portal, and commercialization of research through spin-offs and licensing.

Product overview

EMPA (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology) operates as a research institution within the ETH Domain, offering a portfolio of research demonstrator platforms rather than commercial products. The core offerings include: NEST (modular research building for testing technologies under real conditions), move (future mobility demonstrator), ehub (energy hub for district-level energy management), dhub (digital hub for AI, AR, big data and blockchain research), and SELF (energy-autonomous living lab). These platforms are supported by specialized research units and spin-off companies including Swiss Cluster (thin-film coating systems), FireDrone (heat-resistant drones), BTRY (ultra-thin solid-state batteries), and Lepto GmbH (terahertz filters). The institution provides technology transfer, research cooperation, and innovation support services to industry partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NEST: Modular research and innovation building platform for testing new technologies, materials and systems under real conditions. Partnership between Empa and Eawag.
• move
• ehub
• dhub
• SELF

Products and services

• NEST (modular research and innovation building) Modular research and innovation building co-developed with Eawag where new technologies, materials and systems are tested, validated and demonstrated under real conditions; houses units such as Vision Wood, DFAB House, HiLo, SolAce, STEP2, SPRINT, DroneHub, Beyond Zero, Meet2Create, Urban Mining & Recycling.
• move (future mobility demonstrator) Demonstration platform for post-fossil mobility showcasing electric mobility, hydrogen mobility, synfuels, autonomous mobility and related materials and systems research.
• ehub (Energy Hub research platform) Energy research platform optimizing energy management from component to district level, evaluating the influence of sustainable technologies on the entire energy system.
• dhub (Digital Hub) Digital Hub providing the basis for digital research, development and experiments in building, energy and mobility, applying AI, augmented reality, big data and blockchain technologies to accelerate market entry of new solutions.
• SELF (self-sufficient living lab) Energy-autonomous living and working unit that can supply itself with required energy and water from the atmosphere using solar panels, hydrogen storage and water recycling, used to investigate the limits of energy-efficient buildings.
• Empa Portal - Technical, analytical and accredited testing services Industry-facing portal providing high-end technical and analytical services, assessment body services and accredited body services, including materials and product testing, characterization and certification for industrial customers.
• International Research Cooperations service portfolio Bilateral and multilateral research collaboration services for global partners including the EU Flagship Graphene project, joint programs with NIMS (Japan), KIST (Korea), LLNL/LANL (USA), OIST, CNR-ISM, and WMRIF (49 sister institutes worldwide), supporting joint publications, talent exchange and shared research facilities.
• BTRY ultra-thin solid-state lithium-ion batteries Paper-thin solid-state batteries that operate safely at temperatures up to 150°C and charge within one minute, targeting IoT sensors, smart logistics tags, industrial sensors and wearables; commercialized via BTRY AG (Empa/ETH Zurich spin-off), with EUR 4.9M seed round in 2025.
• Swiss Cluster combined PVD/ALD thin-film coating system Machine that uniquely combines physical vapor deposition (PVD) and atomic layer deposition (ALD) in a single vacuum chamber to produce exceptionally durable thin films for watches, optics, microelectronics and medical implants; Swiss Economic Award 2026 winner.
• FireDrone heat-resistant autonomous drone Heat-resistant drone capable of operating at temperatures up to 200°C using patented polyimide aerogel insulation, equipped with infrared cameras for real-time thermal imaging in firefighting and industrial inspections.
• Lepto ultrathin terahertz radiation filters Ultrathin terahertz radiation filters featuring gold microstructure on polymer films for satellite communication and medical applications, commercialized via Lepto GmbH (Empa spin-off founded April 2025).
• DroneHub test environment Test environment within NEST for integration and interaction of aerial robots (drones and climbing robots) with infrastructure systems, featuring aerial additive manufacturing façade, biosphere for environmental sensing and infrastructure robotics interfaces, in collaboration with Imperial College London, EPFL, UCL and industry partners.

Quantifiable outcome

• Hydrogen fuel cell systems achieved total efficiency exceeding 90% and reduced peak load costs by more than 10%
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability17 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

51 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Techtextil and TexprocessflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026International textile innovation awards recognizing pioneering research, products, and processes addressing global challenges
• Sohar Port and Freezone (SOHAR), OmanflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025Letter of Intent to explore establishing synthetic fuels facility in Oman focusing on low-carbon fuels produced using renewable energy, supporting Oman's energy transition and green hydrogen strategies
• BTRY AG (DeepTech Spin-off)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2025DeepTech spin-off from Empa and ETH Zurich commercializing ultra-thin solid-state batteries, founded in 2023 with 14-person team
• Elena Mavrona (Lepto GmbH)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Empa Entrepreneur Fellowship recipient developing ultra-thin terahertz optical components for spin-off commercialization
• Mohammad Jafarpour (Strain Sensors)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Empa Entrepreneur Fellowship recipient creating high-resolution printed strain sensors for infrastructure monitoring using patented gravure printing
• Nicolas Zaugg (Laser Microstructuring)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Empa Entrepreneur Fellowship recipient advancing large-area laser microstructuring technology for commercialization
• Hälg GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023Collaboration on H2 districts research project investigating use of stationary hydrogen fuel cells to support district energy systems during peak load periods
• Osterwalder GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023Partner in H2 districts project focusing on integration of hydrogen fuel cells into building energy systems for district energy optimization
• H2 Energy AGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023Industry partner in H2 districts research project providing hydrogen fuel cell technology and expertise for building energy system applications
• Eawag (Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint operation of NEST modular research and innovation building, combining water research expertise with materials science for integrated research platform focused on sustainable building and energy technologies
• ETH ZurichcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing strategic partnership within ETH Domain, including joint research initiatives, digital fabrication (DFAB House, HiLo), and collaborative research on sustainable technologies
• EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint development of FireDrone technology and established joint professorship for Sustainability Robotics combining Empa's materials expertise with EPFL's environmental sensing capabilities
• Imperial College LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on DroneHub development and joint Laboratory of Sustainability Robotics, combining aerial robotics research with infrastructure applications
• Graphene Flagship (EU)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in EU Flagship project Graphene since 2013, focusing on electronic properties and health/environmental safety of graphene carbon network
• UNEP (United Nations Environment Program)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on UNEP expert report on ozone depletion, providing lead authorship from Empa researchers
• NIMS (National Institute for Materials Science, Japan)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-publisher of journal Science and Technology of Advanced Materials, joint research collaboration in materials science
• KIST (Korea Institute of Science and Technology)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research cooperation in materials science and technology development
• LLNL (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, USA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research cooperation with US partner on advanced materials and technology research
• LANL (Los Alamos National Laboratory, USA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research cooperation with US partner on materials science and technology
• World Materials Research Institutes Forum (WMRIF)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of WMRIF with 49 sister institutions worldwide, supporting innovations through information exchange and shared research facilities
• ETH Zurich (Sawdust Research)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint development of fire-retardant and recyclable building material by combining sawdust with mineral struvite using enzyme from watermelon seeds
• GeobruggminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndustry partner in DroneHub project for infrastructure robotics and safety applications
• ROK ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture partner for STEP2 unit and DroneHub development, contributing to digital construction and sustainable building design
• BASFflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMain partner in STEP2 unit contributing materials expertise including structural and functional materials, bio-based products, dispersions, additives, coatings, composites for sustainable construction
• Digital Building Technologies - ETH ZurichcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration on digital fabrication technologies for STEP2 unit including 3D-printed formwork and complex concrete stair fabrication
• Stahlton Bauteile AGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrefabrication partner for ribbed filigree slab with 3D-printed formwork elements and biaxially pre-stressed precast concrete elements
• WaltGalmarini AGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStructural and energy engineering partner for STEP2, developing comprehensive energy and thermal comfort concepts and adaptive building envelope systems
• Bouygues E&S InTec Schweiz AGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partner in Sprint unit focusing on rapid construction with reused materials and flexible office space development
• HUSNER AGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Sprint unit for circular construction with reused materials focus
• City of DübendorfminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPublic sector partner in Sprint unit for rapid, flexible construction solutions with reusable materials
• AdaptricityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partner in ehub energy research platform for energy management optimization
• BelimominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partner in ehub focusing on building automation and energy efficiency technologies
• SwisspowerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnergy cluster partner in ehub research platform for district-level energy management optimization
• ViessmannminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partner in ehub for heating and energy systems research
• CSEMcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in ehub and biodegradable smart sensor development with Circelec spin-off for sustainable supply chains
• reFuel.chcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on sustainable fuel production research including Oman partnership for synthetic fuels development
• Beijing University of TechnologyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research collaboration on ventilation and building energy efficiency studies
• AGH University of PolandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research partner in building energy efficiency and ventilation research
• Lund University, SwedenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research collaboration on sustainable building technologies and energy efficiency
• OIST (Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative research on single-atom catalysts with precisely designed active sites using polymer architecture, published in Nature Communications
• CNR-ISM (National Research Council, Italy)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborators on catalysis platform mimicking enzymes for superior reactivity with applications in CO2 conversion
• University of Rome Tor VergatacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in single-atom catalyst research with potential industrial applications in CO2 conversion
• EPFL (Aerial Additive Manufacturing)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating on aerial robotics capable of performing construction tasks mid-air using AAM technology for building in inaccessible environments
• Imperial College LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in aerial robots for construction applications using Aerial Additive Manufacturing technology
• University College LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in aerial robot construction technology research
• EU CO2M Satellite MissionflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvanced emission-mapping technologies developed for EU's upcoming CO2M satellite mission launching in 2027 to monitor greenhouse gases with unprecedented precision
• BBL (Bundesamt für Baukultur)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Beyond.Zero NEST unit promoting CO2-reduced and CO2-negative building innovations
• Canton of ZurichminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPublic partner in Beyond.Zero unit for carbon-negative building materials development
• ImpleniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConstruction industry partner in Beyond.Zero unit for CO2-negative building material applications
• OmyacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaterials partner in Beyond.Zero unit contributing to cement-reduced concrete development
• OOSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture partner in Beyond.Zero carbon-negative building innovation project

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Fraunhofer Society: Germany's largest applied research organization with ~€3B annual budget. Directly comparable to EMPA as a government-backed applied research institute conducting contract R&D for industry across materials, energy, and manufacturing.
• VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland: Finnish national research institute operating under the Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, with comparable mandates in applied materials science, energy, and industrial R&D. Closest structural analog to EMPA outside Switzerland.
• TNO (Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research): Dutch applied-research organization with parallel mandate: independent research institute translating scientific findings into industry-applicable innovations, with similar funding mix of government and contract research.
• CEA (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission): France's national public-research organization with deep activity in materials, energy (including hydrogen, batteries), and low-carbon technologies. Operates under similar government-funded applied-science mandate as EMPA.
• National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS, Japan): Japan's premier materials research institute and an EMPA partner (co-publisher of Science and Technology of Advanced Materials). Operates as a national R&D body with comparable focus on materials characterization, energy, and nanotech.
• CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation): Australia's national science agency and a WMRIF member alongside EMPA. Directly comparable as a publicly funded applied-research body doing industry-relevant materials, energy, and health research.
• Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT): German government-funded research university integrating natural and engineering sciences with comparable activity in energy systems, materials science, and mobility research. Closely comparable scale and mission.
• SINTEF (Norway): Scandinavia's largest independent research institute, conducting contract-based applied R&D for European and global industry across materials, energy, and offshore technology. Structural analog to EMPA.
• National Physical Laboratory (NPL, UK): UK's national metrology and applied-physics lab, covering materials characterization, measurement standards, and industrial testing. Comparable to EMPA's analytical and testing services through the Empa Portal.

Broad incumbents

• National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL): US Department of Energy national lab focused on renewable energy and energy efficiency. While overlapping in EMPA's energy, hydrogen, and built-environment domains, it is more narrowly focused on energy than EMPA's broader materials scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Empa_CH
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/EmpaChannel
• Facebookfacebook.com/227604993916414
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/empa
• Instagraminstagram.com/empa_materials_science

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments5 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about EMPA