SUPSI

Higher Education (Applied Sciences University)supsi.ch

Company typePrivate
Founded1997
HeadquartersManno, Switzerland
Headcount501–1,000
GTM typeB2B and B2C
OfferingServices

SUPSI firmographics

Firmographics

Name: SUPSI
Legal name: Scuola universitaria professionale della Svizzera italiana
Website: https://supsi.ch
Company type: Private
Founded year: 1997
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 501–1,000 employees
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

SUPSI industry classification

Industry

Product category: Higher Education (Applied Sciences University)
NAICS: Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710)
SIC: Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
akta.pro primary industry: Cooperative Education (Co-op) Technical Universities (EDAHAEAF)

Keywords

Applied higher education
Professional university
Continuing education
Applied research services
University degree programs

Where SUPSI is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Manno
HQ country: Switzerland
HQ region: Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

SUPSI business model

Business model

GTM type: B2B and B2C
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

SUPSI product offering

Product offering

Core offering

SUPSI delivers higher education programs (Bachelor, Master, and Diploma) across disciplines including Architecture, Engineering, Design, Economics, Social Work, Music, Theatre, and Healthcare, alongside continuing education for professionals and applied research services for regional enterprises. The institution operates specialized competence centers conducting research in materials science, additive manufacturing, AI, social sciences, and tax law, funded by public appropriations, tuition, and competitive grants.

Product overview

SUPSI is a University of Applied Sciences and Arts in Southern Switzerland offering a unified portfolio of educational services. The core offerings consist of Bachelor and Master degree programs across diverse disciplines, Continuing Education courses for professional development, and Applied Research and Innovation Services. Research activities are organized through specialized competency centers including Centro ReS (social research), Centro CCTG (tax and legal expertise), and others covering mechatronics, design, microbiology, and environmental sciences. Short-term educational programs like International Summer Schools complement the degree offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

Centro ReS (CReS): Centro competenze Ricerca sociale - A center for applied and participatory social research, studying labor transformations, public policies, and regional economy.
Centro competenze tributarie e giuridiche (CCTG)

Products and services

Bachelor and Master Degree Programs Undergraduate and graduate degree programs offered across Architecture, Design, Economics, Teacher Training, Engineering and ICT, Social Work, Music and Theatre, and Healthcare disciplines. Targeted at students pursuing higher education in Italian-speaking Switzerland.
Continuing Education (Formazione continua) Professional development and continuing education courses designed in close collaboration with industry, featuring practitioner instructors and applied research content. Targeted at working professionals seeking ongoing education, certification, and career advancement.
Applied Research and Innovation Services Contract research, technology transfer, and innovation services delivered through dedicated research units. Offers innovative solutions to improve competitiveness of businesses and quality of life. Targeted at regional companies and public organizations seeking R&D collaboration.
Centro ReS (Centro competenze Ricerca sociale)

Quantifiable outcome

Research addressing public health challenges including antimicrobial resistance and pandemic preparedness
+2 more outcomes

Companies that use SUPSI

Customer profile

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

SUPSI technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature4 records

SUPSI partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered key, minor and flagship.

ROBOZEkeyStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 May 2026Joint R&D initiative focused on advancing Carbon-Carbon (C-C) and Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMC) for extreme environments. The partnership combines ROBOZE's additive manufacturing technologies with SUPSI's thermal conversion processes and materials science expertise. Applications target aerospace, energy, hypersonic systems, and next-generation nuclear fusion.
Reinforce3DkeyStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 April 2026Development of Matrix First concept for 3D printed continuous fiber ceramic structures. Reinforce3D provides continuous fiber injection process (CFIP) while SUPSI contributes materials science expertise in ceramic conversion through precursor infiltration and pyrolysis.
Arc ImpactminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration exploring material and process parameters for binder jetting technology research platform focused on ceramic and metal powder systems.
National University of Singapore (NUS)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research collaboration on platform urbanization and digital citizenship through the INCA project (Horizon Europe funded). SUPSI coordinates the project with NUS co-applicant Naomi C. Hanakata.
Waseda University TokyokeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerSEFRI-funded project studying platform urbanization characteristics and hybrid spaces including dark kitchens, data centers, and e-commerce logistics zones.
INCA Consortium (Horizon Europe)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLarge-scale European research initiative investigating the impact of digital platforms on democratic institutions and urban citizenship. SUPSI holds responsibility for a dedicated work package within this international collaboration.
ETH Zurich (Singapore)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration through Future Cities Laboratory at ETH's Singapore campus for urban studies research.
IDSIA (Istituto Dalle Molle di studi sull'intelligenza artificiale USI-SUPSI)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment of AI systems for medical decision support, including federated learning approaches for antibiotic prescription optimization and antimicrobial resistance prediction. Part of the SPEARHEAD project consortium.
University of Basel (SPEARHEAD Consortium Lead)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlagship project funded by Innosuisse bringing together Swiss research institutes, university hospitals, and industry partners to combat antimicrobial resistance through AI and public awareness initiatives.
Swiss University HospitalskeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical partners participating in SPEARHEAD project, contributing data for federated learning models that predict antibiotic resistance while preserving patient privacy.
SwissuniversitieskeyOthersSUPSI is a member of Swissuniversities, the association of Swiss higher education institutions working on shared interests in education, research, and innovation policy.
BancaStatominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of the Sustainability Prize for SUPSI Bachelor theses, supporting recognition of student work focused on sustainability topics.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

SUPSI competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Direct peers

ZHAW (Zurich University of Applied Sciences): One of Switzerland's largest universities of applied sciences, offering Bachelor's, Master's, continuing education, and applied research across many of the same disciplines as SUPSI (engineering, design, social work, healthcare). Direct structural counterpart in the Swiss UAS system, with comparable mandates in applied research and regional development.
FHNW (University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland): Swiss federally recognized UAS with parallel degree, continuing education, and applied research portfolio. Comparable institutional structure, governance under Swiss Confederation recognition, and similar revenue mix from public funding and contract research.
BFH (Bern University of Applied Sciences): Another of the nine Swiss UAS institutions, covering engineering, health, social work, design, and economics with applied research mandate. Closely parallel operating model and funding logic to SUPSI.
HES-SO (University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland): Western Swiss UAS network covering similar disciplinary breadth and an applied research mandate funded largely by public sources. Useful comparison for understanding multi-campus UAS governance and continuing education scaling.
OST – Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences: Swiss UAS formed from a merger of former cantonal institutions, offering comparable degree programs, applied research, and continuing education; useful peer for understanding regional UAS consolidation and applied research output.
Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU): Swiss UAS covering engineering, business, social work, design, and music with strong continuing education and applied research offerings — directly comparable structure and revenue mix to SUPSI.
FFHS (Fernfachhochschule Schweiz): Swiss distance-learning UAS that collaborates with SUPSI through joint programs; useful peer for understanding how Swiss UAS institutions extend reach through hybrid/digital delivery.

Broad incumbents

Kalaidos University of Applied Sciences: Privately accredited Swiss UAS focused on professional higher education and applied research; broader incumbent in the Swiss UAS ecosystem that competes with SUPSI for working professional students and applied research mandates.

Emerging players

IDSIA USI-SUPSI: Joint institute between USI and SUPSI focused on artificial intelligence research, including the federated learning healthcare work driving SUPSI's SPEARHEAD participation. Closely linked to SUPSI's AI positioning.

Others

EMPA (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology): Swiss federal research institute active in materials science and additive manufacturing — adjacent to SUPSI's ceramics and AM research and a frequent collaborator/competitor for applied research funding and industrial partners in Switzerland.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

SUPSI financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

SUPSI leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

SUPSI funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

SUPSI M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about SUPSI

What does SUPSI do?

Is SUPSI a public or private company?

SUPSI is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.

When was SUPSI founded?

SUPSI was founded in 1997. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.

Where is SUPSI based?

SUPSI is headquartered in Manno, Switzerland, in the Europe region.

Who are SUPSI's main competitors?

Direct peers on record are ZHAW (Zurich University of Applied Sciences), FHNW (University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland), BFH (Bern University of Applied Sciences), HES-SO (University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland), OST – Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences, Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU) and FFHS (Fernfachhochschule Schweiz). Kalaidos University of Applied Sciences is listed as a broad incumbent. IDSIA USI-SUPSI is listed as an emerging player. EMPA (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology) is listed as an others.

Does SUPSI have an API?

No public API is recorded for SUPSI.

What industry is SUPSI in?

SUPSI's product category is Higher Education (Applied Sciences University). Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAEAF, Cooperative Education (Co-op) Technical Universities. Its NAICS code is 6113 and its SIC code is 8200.