What CimArk does

CimArk SA is a publicly established Swiss innovation support organization headquartered in Sion, Valais, with a team of approximately 30 professionals. Founded in 1991 as CIMTEC-Valais and reorganized in 2004 under The Ark Foundation as sole shareholder, the company functions as the operational arm of the Foundation and as a public body under Swiss law. Its core activity is providing customized innovation support to SMEs, startups, large industries, and research institutes in Valais and Western Switzerland, delivered through direct coaching, access to physical infrastructure, and network facilitation with academic and industrial partners including EPFL, HES-SO, and Idiap.

The organization's technical and product portfolio centers on seven technology parks across Valais (BioArk, Swiss Digital Center, Campus Energypolis, SpArk, EnovArk, PhytoArk, IdeArk, BlueArk), complemented by dedicated platforms and facilities including the Phytosphere Swiss Lab (cosmetics prototyping), the Swiss Biotech Center (cGMP biopharma), CleantechAlps (cleantech networking for Western Switzerland), Swiss Digital Health, S.M.A.R.T Confluence, and an interactive 3D Digital Museum built with INT Studio. CimArk also manages sector-specific programs on behalf of public authorities, notably ProKilowatt (national energy efficiency, on behalf of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy), Digitourism (cantonal tourism digitalization), and PRISM (creative industries, launched 2024).

Commercially, CimArk operates as a mandate-driven entity rather than a transactional business. Revenue is generated through institutional mandates from the Confederation, cantons, and municipalities for the delivery of innovation, economic development, and energy-efficiency programs; supplemented by lab and platform services to supported companies. Its go-to-market combines sales-led direct engagement with entrepreneurs and project leaders and a community-led model that brings together institutions, manufacturers, and strategic partners across multiple managed innovation networks. No public pricing exists, and the company is not venture-backed; sole ownership rests with The Ark Foundation.

Name

CimArk

Legal name

CimArk SA

Website

https://cimark.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CimArk SA is a publicly established Swiss innovation support organization, headquartered in Sion, that provides customized coaching, technology-park infrastructure, and program management to SMEs, startups, large industries, and research institutes in Valais and Western Switzerland on behalf of public mandates.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Innovation Support Services

NAICS

All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541990)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Makerspace, Innovation Lab & Fab Lab Operations (Tools, Safety, Programming) (EDAEAGAI)

Keywords

• Innovation support services
• Startup incubation
• Technology park management
• SME competitiveness coaching
• Regional economic development

Headquarters

HQ city

Sion

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Institution Funding: CimArk operates as a public entity established by law, funded through mandates from public institutions (Confederation, cantons, municipalities) for innovation and business support programs.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CimArk delivers customized innovation support services to entrepreneurs, SMEs, and start-ups in Valais and Western Switzerland, combining specialized coaching, technological expertise, and network facilitation across seven technology parks. It implements national and cantonal programs (ProKilowatt, Digitourism, CleantechAlps, PRISM) on behalf of public institutions, and operates industry platforms and laboratory facilities (Swiss Biotech Center, Phytosphere Swiss Lab) to translate ideas into tangible innovations.

Product overview

CimArk is an innovation support organization that offers a portfolio of programs, platforms, and laboratory services designed to support entrepreneurs, startups, and SMEs in Valais and Western Switzerland. The core offering includes specialized coaching, technological expertise, and access to physical infrastructure. The product portfolio consists of: Digital Museum (3D interactive showcase), CleantechAlps and Swiss Digital Health (industry networking platforms), S.M.A.R.T Confluence (discussion platform), Phytosphere Swiss Lab (cosmetics laboratory), Swiss Biotech Center (biopharmaceutical cGMP facility), and programs including PRISM (creative industries), ProKilowatt (energy efficiency), and Digitourism (tourism digitalization). These offerings are interconnected through CimArk's role as operational arm of The Ark Foundation, providing a comprehensive innovation ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Digital Museum (Musée Digital) An interactive 3D showcase displaying real objects from Valais companies and start-ups; users can rotate objects, discover points of interest, and access short content about each innovation.
• CleantechAlps A networking and visibility platform for cleantech players in French-speaking Switzerland, connecting start-ups, SMEs, and related industries on behalf of ARI-SO.
• Swiss Digital Health An association providing thematic monitoring activities and organizing meetings within the national healthcare network to showcase Swiss and Valaisan digital health initiatives.
• S.M.A.R.T Confluence A discussion and exchange platform bringing together Valais actors in healthcare and digitalization to serve companies from health and sports sectors.
• Phytosphere Swiss Lab A laboratory providing expertise and support for extracting active ingredients from alpine plants and creating cosmetics prototypes and small series for cosmetics entrepreneurs.
• Swiss Biotech Center A cGMP-compliant cleanroom facility producing small series of biological drugs and conducting early-stage life sciences projects, filling a gap in Western Switzerland's life sciences value chain.
• PRISM A cantonal development program supporting Valais creative and cultural industries, including entertainment, digital creation, film, and design through innovation and collaboration.
• ProKilowatt A national energy efficiency program managed by CimArk on behalf of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE), enabling companies to finance investments in electricity efficiency.
• Digitourism A multi-year program supporting digitalization in tourism businesses through digital specialists, managed by CimArk for the Canton du Valais.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 30 years of experience supporting innovation in Valais
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Ark FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCimArk is the operational arm and main initiator of The Ark Foundation. The Foundation is the sole shareholder of CimArk SA. Thanks to The Ark, entrepreneurs and researchers can obtain human and financial resources to develop innovation projects for the Valais economy.
• EBN NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCimArk is the only Business Innovation Center in Switzerland affiliated to the EBN (European Business Network) network.
• RetisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCimArk is affiliated to the French innovation network Retis, expanding its international network connections.
• platinncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCimArk is the cantonal branch of the platinn innovation network in French-speaking Switzerland.
• EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCimArk played a leading role in bringing EPFL to Valais in collaboration with the Canton and City of Sion. Now hosts EPFL Valais Campus at Energypolis.
• HES-SOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegular collaboration with HES-SO (University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland) on research and innovation projects.
• Idiap Research InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegular collaboration with Idiap, a major Valais research institute working on AI and related technologies.
• Promotion économique ValaiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCimArk is a partner of Promotion économique Valais (Valais Economic Promotion) for regional development.
• Chamber of Commerce and IndustryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCimArk is a member of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry for network and business development support.
• ProKilowattcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCimArk manages the national energy efficiency program ProKilowatt on behalf of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE), helping companies finance electricity efficiency investments.
• CleantechAlpscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCimArk develops and manages the CleantechAlps platform for the whole of Western Switzerland, providing networking and visibility for cleantech start-ups, SMEs and related industries on behalf of ARI-SO.
• DigitourismcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCimArk runs the multi-year Digitourism program supporting digitalization in tourism businesses, on behalf of the Service de l'économie, du tourisme et de l'innovation du Canton du Valais.
• Swiss Digital HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCimArk is the initiator of Swiss Digital Health association which gives visibility to Swiss and Valais healthcare sector initiatives, offers thematic monitoring and organizes meetings within the national healthcare network.
• S.M.A.R.T ConfluencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCimArk initiated and developed this discussion and exchange platform bringing together Valais healthcare and digitalization players, serving companies in health and sports sectors.
• Phytosphere Swiss LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunched by CimArk in 2015, the Phytosphere laboratory supports cosmetics entrepreneurs with expertise for extracting alpine plant active ingredients and creating prototypes and small series of cosmetics.
• Swiss Biotech CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiated by CimArk, this pre-industrialization platform produces small series of biological drugs in a cGMP cleanroom environment and conducts early-stage life sciences projects, filling a gap in Western Switzerland's life sciences value chain.
• PRISMcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPRISM (Programme de mise en Réseau, d'Innovation et de Soutien aux Métiers créatifs) is a cantonal development program initiated in 2024 by CimArk to support Valais creative and cultural industries including entertainment, digital creation, film and design.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Innovaud: Cantonal innovation promotion agency for Vaud, providing innovation support and coaching to Vaud-based SMEs, startups and research institutions. Closely mirrors CimArk's mandate and operating model in an adjacent canton.
• BaselArea.swiss: Public-private innovation and economic promotion agency for the Basel region, supporting startups, SMEs and industry with innovation services and cluster programs. Comparable cantonal/regional innovation intermediary.
• Greater Zurich Area: Non-profit innovation and location marketing organization promoting the Greater Zurich area for startups, scale-ups and international companies. Functions as a regional startup gateway similar to CimArk's Valais-facing role.
• Switzerland Innovation: National network of innovation parks and technology sites operated by the Swiss federal government. Operates a comparable park-based innovation model, although at a national scale and from a different funding stream than CimArk.
• EPFL Innovation Park: Technology park affiliated with EPFL hosting startups, scale-ups and corporate labs in Lausanne. Directly comparable to CimArk's technology park operating model, anchored to a top-tier Swiss research institution.
• Innosuisse: Swiss Innovation Agency, the federal body promoting science-based innovation. Sits one layer above CimArk (which is a regional executor) but shares the same public-mandate, SME-focused innovation support logic.
• MassChallenge: Global non-profit startup accelerator with a Swiss program. Comparable non-equity startup support model that provides coaching, networks and program-based support rather than taking equity.
• platinn: Innovation network in French-speaking Switzerland providing coaching to innovative SMEs. CimArk is the cantonal branch of platinn in Valais; closely comparable service offering and target customer.
• BlueFactory Fribourg: Public innovation district in Fribourg hosting startups, research and industrial partners on a former industrial site. Comparable cantonal public-private innovation hub with a technology-park operating model.

Broad incumbents

• Plug and Play Tech Center: Large global startup accelerator and innovation platform. Operates a broader, commercial scale version of the startup incubation and corporate partnership model that CimArk runs locally with public funding.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@cimarksa635
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cimark

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments1 record

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

Frequently asked questions about CimArk