What STW does

STW AG für Raumplanung is an independent Swiss spatial-planning consulting firm headquartered in Chur (Canton of Graubünden) with a branch office in Zürich. Founded in 1991, it delivers seven core service lines — Raumplanung, Beratung, Bauberatung, Natur & Landschaft, Immobilienberatung, Wettbewerbe, and Moderation & Kommunikation — to municipalities, cantonal administrations, infrastructure operators and private clients across Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The firm employs approximately 20 professionals named on the team page and operates through three wholly-owned subsidiaries: SLIV AG (Eschen, Liechtenstein), SI-PLAN SAGL (Pura, Ticino) and GIS-PLAN AG (geoinformation), giving it trilingual (DE/IT/EN) coverage of German-, Italian- and Romance-language regions plus Liechtenstein. The company is registered as a Swiss stock corporation (Aktiengesellschaft) in the Commercial Register of the Canton of Graubünden under CH-350.3.005.321-9 and is privately held, with no external investors disclosed.

The firm's technology stack is anchored by GIS-based geoinformation delivered through subsidiary GIS-PLAN AG, plus standard office and collaboration tooling (Microsoft 365, Azure, Power Automate, Teams, Zoom, Google Maps, OpenStreetMap, map.geo.admin.ch). Notable proprietary or co-developed methods include a digitally managed Biotopinventar / Natur- und Landschaftsverzeichnis for Glarus Nord, harmonization of 20+ cantonal Richtplan object lists, a grid-corridor optimization for the Swissgrid Tinizong–Marmorera transmission line, and a revolutionary reduced Baureglement for Glarus Nord (5 zones / 58 articles replacing ~40 zones / ~900 articles) co-developed with architect Peter Märkli and landscape architect Müller Illien and approved by voters in April 2021. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; engagements are mandate- and quote-based professional services contracts tendered by municipalities, cantons and foundations, supplemented by pass-through of cantonal Baubewilligungsverfahren fees to applicants. Go-to-market is direct, long-cycle and relationship-driven, with reputational reinforcement via Hochparterre competition nominations and the Wakkerpreis 2025. Leadership: Benjamin Aebli (Geschäftsführer since 2022), Jonas Grubenmann, Max Hofmann, Ruth Caprez (Geschäftsleitung), with Christoph Zindel continuing as Verwaltungsratspräsident following his May 2026 retirement from operational duties.

Name

STW

Legal name

STW AG für Raumplanung

Website

https://stw.swiss

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

STW AG für Raumplanung is an independent Swiss spatial-planning consultancy founded in 1991 and headquartered in Chur, serving municipalities, cantons, infrastructure operators and private clients across Switzerland and Liechtenstein through seven integrated service lines.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Spatial Planning Consulting

NAICS

Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services (541611), Landscape Architectural Services (54132)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

ESG, Sustainability & Impact Research (BPAHALAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sustainability & ESG Consulting (BPAHACAK)

Keywords

• Spatial planning consulting
• Urban planning services
• Real estate consulting
• Landscape planning
• Construction consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Chur

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Professional planning & consulting services: Core revenue from professional services: Raumplanung, Verkehrsplanung, Landschaftsplanung, Bauberatung, Projektmanagement, Wettbewerbsverfahren, Moderation & Kommunikation. Fees billed by project mandate or retainer to municipalities, cantons, foundations and private clients. Includes Bauamtsaufgaben performed in full for some municipalities ("Wir nehmen im Mandat sämtliche Bauamtsleistungen wahr").
2. Government & public-sector project contracts: Public-sector project mandates from cantonal and municipal authorities (e.g., ARE Graubünden, Amt für Natur und Umwelt GR, individual Gemeinden) for regional planning, cantonal Richtplan updates, agglomeration programs, biodiversity monitoring, and nature/landscape descriptions. Multi-year and recurring (e.g., annual Nachführung Arbeitsstandorte since 2018).
3. Competition organization & jury services (Wettbewerbsverfahren): Revenue from organizing and accompanying architectural and planning competitions (Architektur-, Ideen- und Projektwettbewerbe, Studienaufträge, Testplanungen, Gesamtleistungswettbewerbe). Charged to public clients and foundations (e.g., Flury Stiftung for Alters- und Pflegeheim Schiers; Gemeinde Klosters Parkhaus Casanna with Fanzun AG; Obersaxen Mundaun Dorfplatz).
4. Baubewilligungsverfahren fees passed through: Gemeinden erheben Gebühren for Baubewilligungsverfahren and related baupolizeiliche Verfahren; the resulting advisory costs are charged through to the applicant ("Die sich aus der Beratung ergebenden Kosten sind den Gesuchstellern zu überbinden"). Indicates pass-through fee recovery on top of municipal retainer.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

STW AG für Raumplanung is an independent Swiss planning consultancy that provides professional services in spatial planning (Raumplanung), construction consulting (Bauberatung), nature and landscape (Natur & Landschaft), real estate consulting (Immobilienberatung), building permit advisory, planning competitions, and moderation & communication. The firm delivers these services primarily to public-sector clients (municipalities, cantons, foundations) and private developers in Switzerland, combining multi-disciplinary expertise with GIS-based analysis.

Product overview

STW AG für Raumplanung is an independent Swiss spatial-planning consulting firm headquartered in Chur with a branch office in Zurich, organized as a multi-service consultancy rather than a single software product. Its portfolio comprises seven core service lines that fit together as a vertically integrated planning practice: Raumplanung (Spatial Planning, the digitally supported core competence), Beratung (independent construction and planning consulting under municipal mandate), Bauberatung (construction consulting for projects of all scales), Immobilienberatung (real-estate consulting combining spatial planning with valuation know-how), Natur & Landschaft (ecological and landscape planning), Wettbewerbe (independent organization of architecture and planning competitions), and Moderation & Kommunikation (process support, conferences, and communication concepts). These services are delivered alongside three affiliated subsidiary companies — GIS-PLAN AG für Geoinformation (geoinformation technology partner that provides the latest GIS capabilities to STW's spatial-planning work and operates communal data-management offices), SLIV AG für Planung & Beratung (planning and consulting arm based in Eschen, Liechtenstein, serving the municipality of Eschen), and SI-PLAN SAGL (territorial-planning entity based in Pura, Ticino, serving the Italian-speaking regions of Graubünden and Ticino). STW describes its work as 'digitally verstärkte Kernkompetenz' (digitally enhanced core competence), drawing on geoinformation, GIS, database and digital infrastructure rather than consumer-facing software.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Raumplanung (Spatial Planning) Independent spatial planning consulting covering zoning, land-use, and regional planning for Swiss municipalities, cantons, foundations, and private developers. Delivered by a multi-disciplinary team of urban and regional planners, geographers, and architects.
• Bauberatung (Construction Consulting) Construction consulting advising clients on building project feasibility, design coordination, and implementation of construction projects, integrating architectural and planning perspectives.
• Natur & Landschaft (Nature and Landscape) Landscape and nature planning consulting supporting environmental, ecological, and landscape-related planning tasks for public and private clients in Switzerland.
• Immobilienberatung (Real Estate Consulting) Real estate consulting and valuation services, leveraging MAS-level real estate management credentials, for private developers, foundations, and property owners.
• Beratung (Advisory / Building Permit Consulting) Advisory and building permit consulting services supporting clients through permitting, regulatory, and procedural questions related to building and planning projects.
• Wettbewerbe (Competitions) Planning competition support services, including preparation, organization, and professional participation in planning and design competitions for clients.
• Moderation & Kommunikation (Moderation and Communication) Moderation and communication services supporting stakeholder engagement, public participation, and process communication around planning and development projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduction from ~40 zones / ~900 articles to 5 zones / 58 articles in Glarus Nord Baureglement (approved April 2021)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Ernst Basler + Partner (EBP): Large Swiss planning and engineering consultancy with deep cantonal and federal mandates across Raumplanung, Verkehrsplanung, and Umwelt; competes for the same municipal and cantonal mandates as STW but at significantly larger scale and broader service portfolio.
• Basler & Hofmann: Major Swiss engineering and planning consultancy competing for cantonal and municipal planning work, including Infrastruktur and Umwelt; broader and larger but operates in adjacent specialty to STW.
• ebp Schweiz AG (subsidiary of EBP): Planning subsidiary of EBP focused on Raumplanung and Verkehrsplanung at cantonal and federal level; competes for the same agglomeration and Richtplan mandates as STW but with significantly deeper resources.
• Holinger AG: Swiss engineering and planning firm active in Raumplanung, Wasser, Umwelt and Infrastruktur; broader portfolio than STW but overlaps on cantonal-level planning mandates and infrastructure-routing work (Swissgrid-adjacent).

Direct peers

• Fanzun AG: Graubünden-based engineering, architecture and planning firm explicitly co-organizing Projektwettbewerbe with STW (e.g., Klosters Parkhaus Casanna). Closest direct comparable in regional footprint, cantonal relationships, and competition-procedure work.
• ARGE BHS Architekten / BHS Architekten AG: Swiss architecture and urbanism practice recognized for Städtebau and Wettbewerbsverfahren; overlaps with STW on the architecture-competition organization and advisory side.
• Metron Raumentwicklung AG: Swiss planning and development firm specializing in räumliche Entwicklung, Ortsplanung, Verkehrsplanung and regional planning; comparable service portfolio and public-sector client base.
• Suter von Känel Wild – Planer und Architekten AG: Swiss spatial-planning and urbanism practice offering Ortsplanung, Richtplanung, Städtebau and Wettbewerbsverfahren — a closely comparable service profile to STW's Raumplanung and Wettbewerbe lines.
• Hager Partner AG: Swiss landscape architecture and Raumplanung firm; comparable in Natur & Landschaft and Ortsplanung services and in Wettbewerbsbegleitung; serves municipal and cantonal clients across Switzerland.

Regional players

• Rosset + Wyss Architekten AG: Graubünden-based architecture and planning firm; regional peer sharing cantonal and municipal client base with STW, with complementary architecture vs. Raumplanung positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about STW