What Swiss Testing Board does

Swiss Testing Board (STB) is a Swiss non-profit association that serves as the official local chapter of the International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB®) for Switzerland. Founded in 2002 as an ISTQB member and formally registered in 2014, STB is headquartered in Bern (with a Biberist registered address) and operates with 11-50 staff. Its core function is the administration and accreditation of ISTQB® software testing certifications across three streams: Core (Foundation, Advanced, and Expert Level), Agile, and Specialist (including AI Testing, Generative AI, Security Test Engineer, and Mobile Application Testing). STB is governed by community volunteers and is not investor-backed.

The organization's business model revolves around licensing and accreditation fees. Training providers pay accreditation fees to become ISTQB®-certified course providers, and exam providers must be accredited for defined periods (currently 2026-2029) to administer ISTQB® certification exams. Individual testers pay exam fees through these accredited channels. STB goes to market through a community-led motion: its website (swisstestingboard.org), social profiles (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter/X, XING), and industry events such as Swiss Testing Day and World Quality Day. Distribution is carried out entirely through accredited training and exam providers within Switzerland, with global ISTQB® certifiers covering geographies lacking a national board.

STB's value proposition is anchored on the international recognition of ISTQB® credentials and the structured career pathway from Foundation to Expert Level. It serves three primary constituencies: individual software testers seeking portable credentials, companies seeking assurance of testing quality, and training/exam providers seeking accreditation. Key recent strategic moves include the April 2026 release of CT-AI Syllabus v2.0 and CT-GenAI V1.1, the 2025 launch of updated Foundation Level FL 4.0.2 and Security Test Engineer v1.0 syllabi, and the transition of leadership from Thomas Müller to Patrick Eichhorn. The global ISTQB® network reached one million certificates issued in July 2025, underscoring the scale of the ecosystem in which STB participates.

Name

Swiss Testing Board

Legal name

Swiss Testing Board (STB)

Website

https://swisstestingboard.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Swiss Testing Board (STB) is a Swiss non-profit and the official ISTQB® local chapter for Switzerland, administering accredited software testing certifications across Core, Agile, and Specialist streams. It serves individual testers, employers, and accredited training and exam providers through community-led certification and accreditation programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Certification and Accreditation Services

NAICS

Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

National/State Examination Boards & Testing Agencies (EDADAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Test Administration, Proctoring & Security Authorities (EDADAFAH)

Keywords

• Software testing certification
• ISTQB certification programs
• Software quality assurance
• Testing accreditation services
• Professional testing credentials

Headquarters

HQ city

Biberist

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Certification and Accreditation Services: STB generates revenue through the accreditation of training providers and the certification of software testing professionals. Training providers pay accreditation fees to become ISTQB® certified, while individuals pay for certification exams administered through accredited exam providers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Swiss Testing Board (STB) administers the ISTQB-certified software testing qualification program in Switzerland, delivering a tiered certification portfolio spanning Foundation, Advanced, and Expert levels across Core, Agile, and Specialist streams. The organization also accredits training providers and exam providers to ensure ISTQB-compliant course delivery and exam administration within Switzerland. STB serves as the official ISTQB Local Chapter Switzerland, representing Swiss testers within the global ISTQB community since 2002.

Product overview

Swiss Testing Board (STB) is a certification and accreditation body for software testing professionals in Switzerland. As an active member of ISTQB since 2002, STB administers a hierarchical certification portfolio spanning three levels (Foundation, Advanced, Expert) organized across three streams (Core, Agile, Specialist). The Core stream includes Foundation Level, Advanced Level (TM/TA/TTA tracks), and Expert Level certifications. The Agile stream covers Agile Tester certification. The Specialist stream encompasses AI-focused certifications (CT-AI, CT-GenAI), Security Testing (CT-STE), Mobile Application Testing, and Usability Testing. STB also accredits training providers and exam providers to ensure consistent quality of ISTQB-compliant education and certification delivery in Switzerland.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ISTQB Foundation Level (FL) Certification

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ISTQB® (International Software Testing Qualifications Board)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2002STB has been an active member of ISTQB® since 2002. As the Swiss national board, STB represents the interests of Swiss software testers within the international organization. STB ensures that training offerings comply with ISTQB® specifications and that exam questions are constructed according to relevant regulations. STB receives early access to new or modified syllabi and participates in the global development of testing standards.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Japan Software Testing Qualifications Board (JSTQB): ISTQB's Japanese national member board. Comparable to STB in structure and mission, but serving the Japanese market and providing a useful international benchmark for national-board operations.
• AESTQB (Australian and New Zealand Testing Board): ISTQB member board for Australia and New Zealand. Operates the same national-chapter function as STB, serving as a regional peer.
• Korea Software Testing Qualifications Board (KSTQB): ISTQB's Korean national member board. Comparable in role to STB but focused on the Korean market, useful as a regional peer for cross-market adoption signals.
• American Software Testing Qualifications Board (ASTQB): ISTQB's U.S. national member board. ASTQB performs the same national-chapter function as STB but for the U.S. market, providing a comparable regional peer for benchmarking.

Direct peers

• iSQI (International Software Quality Institute): A global certifier and exam provider that administers ISTQB-aligned certifications in territories lacking local boards. iSQI operates in the same ISTQB certification ecosystem as STB and is a meaningful comparable for delivery-side operations.
• Austrian Testing Board (ATB): ISTQB's Austrian national member board. ATB is a direct peer that, together with GTB and STB, forms the DACH trilateral collaboration on German-language ISTQB certifications.
• ASQF (Association for Software Quality and Training, now part of iSQI): A German software quality association historically linked to ISTQB-aligned certifications and training. ASQF is a comparable organization in the German-speaking ISTQB ecosystem, useful as a peer for training-provider accreditation models.
• German Testing Board (GTB): ISTQB's German national member board, directly analogous to STB in Switzerland. GTB is the closest direct peer, jointly publishing curricula with STB and serving the same role in the German market.

Broad incumbents

• ISTQB (International Software Testing Qualifications Board): The global parent organization and standard-setter for the ISTQB certification framework. STB operates as a local chapter under ISTQB, so ISTQB is the broader incumbent that defines the curricula, governance, and brand that STB distributes nationally.
• BCS (Chartered Institute for IT): A larger UK-based professional body offering IT certifications in testing and software quality. BCS is a broader incumbent that overlaps with ISTQB certifications, providing a wider professional-certification peer for comparison.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/istqb
• Facebookfacebook.com/istqborg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/swiss-testing-board/mycompany

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Swiss Testing Board