What act Cleantech does

act Cleantech Solutions AG is a Zürich-based energy efficiency and decarbonization consultancy founded in 2014, operating under a federal mandate from the Swiss Confederation as an officially designated provider of energy advisory services to Swiss enterprises. Its operating model pairs a small core team of 1–10 employees with a coordinated nationwide network of 61 certified energy specialists who deliver on-site assessments and advisory work across Switzerland. The mandate, combined with board representation drawn from major Swiss energy companies, anchors the firm within national energy-policy infrastructure.

The company's service portfolio spans energy efficiency consulting, decarbonization advisory, facilitation of voluntary and regulatory target agreements, and the EFFEL electricity-efficiency program. It maintains two supporting digital platforms: PEIK, an energy competence platform oriented toward Swiss SMEs, and Förderprofi, a funding-discovery tool. Industry-specific decarbonization roadmaps have been developed and approved for the automotive sector (AMAG, 2024) and the medical technology sector (Swiss Medtech, 2025), indicating a templatized approach to vertical decarbonization advisory.

Revenue is generated through consulting fees, project mandates, and a published administrative fee of CHF 23 per hour. The customer base is diversified across automotive (AMAG), financial services (Credit Suisse, UBS), medical technology (Swiss Medtech), municipal government (City of Zürich), and the broader SME segment reached via the PEIK platform. The combination of federal mandate, enterprise distribution partnerships, and a certified-specialist network positions the firm as an embedded intermediary between Swiss regulatory energy policy and corporate decarbonization execution.

Name

act Cleantech

Legal name

act Cleantech Solutions AG

Website

https://act-schweiz.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

act Cleantech Solutions AG is a Swiss federal-mandated energy efficiency and decarbonization consultancy founded in 2014, coordinating 61 certified specialists to deliver advisory services, target agreements, and industry-specific roadmaps to Swiss enterprises, SMEs, and municipalities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Energy Efficiency Consulting

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Environmental Consulting Services (541620)

akta.pro primary industry

GHG Accounting & Net-Zero/Decarbonization Planning (Scopes 1–3) (EUAHAJAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Net-Zero Target Setting & SBTi/Net-Zero Standard Support (EUABAKAA), Sector-Specific Net-Zero Pathways & Benchmarking (hard-to-abate methodologies) (EUABAKAI), Regulatory & Disclosure Strategy (CSRD/ESRS, ISSB/IFRS S2, SEC, TCFD) (EUABAKAH), Decarbonization Strategy & Marginal Abatement Cost Curve (MACC) Advisory (EUABAKAC)

Keywords

• Energy efficiency consulting
• Decarbonization services
• Target agreement advisory
• CO2 tax exemption consulting
• Energy subsidy navigation

Headquarters

HQ city

Zürich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Consulting Services: act Cleantech provides energy efficiency consulting services through a network of certified energy specialists. Services include target agreement establishment, decarbonization consulting, and efficiency optimization. The company charges administrative fees based on hours worked by energy consultants, calculated according to Federal Office of Energy (FOEN) directives. Current administrative fee is 23 CHF per hour of consultant work.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

act Cleantech Solutions AG provides energy efficiency and decarbonization consulting services to Swiss enterprises, SMEs, public-sector bodies, associations, and electricity suppliers, operating under a federal mandate from the Swiss Confederation. Its core offerings are act-Zielvereinbarung (target agreements enabling CO2 tax exemption and network surcharge refund), act-Dekarbonisierung (GHG Protocol/SBTi-aligned carbon reduction strategy and implementation), and EFFEL (support for electricity suppliers to meet statutory efficiency obligations). Supporting tools include the Förderprofi.ch subsidy platform, a customer portal, and a cost calculator.

Product overview

act Cleantech Solutions is a consulting and advisory services company (not a software platform) offering energy efficiency and decarbonization services for Swiss companies. The core offerings consist of target agreements (act-Zielvereinbarung) for energy efficiency compliance and CO2 tax exemptions, and decarbonization services (act-Dekarbonisierung) using GHG Protocol and SBTi methodologies. Supporting services include EFFEL support for electricity suppliers, an energy specialist network of certified professionals across Switzerland, and digital tools including a customer portal (act-Tool) and cost calculator (act-Kostenrechner). The company also operates Förderprofi.ch, a subsidy search platform covering over 130 energy efficiency programs. Additional offerings include PEIK energy audits for SMEs, Öko-Kompass sustainability consulting for Zurich SMEs, and sector-specific industry roadmaps (AMAG, Medtech). The company operates under a federal mandate to organize and coordinate energy consulting services in Switzerland.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Quick Wins: Energy efficiency quick wins program for the hospitality sector, developed in collaboration with HotellerieSuisse and SuisseEnergie, providing simple measures cards for energy savings.
• Förderprofi
• act news

Products and services

• act-Zielvereinbarung (Target Agreement) Energy efficiency consulting service that helps companies meet legal requirements for large energy consumers and operational optimization. Includes annual on-site visits by a certified energy specialist, savings analysis, and measure implementation. Serves as a prerequisite for CO2 tax exemption and network surcharge refunds.
• act-Dekarbonisierung (Decarbonization) Comprehensive decarbonization consulting service covering the entire value chain using GHG Protocol standards and supporting Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) target setting. Includes detailed analysis, concrete measure proposals, and implementation support along a reduction pathway toward net zero.
• EFFEL Support Service Support service for electricity suppliers (EVU) in Switzerland to meet legal efficiency obligations under the Energy Act (EnG) and Federal Office of Energy (BFE) EFFEL requirements. Also enables companies to generate certificates for energy savings that electricity suppliers purchase to meet their statutory targets.
• Förderprofi.ch Subsidy Search Platform Search and comparison platform for energy efficiency subsidy programs in Switzerland, covering more than 130 active programs from over 45 different program providers across all cantonal levels including ProKilowatt and cantonal programs.
• PEIK Energy Audit for SMEs Energy audit service delivered through the SuisseEnergie PEIK platform, specifically for Swiss SMEs with annual electricity consumption between 100-500 MWh and heat consumption between 500-5000 MWh. Helps SMEs exploit energy efficiency and renewable energy potential and represents approximately 30% of tertiary and industrial energy consumption in Switzerland.
• Öko-Kompass Sustainability Consulting Free sustainability consulting service for SMEs in the City of Zurich, managed by act Cleantech on behalf of the City of Zurich for the 2021-2025 period. Provides environmental potential assessment, advice on immediate and cost-effective measures, and information on subsidies and complementary services.
• AMAG Industrial Decarbonization Roadmap (Bodywork & Paint Shops) Sector-specific decarbonization roadmap for bodywork and paint shops developed jointly with AMAG. Contains greenhouse gas baseline, net-zero reduction pathway, and prioritized list of applicable measures for the sector, approved as the first sector roadmap of its kind by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy.
• Medtech Decarbonization Roadmap Sector-specific decarbonization roadmap for the medical technology industry developed jointly with Swiss Medtech, supporting manufacturers and suppliers in the medical technology industry on their path to net-zero emissions using structured and efficient decarbonization processes.
• Climate Balance for Cultural Institutions Greenhouse gas balance service for cultural institutions following recognized standards. Covers energy in buildings, mobility of audiences and staff, production, catering, and procurement, providing the foundation for required action plans and subsidy eligibility.
• Photovoltaic Optimization Advisory (ZEV / vZEV / LEG) Advisory service for optimizing photovoltaic installations through Swiss regulatory frameworks RCP (Own Consumption Grouping), RCPv (Virtual Own Consumption Grouping), and CLE (Local Electricity Community) to increase self-consumption, reduce grid dependency, and improve PV economics.

Quantifiable outcome

• CO2 emissions reduction of 13-40% achieved by clients
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

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

• Credit SuissecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2023act Cleantech partnered with Credit Suisse to enable the bank to expand its customer-oriented sustainability consulting services. act provides additional specific services for company decarbonization and target agreements, complementing Credit Suisse's existing sustainability advisory offerings for corporate clients.
• AMAG (Totalrepair Network)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Collaboration with AMAG to develop an industrial roadmap for decarbonization of bodywork and paint shops within the Totalrepair network. The project, funded under the 'Roadmaps for Decarbonization' program with SwissEnergy support, resulted in the first sector-specific roadmap approved by the Federal Office of Energy in Switzerland.
• ElectrosuissecoreOthersElectrosuisse (Swiss professional organization for electrical and energy engineering) is represented on act Cleantech's board of directors. Björn Avak, Director of Electrosuisse since January 2025, succeeded Markus Burger on the board.
• Herzog Kull Group (hkg.ch)coreOthersHerzog Kull Group, led by founder René Herzog, is represented on act Cleantech's board. Wolfgang Schwarzenbacher assumed the board seat from July 2024, bringing 25 years of management experience in construction and energy sectors.
• Eniwa AGcoreOthersHans-Kaspar Scherrer, CEO of Eniwa AG, serves as Chairman of act Cleantech's Board of Directors, representing the energy sector on the governance board.
• myclimatecoreOthersBettina Kahlert, Co-CEO of myclimate, serves on act Cleantech's Board of Directors, bringing sustainability and climate protection expertise.
• ebs Energie AGminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional energy company listed as a strategic partner in act's partnership network, contributing to Switzerland's energy efficiency goals.
• EnAlpinminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional energy company listed as a strategic partner in act's partnership network.
• EW Höfe AGminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional energy company listed as a strategic partner in act's partnership network.
• ewl energie wasser luzernminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional energy utility listed as a strategic partner in act's partnership network.
• fairpower AGminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEnergy consulting company listed as a strategic partner in act's partnership network.
• pom+Consulting AGminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConsulting firm listed as a strategic partner in act's partnership network.
• UBSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Swiss bank listed as a strategic partner, potentially supporting financing of energy efficiency projects.
• Swiss MedtechflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Swiss Medtech association to develop a sector-specific decarbonization roadmap for medical technology companies. The roadmap helps MedTech manufacturers and suppliers achieve Net Zero targets through structured, efficient decarbonization processes.
• Energie Zukunft SchweizcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerImplementation partner for the Förderprofi.ch platform, contributing important insights on handling funding programs. Partnered with act to develop the most practical compilation of funding programs for easy finding and comparison.
• CSD Ingenieure AGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineering company represented on act Cleantech's technical advisory committee, contributing to continuous improvement of services in areas such as innovation and sustainability.
• S.A.F.E.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnergy efficiency organization represented on act Cleantech's technical advisory committee, contributing expertise to service improvement.
• swisscleantechcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss cleantech association represented on act Cleantech's technical advisory committee, providing industry perspective on sustainability services.
• WWF SwitzerlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental organization represented on act Cleantech's technical advisory committee, contributing to sustainability and environmental protection perspectives.
• ReffnetminorStrategic or Co-development Partneract is a founding member of Reffnet, a network of institutions, organizations and companies specializing in resource efficiency. Membership provides access to a vast network of specialists, exclusive environmental impact and CO2 assessment tools, and continuing education offerings.
• SwissescominorStrategic or Co-development Partneract is a member of Swissesco, an association specializing in Energy Performance Contracts (EPC) in Switzerland. Membership provides access to a network of project developers, consultants, engineers, energy service providers, and investors, plus guides and EPC contract examples.
• City of Zurich (Öko-Kompass)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributoract Cleantech manages the Öko-Kompass office for the City of Zurich for the 2021-2025 period. This free consulting service for SMEs in Zurich is supported by Umweltberatung Zürich, improov gmbh, Intep - Integrale Planung GmbH, Sinnform AG, and myclimate foundation.
• Federal Office of Energy (BFE/OFAEN)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partneract Cleantech operates partly under an official federal mandate from the Swiss Confederation, providing services such as organizing and coordinating energy consultant work, supporting companies in developing target agreements, and annual monitoring.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• South Pole Group: Global climate solutions provider delivering carbon advisory, SBTi target setting, and decarbonization strategy. Comparable in core service lines (GHG accounting, net-zero strategy, offset procurement), though operating at much larger international scale.
• Quantis: Sustainability and climate strategy consultancy offering GHG accounting, SBTi support, and net-zero transformation. Comparable target customers (multinational corporates) and methodology stack (GHG Protocol-aligned).
• pom+ Consulting AG: Swiss management and IT consultancy with sustainability, energy management, and resource efficiency practices. Listed partner of act and operates in adjacent Swiss enterprise consulting territory.
• Intep Integrale Planung GmbH: Swiss planning consultancy active in sustainable building, energy, and climate strategy. Direct overlap with act's SME/municipal sustainability consulting (e.g., Öko-Kompass) and listed partner of act's Öko-Kompass program.
• First Climate: European climate consultancy providing carbon accounting, carbon neutrality services, and energy efficiency advisory. Comparable service mix and customer base, particularly for industrial energy consumers.
• Carbon Trust: International climate consultancy specializing in corporate carbon footprinting, target setting, and decarbonization roadmaps. Direct overlap with act's decarbonization, SBTi, and advisory offerings across enterprise customers.
• Swiss Climate AG: Swiss climate and energy consultancy providing GHG inventories, climate strategies, and energy efficiency consulting for companies and municipalities. Strong domestic overlap with act's target customer segments.
• myclimate: Swiss climate nonprofit offering corporate carbon accounting, SBTi advisory, and decarbonization consulting. Highly comparable to act in service portfolio and Swiss market focus; notably, myclimate's Co-CEO sits on act's board.

Broad incumbents

• KPMG Switzerland (Sustainability Services): Big Four sustainability practice delivering non-financial assurance, ESG reporting, and climate strategy. Competes for the same large Swiss enterprises' decarbonization and disclosure mandates as act.
• Deloitte Switzerland (Sustainability & Climate practice): Big Four firm offering large-scale CSRD/ISSB reporting, SBTi, and decarbonization advisory in Switzerland. Competes with act for enterprise mandates while bundling sustainability into broader consulting engagements.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/act-cleantech-agentur-schweiz
• Xx.com/ActSchweiz

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 act Cleantech