Swiss Clinical Trial Organization

What Swiss Clinical Trial Organization does

The Swiss Clinical Trial Organisation (SCTO) is Switzerland's national academic clinical research infrastructure, organized as a non-profit association under Swiss private law and headquartered in Bern. Established under the initiative of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences, it has been designated a research infrastructure of national importance under Article 15 RIPA since 2017, with renewed funding secured for the 2025-2028 period from the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) and the SNSF. SCTO serves academic clinical researchers, patients and the public, and clinical research professionals across all therapeutic areas at Swiss university and cantonal hospitals.

SCTO's core offering is built on three layers: (1) eight nationwide specialist Platforms (Auditing, Data Management, Education, Monitoring, Project Management, Regulatory Affairs, Safety, Statistics & Methodology) that develop freely accessible tools, templates, and best-practice guidance; (2) a decentralized Clinical Research Centre (CRC) Network at five university hospitals and two cantonal hospitals that delivers local, end-to-end operational support for clinical studies; and (3) the Easy-GCS (Easy Guide to Clinical Studies) tool with an AI-powered search function launched in January 2026. Adjacent offerings include Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) resources, GCP-recognized training courses, and annual flagship events (SCTO Symposium, SCTO Forum). In 2025, the network supported over 2,000 clinical research projects, trained over 9,400 professionals, and facilitated more than 350 international multicentre studies.

SCTO's business model is non-commercial: it charges no fees for its core tools or resources, and all operating funding flows from federal research grants (SERI and SNSF). The go-to-market motion is community-led, relying on network effects among academic clinical researchers and on institutional partnerships across hospitals, regulatory bodies, and European infrastructures such as ECRIN-ERIC, of which SCTO has been the Swiss national node since 2013. Customer segments are academic clinical researchers, clinical research professionals, and patients/the public; B2B/B2C commercial segmentation does not apply.

Name

Swiss Clinical Trial Organization

Legal name

Swiss Clinical Trial Organisation (SCTO)

Website

https://scto.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Swiss Clinical Trial Organisation (SCTO) is a non-profit national academic clinical research infrastructure based in Bern, funded by SERI and SNSF, that provides tools, training, and a decentralized CRC network across Swiss university and cantonal hospitals to support investigator-initiated clinical research.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Academic Clinical Research Infrastructure

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Clinical CROs (Phase I–IV) (HLAGAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Clinical Trial Site Operations & Study Coordination (HLAGACAE), Clinical Trial Monitoring Support (On-site/Remote) (HLAGACAG), Clinical Trials Authorization & Oversight (GCP) (HLAJADAF)

Keywords

• Clinical research infrastructure
• Clinical trial support
• Academic medical research
• Clinical research training
• Patient and public involvement

Headquarters

HQ city

Bern

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: The SCTO is funded by the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) and the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF). The organization has been recognized as a research infrastructure of national importance since 2017, funded under Article 15 RIPA for the 2025-2028 period.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Swiss Clinical Trial Organisation (SCTO) is a national academic research infrastructure that supports clinical researchers across all therapeutic areas through eight specialised Platforms (Auditing, Data Management, Education, Monitoring, Project Management, Regulatory Affairs, Safety, Statistics & Methodology), a Clinical Research Centre (CRC) Network at five university and two cantonal hospitals, and the Easy-GCS AI-powered online guide. It delivers freely accessible tools, templates, GCP-aligned training, and Patient and Public Involvement resources, while serving as the Swiss ECRIN-ERIC node linking the country to pan-European clinical research infrastructure.

Product overview

The Swiss Clinical Trial Organisation (SCTO) is Switzerland's national academic clinical research infrastructure providing a comprehensive platform of services. The core offering consists of eight SCTO Platforms (Auditing, Data Management, Education, Monitoring, Project Management, Regulatory Affairs, Safety, Statistics & Methodology) supported by a CRC Network at five university hospitals and two cantonal hospitals. The Easy Guide to Clinical Studies (Easy-GCS) provides AI-powered guidance for researchers. Education & Training programs offer GCP courses and career development, while Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) resources support collaborative research. Together these components support 2,000+ clinical research projects annually, 9,400+ professionals trained, and 350+ international multicentre studies facilitated.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SCTO Platforms: Nationwide centres of excellence focusing on specific thematic areas of clinical research including Auditing, Data Management, Education, Monitoring, Project Management, Regulatory Affairs, Safety, and Statistics & Methodology.
• Easy GCS
• CRC Network

Products and services

• SCTO Platforms Eight nationwide centres of excellence that develop practical tools, templates, guidance documents, and best practices to support academic clinical researchers across Switzerland through all stages of a clinical study (planning, regulatory submission, monitoring, data management, reporting). For clinical researchers, study teams, and academic hospitals.
• Clinical Research Centre (CRC) Network Decentralised network of seven Clinical Research Centres at university hospitals (DKF Basel, DCR Bern, CRC Geneva, CRC Lausanne, CTC Zurich) and cantonal hospitals (CTU HOCH St.Gallen, CTU-EOC Lugano) that deliver hands-on local services including study design, feasibility, regulatory submissions, monitoring, data management, and final reporting. For academic investigators and clinical study teams.
• Easy Guide to Clinical Studies (Easy-GCS) Comprehensive online tool with an AI-powered search function that answers questions, guides researchers through clinical study processes, and connects them with experts for professional support; content is expert-approved and continuously reviewed by clinical research professionals. For academic clinical researchers planning or conducting studies.
• Education & Training Programs Curated catalog of GCP, research ethics, and clinical research training courses delivered by SCTO Platforms and the CRC Network, accessed through a Course Finder that aggregates offerings from partner institutions; aligned with swissethics-recognised standards. For clinical research professionals at all career stages and the institutions that sponsor their training.
• Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Resources Curated PPI toolkit and training resources (fact sheets, guides, templates, online courses) that enable academic researchers to involve patients and members of the public as partners in the design, conduct, and dissemination of clinical research. For academic clinical researchers and patient/public partners.
• CPCR Service Finder Collaborative tool developed jointly by Swiss Biobanking, Swiss Cancer Institute, SCTO, and SPHN that helps researchers identify and access national clinical research services, expertise, and contacts across participating Swiss research infrastructures. For academic and clinical researchers seeking to navigate Swiss research services.
• ECRIN Swiss Node / European Clinical Research Infrastructure Network Access Access point for Swiss investigators to ECRIN-ERIC's pan-European clinical research infrastructure, enabling participation in multinational clinical trials across 13 member countries and 130+ Clinical Trial Units. For Swiss academic investigators conducting or planning multinational clinical studies.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,000+ clinical research projects supported annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• ECRIN (European Clinical Research Infrastructure Network)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013The SCTO serves as the Swiss ECRIN-ERIC node, linking Switzerland to the pan-European clinical research infrastructure. ECRIN connects 13 member countries and more than 130 Clinical Trial Units across Europe. The partnership allows Swiss investigators to access ECRIN's network and services for multinational clinical trials.
• SwissPedNet (Swiss Research Network of Clinical Pediatric Hubs)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwissPedNet is a network of clinical pediatric hubs that the SCTO collaborates with on pediatric HRO research projects and training events like NextGen Research Day.
• Swiss Cancer InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Swiss Cancer Institute is a member of the SCTO and participates in the CPCR Service Finder collaboration for accessing clinical research services.
• Swiss Biobanking PlatformmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss Biobanking Platform collaborates on the CPCR Service Finder and serves as an observer on the SCTO Steering Board.
• Swiss Personalized Health Network (SPHN)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSPHN works with the SCTO on the CPCR Service Finder and collaborates on health research data initiatives including the Federated Clinical Routine Dataset.
• swissethicsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partnerswissethics is the umbrella organisation of the Research Ethics Committees in Switzerland. The SCTO collaborates with swissethics on harmonizing ethical standards and the organization joined the CPCR Service Finder as the first partner.
• SwissmedicmajorOthersSwissmedic is the Swiss authority responsible for authorisation and supervision of therapeutic products. The SCTO collaborates on regulatory affairs and participates in initiatives like the fast-track pilot project for clinical trial applications.
• KKS Netzwerk ÖsterreichmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustrian partner with which the SCTO co-organizes the D|A|CH Symposium on Clinical Trials, a leading international congress bringing together professionals from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
• Netzwerk der Koordinierungszentren für Klinische Studien (KKS Network)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman partner with which the SCTO co-organizes the D|A|CH Symposium on Clinical Trials, promoting exchange and networking with decision-makers and experts in clinical research.
• Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences (SAMS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAMS is a member of the SCTO and collaborates on initiatives including the Coordination Platform Clinical Research (CPCR) and career support programmes.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• SwissPedNet: Swiss Research Network of Clinical Pediatric Hubs and SCTO partner on pediatric HRO projects and training events. Narrower therapeutic focus (pediatrics) but otherwise similar academic research infrastructure model.

Broad incumbents

• TransCelerate BioPharma: Global non-profit focused on streamlining clinical trials across the biopharma industry. Similar mission of harmonizing clinical research but industry-funded, broader in scope, and much larger scale.
• Clinical Trials Transformation Initiative (CTTI): US-based public-private partnership co-founded by FDA and Duke University to improve the conduct of clinical trials. Comparable non-profit model for advancing clinical research practices at national/multi-stakeholder level.

Others

• Swiss Personalized Health Network (SPHN): Swiss national initiative enabling health data interoperability for research. CPCR Service Finder partner with SCTO; complementary infrastructure serving overlapping Swiss research community rather than direct competitor.
• Swiss Biobanking Platform: Swiss national coordination platform for biobanking and a CPCR Service Finder co-developer. Adjacent infrastructure targeting the same Swiss academic research community with overlapping but non-competing scope.

Direct peers

• KKS-Netzwerk (Germany): German network of Coordinating Centres for Clinical Trials at university medical centres. Co-organizes the D|A|CH Symposium with SCTO and operates the closest functional equivalent at national level in a neighbouring country.
• ECRIN - European Clinical Research Infrastructure Network: Pan-European non-profit coordinating multinational clinical trials across 13 member countries and 130+ CTUs. SCTO serves as the Swiss ECRIN-ERIC node, making ECRIN the most direct structural counterpart operating at continental level.
• KKS-Netzwerk Austria: Austrian counterpart coordinating clinical studies at Austrian university hospitals. Co-organizes the D|A|CH Symposium with SCTO, making it the DACH-region peer with the most similar academic, non-profit operating model.

Regional players

• MRC Clinical Trials Unit at UCL: UK Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Unit at University College London, conducting national and international trials with a comparable academic, government-funded research model in a different geography.
• NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre (Australia): Australian national clinical trials centre at the University of Sydney. Operates the same academic research infrastructure model at national level in a different geography and does not directly compete in Switzerland.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC8ILwqFA3t7ADE3E30FIXXA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/scto

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Swiss Clinical Trial Organization