What Nomads Foundation does

Nomads Foundation (Fondation Nomads) is an independent, public-utility non-profit foundation established in Geneva in 2015 to act as an ecosystem architect for the ecological and societal transition of organizations in French-speaking Switzerland (Suisse Romande). The foundation operates four thematic hubs — Hub Mobilité, Hub Transition énergétique, Hub Futur des jobs, and Hub Contrat social 4.0 — using a proprietary 8-step co-creation methodology (Rassembler / Co-Créer / Diffuser) to convene enterprises, public institutions, academic actors, and associations around shared transition challenges. Its ecosystem spans ~130 member organizations and ~300 annual participants, coordinating more than 30 projects and working groups in 2023 alone.

The foundation's tangible outputs include flagship projects such as GoH! (Switzerland's first 40-tonne hydrogen fuel-cell truck, deployed with Migros Genève, GreenGT, LARAG, and SIG), Aurora (hydrogen-for-buildings with Romande Energie and Realstone), Green Deal Solaire (large-scale photovoltaic deployment for Geneva's 350 MWc 2030 target), the Green Skills Project (prospective workforce skills anticipation with Université de Genève and the ILO), and La banque du temps et des compétences (a digital time/skills bank). It also operates the Réseau H2, a Romandie-wide hydrogen network, and co-organizes the annual Les Rencontres de l'Hydrogène conference (210+ participants in 2025).

Revenue mechanics are those of a non-profit foundation: recurring contributions from ~130 member organizations supplemented by project-specific public-private partnerships and cantonal subsidies (including a 10 million CHF Geneva hydrogen subsidy catalyzed by the foundation). The foundation does not sell products or services commercially; instead, it distributes co-creation outputs through consortium partnerships, open-access reports, events, and the network of its members and partners. The foundation marked its 10th anniversary in October 2025.

Name

Nomads Foundation

Legal name

Fondation Nomads

Website

https://nomadsfoundation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Nomads Foundation is an independent non-profit ecosystem architect based in Geneva that convenes ~130 enterprises, public bodies, and academic institutions across French-speaking Switzerland to co-create projects on mobility decarbonization, energy transition, future skills, and social cohesion through four thematic hubs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainability Ecosystem Collaboration Services

SIC

Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)

Keywords

• Ecosystem collaboration services
• Hydrogen mobility projects
• Green skills training
• Energy transition facilitation
• Sustainable innovation hubs

Headquarters

HQ city

Geneva

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership and Community Contributions: Nomads Foundation operates as an independent, non-profit foundation recognized as being of public utility. Its activities are sustained by contributions from ~130 member organizations (enterprises, public entities, academic institutions, and associations) who support the foundation's daily mission. The foundation also receives funding through project-specific public-private partnerships (e.g., canton subsidies for hydrogen ecosystem development).

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Nomads Foundation is an independent non-profit foundation recognized as being of public utility that acts as an ecosystem architect and change catalyst. It organizes its work around four thematic hubs (Energy Transition, Mobility, Future of Jobs, and Social Contract 4.0) and delivers co-creation projects such as the GoH! hydrogen truck, Aurora hydrogen-for-buildings system, Green Skills Project, Green Deal Solaire photovoltaic deployment, and La banque du temps et des compétences (Time and Skills Bank).

Product overview

Nomads Foundation is an independent public-interest foundation that acts as an ecosystem architect and change catalyst. Rather than a unified software product, it offers a portfolio of collaborative platforms and projects organized through four thematic Hubs: Hub Mobilité (mobility), Hub Transition énergétique (energy transition), Hub Futur des jobs (future of work), and Hub Contrat social 4.0 (social contract). The portfolio includes named initiatives such as GoH! (hydrogen truck), Aurora (hydrogen for buildings), Green Skills Project (skills forecasting), Green Deal Solaire (solar deployment), and La banque du temps et des compétences (time/skills bank), plus the Réseu H2 network. These interconnected offerings aim to accelerate ecological and societal transitions in the Geneva/Romandie region through collective intelligence and co-creation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hub Mobilité: Hub focused on co-creating sustainable mobility solutions
• Hub Transition énergétique
• Hub Futur des jobs
• Hub Contrat social 4.0
• GoH! - Generation of Hydrogen
• Aurora
• Green Deal Solaire
• Green Skills Project
• La banque du temps et des compétences
• Le Réseau H2

Products and services

• Hub Mobilité A collaborative platform for developing innovative mobility solutions, focusing on reducing CO2 emissions and improving transportation efficiency through partnerships, funding, and pilot projects including shared micromobility initiatives. Targeted at enterprises, public transport operators, and mobility providers in the Romandie region.
• Hub Transition énergétique A collaboration and innovation hub focused on accelerating energy transition through regular sessions addressing renewable energy and efficiency topics, fostering concrete and sustainable projects such as the hydrogen ecosystem and photovoltaic deployment. Targeted at energy companies, real estate firms, and public authorities.
• Hub Futur des jobs A platform for exploring and preparing for future jobs, promoting skills needed in the digital age, connecting individuals, businesses, and educational institutions to shape the future of work. Targeted at employers, training providers, and universities.
• Hub Contrat social 4.0 An initiative focused on creating a solid and inclusive social fabric for the future, rethinking social relations, promoting solidarity, and developing innovative societal solutions. Targeted at NGOs, social organizations, charities, and community groups.
• GoH! - Generation of Hydrogen A hydrogen-powered 40-ton electric truck project that produces its own electricity through hydrogen fuel cells, emitting only water vapor. Serves as both a demonstrator and training tool for hydrogen mobility technology in Switzerland. Targeted at logistics operators and heavy transport companies.
• Aurora A hydrogen energy project for buildings that uses local hydrogen production and storage to supply buildings with heating and electricity, integrating with existing photovoltaic and battery storage systems. Targeted at real estate developers, building operators, and energy utilities.
• Green Skills Project A series of prospective workshops and training events focused on identifying and developing skills needed for the future of work and green jobs in Switzerland. Uses prospective methodology and scenario-building workshops supported by Innosuisse. Targeted at employers, training providers, and educational institutions.
• Green Deal Solaire A facilitation program to deploy large-scale photovoltaic projects in Geneva, supporting the canton's target of 350MWc solar capacity by 2030 by connecting stakeholders and demonstrating project viability. Targeted at real estate owners, building developers, and energy stakeholders.
• La banque du temps et des compétences A social recognition platform featuring a digital marketplace for matching volunteer supply and demand, a time bank for recording volunteer hours, an electronic skills portfolio, and an inter-company funding pool for volunteering projects. Targeted at corporations, NGOs, and individuals seeking structured volunteering frameworks.
• Réseau H2 Suisse Romande A hydrogen network initiative to develop hydrogen distribution infrastructure for clean mobility and sustainable industrial production across Western Switzerland. Targeted at mobility operators, industrial hydrogen users, and policymakers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Developed and deployed the first 40-tonne hydrogen truck in Switzerland (GoH! project) through a 5-partner consortium, demonstrating end-to-end green hydrogen mobility viability
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• BIT (Bureau International du Travail / ILO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 September 2023The International Labour Organization (ILO) formalized a partnership with Nomads Foundation in September 2023 to develop projects in Switzerland and developing countries for access to decent jobs and social justice. The collaboration includes exchanges with Skills Future Singapore for a global green skills alliance, particularly in green hydrogen.
• Romande EnergiecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 September 2021Romande Energie is the energy production and distribution partner in the Aurora project, developing hydrogen production and distribution infrastructure for building energy applications. The partnership aims to create commercially viable hydrogen solutions for the Swiss real estate sector.
• Realstone GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 September 2021Realstone Group is the real estate partner in the Aurora project, providing building assets for hydrogen energy system testing and serving as the end-user for hydrogen reception, storage, and in-building management. Its involvement ensures real building integration use cases.
• Migros GenèvecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 October 2019Migros Genève is the end-user and logistics partner in the GoH! (Generation of Hydrogen) project, operating the 40-tonne hydrogen truck for real-world goods distribution. As a founding consortium member, Migros contributes real operational requirements and use case data, validating the commercial viability of hydrogen mobility for heavy transport. The partnership demonstrates the viability of green logistics in an urban environment.
• GreenGTcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 October 2019GreenGT is the technology provider for the GoH! hydrogen truck, designing the electric-hydrogen powertrain and vehicle architecture. It is also a partner in the Aurora project (hydrogen for buildings). As a Swiss engineering start-up from EPFL Lausanne, GreenGT provides the core technical differentiation in both hydrogen mobility and building energy applications.
• LARAGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 October 2019LARAG is the specialist for utility vehicle maintenance and construction, responsible for modifying the truck chassis and integrating the hydrogen propulsion system for the GoH! project. It brings manufacturing and maintenance capabilities essential for converting the prototype into an operational vehicle.
• SIG (Services Industriels de Genève)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 October 2019SIG (Services Industriels de Genève) supplies the green electricity and is developing local hydrogen production for the GoH! truck refueling and the Aurora building energy project. As the Geneva energy utility, SIG provides the renewable energy infrastructure critical to the hydrogen value chain — from production to distribution.
• Université de GenèvecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe University of Geneva is a key academic partner, contributing to the Future of Jobs hub through the development of an interactive practical guide for skills anticipation and management (with Prof. Nathalie Delobbe). It co-leads the Hub Futur des jobs and supports prospective research on labor market evolution.
• Hitachi EnergysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHitachi Energy (formerly Hitachi ABB Power Grids) is represented in the Mobility Hub and contributes expertise in energy transition and power electronics. Thierry Lassus, leader of the Mobility Hub, is a senior figure at Hitachi Energy.
• FirmenichcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirmenich is a co-creator in the Social Contract 4.0 Hub, providing leadership and strategic direction through its Switzerland CEO François Rohrbach (Hub leader). The partnership brings a multinational perspective on human dimension integration in the digital transition.
• Université de Genève — HEPIA (Haute École du paysage, d'ingénierie et d'architecture)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHEPIA contributes to the Green Skills Project and micromobility initiatives as a technical and research partner, providing academic expertise in engineering, landscape, and architecture relevant to sustainable mobility and energy transition.
• HEFP (Haute École Fédérale en Formation Professionnelle)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHEFP is involved in the Aurora project to anticipate and develop the new skills needed in building trades for hydrogen integration, ensuring training programs evolve alongside the new technology.
• EIT CH (Association suisse des installateurs électriques)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEIT CH participates in Aurora to ensure the electrical installer trade is prepared for hydrogen building integration, developing appropriate training modules alongside HEFP.
• PwC SwitzerlandsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPwC contributes expertise and research (e.g., on the future of work) to the foundation's Future of Jobs hub, providing quantitative insights on labor market trends and workforce transformation.
• IWG plc (Regus / Spaces)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerIWG plc (operator of Regus and Spaces coworking brands) co-organizes events with Nomads Foundation, providing venue and logistical support for afterworks and breakfast meetings (e.g., Décarbona'brunch with Swiss Youth for Climate at Spaces Main Station, Geneva).
• ERMsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerERM collaborated with the H2 Network (Réseau H2) — an initiative of Nomads Foundation — to produce a prospective market analysis on low-carbon hydrogen potential in French-speaking Switzerland through 2035.
• TPG (Transports publics genevois)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerTPG participates in the Mobility Hub and micromobility partnership, contributing public transport expertise to collaborative discussions on decarbonation and shared mobility solutions in Geneva.
• Canton de GenèvecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Canton of Geneva is a key institutional partner, providing the 10 million CHF hydrogen ecosystem subsidy and participating in shared micromobility hub deployment. State Councilor Pierre Maudet has participated in Mobility Hub sessions.
• Mobility (car sharing)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMobility is part of the micromobility hub deployment partnership, contributing car-sharing expertise to the multi-operator shared mobility ecosystem being developed in Geneva.
• Partage – La banque alimentaire genevoisesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartage (Geneva food bank) is a co-creator in the Social Contract 4.0 Hub, contributing to social solidarity and food security initiatives within the hub's community-building mission.
• Fondation Foyer-HandicapsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFondation Foyer-Handicap participates in the Social Contract 4.0 Hub, contributing expertise on social inclusion and support for people with disabilities within the hub's initiatives.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Innosuisse: Swiss federal innovation promotion agency funding collaborative projects across academia, business, and the public sector. Analogous convener for Switzerland-wide innovation and sustainability ecosystems with deeper capital pools but less programmatic depth.
• Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI): US-based independent non-profit driving global clean energy transitions through analysis, convening, and pilots. Same ecosystem-builder archetype as Nomads with overlapping focus on hydrogen, buildings, mobility, and industry.
• EIT InnoEnergy: European public-private partnership investing in clean energy innovation across the EU. Comparable scale of cross-sector consortium-building for hydrogen and energy transition projects, with skills-institute activities similar to Nomads' Green Skills work.
• Carbon Trust: International climate consultancy and foundation working with businesses, governments, and investors on decarbonization. Comparable role partnering with major corporates on energy transition and skills, parallel to Nomads' Green Skills and hydrogen focus.
• WWF Switzerland: Major environmental NGO with Swiss operation that convenes corporations, policy actors, and citizens on ecological transition. Overlaps with Nomads on environmental project convening, public advocacy, and member-driven engagement.
• World Economic Forum (WEF): Geneva-based multi-stakeholder platform convening governments, business, academia, and civil society on global sustainability, energy, and technology transitions. Operates at much larger scale than Nomads but embodies the same neutral convening and co-creation model for sustainability challenges.
• World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD): Geneva-headquartered coalition of 200+ sustainable businesses driving corporate action on climate, energy, and mobility. Directly comparable convening function for sustainability transitions, operating at global corporate scale rather than Romandie regional level.

Emerging players

• BioAlps: Western Switzerland cleantech and biotech cluster supporting collaboration between research institutions, startups, and corporates on energy, life sciences, and cleantech. Analogous regional cluster-convening role in Romandie with partial thematic overlap on energy and mobility.

Regional players

• Fondation The Ark: Swiss regional innovation foundation based in Canton Valais that convenes enterprises, research institutions, and public actors around energy, mobility, and digital transitions. Closely analogous convening model in a neighboring Swiss canton \u2014 same archetype, different geography.

Direct peers

• Forum for the Future: UK-based independent charity convening business, government, and civil society to accelerate sustainability transitions. Most direct peer to Nomads' convening methodology, multi-thematic-area approach, and role as a neutral challenge-oriented platform.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nomads-foundation

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

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Frequently asked questions about Nomads Foundation