Akademische Raumfahrt Initiative Schweiz

What Akademische Raumfahrt Initiative Schweiz does

Akademische Raumfahrt Initiative Schweiz (ARIS) is a Swiss non-profit student association founded in 2017 and hosted by ETH Zürich, operating from the Innovation Park Zurich in Dübendorf. The organization brings together approximately 600 students from five Swiss universities (ETH Zürich, HSLU, ZHAW, UZH, OST), with over 100 active members contributing across multiple technical project streams in aerospace and autonomous systems.

ARIS's product portfolio spans bi-liquid sounding rockets (ASTERIA, PEGASUS, POLARIS), guided-recovery rockets (NICOLLIER, HERMES, HEPHAESTUS), CubeSat platforms for microgravity research (SAGE with the ALICE on-board computer demonstrator), unmanned underwater vehicles for polar research (NAUTILUS), and underwater drone swarms with custom RF communication (SWARM). Its propulsion program includes student-built Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine (RDRE) work, including the world's first student-built bi-liquid RDRE. ARIS achieved a world-first guided parachute recovery in student rocketry with NICOLLIER in 2024 and deployed ALICE — its first orbital hardware — aboard SpaceX Transporter 13 in March 2025. Engineering is supported by collaboration with ETH laboratories (CMAS Lab, IDSC, IIS, AMLZ, Engineering Design and Computing Lab) and DPHI Space for hosted payload access.

The association is funded entirely through tiered industry sponsorships (Initiative Partners: Beyond Gravity, Kistler, Maxon, Meteomatics, Tecnopinz, Vogt; Main Partner: Avenergy Suisse), academic in-kind support from host universities, and membership in industry bodies (SSIG, SwissMem Space Technology). ARIS does not sell commercial products or services; its revenue model is grant-and-sponsorship-based, with no publicly disclosed financials. Customer segments are twofold: university students seeking hands-on engineering experience, and industry sponsors seeking talent pipeline access and brand association. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, anchored by competition participation (EuRoC), public launches, and academic-industry partnerships.

Name

Akademische Raumfahrt Initiative Schweiz

Legal name

Akademische Raumfahrt Initiative Schweiz

Website

https://aris-space.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

ARIS is a Swiss non-profit student association hosted by ETH Zürich that develops aerospace systems — bi-liquid rockets, CubeSats, and underwater drones — through a 600-student community across five universities, funded by industry sponsors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Student Aerospace Engineering and Research

NAICS

Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414), Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Propulsion Unit and Propulsion Unit Parts Manufacturing (336415), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)

SIC

Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760), Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)

akta.pro primary industry

Launch Vehicles & Orbital Rockets (IMABACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Spacecraft & Satellites (Civil/Commercial) (IMABACAB), Spacecraft Avionics, Flight Computers & Software (IMABACAI)

Keywords

• Student rocketry projects
• Cubesat development
• Underwater drone research
• Aerospace engineering education
• Bi-liquid propulsion

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubendorf

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Industry Sponsoring: ARIS receives financial support and value-in-kind (components, services) from industry partners at various tiers (Initiative Partners, Main Partners, Partners, Supporters)
2. Academic Support: Support from universities including ETH Zürich, HSLU, ZHAW, UZH, and OST through facilities, expertise, and student participation
3. Membership: Active membership in organizations like Swiss Space Industry Group (SSIG) and SwissMem Space Technology

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ARIS is a Swiss student-led aerospace engineering association that develops rockets, CubeSats, and autonomous underwater vehicles through hands-on projects for approximately 600 students from Swiss universities. The organization participates in international competitions such as EuRoC, conducts cutting-edge propulsion and satellite research including bi-liquid rockets, guided recovery systems, and CubeSats for biological microgravity research, and operates as a talent pipeline for the Swiss space industry.

Product overview

ARIS (Akademische Raumfahrt Initiative Schweiz) is a Swiss student organization hosted by ETH Zurich with approximately 600 members from multiple Swiss universities. The organization develops aerospace technologies across multiple project streams: bi-liquid rockets (ASTERIA, PEGASUS, POLARIS), sounding rockets with guided recovery (NICOLLIER, HERMES, HEPHAESTUS), CubeSat platforms for space research (SAGE with technology demonstrator ALICE), underwater autonomous systems (NAUTILUS, SWARM), and advanced propulsion research (PERSEUS, MEDUSA). The portfolio includes hardware technology demonstrators launched to orbit, underwater drone swarms with custom RF communication systems, and focus projects in spacecraft GNC and in-space manufacturing. Projects range from sounding rockets with world-first guided recovery systems to satellite platforms studying human aging in microgravity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ASTERIA: ARIS pioneering bi-liquid propulsion rocket project aimed at being the first Swiss student rocketry team to launch a bi-liquid rocket to 9 km at EuRoC 2026.
• SAGE
• NAUTILUS
• NICOLLIER
• PEGASUS
• POLARIS
• ALICE
• SWARM

Products and services

• ASTERIA Bi-Liquid Propulsion Rocket Bi-liquid propulsion rocket project aiming to be the first Swiss student rocketry team to launch a bi-liquid rocket to 9 km at EuRoC 2026.
• SAGE CubeSat Platform CubeSat satellite platform providing a testbed for multiple payloads in biological research, computing, and communications, focused on studying the effects of microgravity on aging of the human body through a cell culture payload.
• NAUTILUS Unmanned Underwater Vehicle Second-generation Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) using a glider concept for polar research and climate change data collection in earth-based analogue missions.
• NICOLLIER Sounding Rocket with Guided Recovery 3.7-meter sounding rocket with air brakes for apogee control and a world-first guided recovery system featuring a controllable parachute that autonomously steers to a safe landing location.
• PEGASUS Rocket Project Rocket project with bi-liquid engine and guided recovery system.
• POLARIS Rocket Project Rocket project under ARIS focusing on advanced rocketry development.
• SWARM Underwater Drone Swarm Underwater drone swarm project developing multi-agent autonomous underwater vehicles for research applications, featuring custom RF communication systems and swarm coordination capabilities.
• ALICE Technology Demonstrator Technology demonstrator for the SAGE CubeSat, testing novel electronics systems in space. Features the Trikarenos Chip with triple redundancy designed by ETH Zürich's Integrated Systems Laboratory.
• MEDUSA Regeneratively Cooled RDRE Project Focus Project adapting bi-liquid RDRE architecture with regenerative cooling, building on ARIS's world-first student-built RDRE achievements.
• LIFE Formation Flying Control Testbed Control Testbed for Multi-Spacecraft Formation Flying developed in collaboration with ETH IDSC for the LIFE Space Mission, providing hardware-in-the-loop 2D validation of formation sensors and control architectures.
• In-Space Manufacturing 12U CubeSat FFF Printer 12U CubeSat Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) printer designed for in-space manufacturing, microgravity-compatible, lightweight, remote-controllable, and modular.
• CanSat Educational Mini-Satellite Can-sized miniature satellite built using Arduino microcontroller, equipped with sensors for measuring acceleration and air pressure and SD card for data storage. Designed for high school student outreach.

Quantifiable outcome

• World's first guided recovery system in student rocketry - landed within 6.54m of target
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Beyond GravitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiative Partner supporting ARIS's rocket and satellite projects. Beyond Gravity is a major Swiss space technology company providing technology and sponsorship to the student organization.
• KistlercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiative Partner providing measurement technology expertise and sponsorship. Kistler is a Swiss company specializing in sensor and measurement solutions.
• MaxoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiative Partner supporting ARIS with motion control and precision engineering components. Maxon is known for DC motor and gearhead solutions.
• MeteomaticscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiative Partner providing meteorological expertise and weather data solutions for rocket launch conditions.
• TecnopinzcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiative Partner supporting ARIS with precision engineering and manufacturing capabilities.
• VogtcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiative Partner providing engineering support and sponsorship to ARIS projects.
• DPHI SpacecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosting ALICE technology demonstrator on Clustergate-1 payload container, enabling ARIS to test satellite components in space and de-risk the SAGE CubeSat mission.
• ETH ZürichcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary host institution. ARIS main office at ETH Zürich with support from rectorate, CMAS Lab, IDSC, and Institute of Particle Physics and Astrophysics. Multiple theses and Focus Projects conducted at ETH.
• ETH Zürich - Institute of Particle Physics and AstrophysicscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner providing supervision for LIFE Space Mission Focus Project and collaboration on formation flying control testbed.
• ETH Zürich - Integrated Systems Laboratory (IIS)coreTechnology or IntegrationDeveloped Trikarenos Chip with triple redundancy for ALICE on-board computer, enabling fault-tolerant space electronics.
• ETH Zürich - AMLZ (Additive Manufacturing LayerwiseZ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosting Focus Project MEDUSA for regeneratively cooled bi-liquid RDRE development.
• ETH Zürich - Engineering Design and Computing LaboratorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupervising Focus Project for 12U CubeSat FFF printer development for in-space manufacturing.
• Swiss Space Industry Group (SSIG)coreOthersARIS is member of SSIG, an industry sector of SWISSMEM federation, strengthening network within Swiss space sector and facilitating student transition to industry.
• SwissMem Space TechnologyminorOthersARIS is member of SwissMem Space Technology, connecting with mechanical, electrical, and metal industries.
• Avenergy SuissemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMain Partner supporting ARIS projects and gaining visibility with student talent.
• Kantonsschule FreudenbergminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigh school partnership where a student developed CanSat for NICOLLIER rocket launch as Matura project.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• TU Munich WARR: Student-run aerospace group at TU Munich that develops sounding rockets and participates in EuRoC and other European competitions, directly comparable in student-led rocket development.
• TU Delft DARE: Delft University of Technology student rocketry team that builds high-power rockets and competes in EuRoC, making it the closest direct European student-rocket peer to ARIS.
• MIT Rocket Team: Student-led high-power rocketry group at MIT competing in international challenges; operates at a larger scale but follows the same student rocket development and competition model as ARIS.
• EPFL Rocket Team: Swiss student rocketry team based at EPFL that competes in EuRoC, a geographically proximate domestic peer to ARIS competing for Swiss sponsors and competition slots.

Regional players

• ISAE-SUPAERO Aerospace Student Projects: French aerospace school hosting student-led rocketry and CubeSat projects; comparable in educational mission and competition participation, but operating in a different national ecosystem.

Emerging players

• TU Berlin TUBSAT / BEAMS: Student satellite and rocket teams at TU Berlin developing CubeSats and sounding rockets; comparable to ARIS in academic-driven small-satellite and rocketry development in the DACH region.
• University of Michigan MXL (formerly MXene Satellite): Student CubeSat teams at the University of Michigan focused on satellite payloads and university-industry sponsorship models; relevant peer to ARIS's SAGE CubeSat project.
• Caltech Space Challenge / Caltech Aerospace: Caltech-affiliated student aerospace programs engaged in small satellite and rocketry projects; comparable to ARIS in academic-led aerospace R&D with CubeSat and propulsion ambitions.

Broad incumbents

• Beyond Gravity: Swiss space technology prime and ARIS Initiative Partner; operates broadly in launchers, satellites, and space mechanisms, serving as both industry sponsor and benchmark for what ARIS alumni may join.

Others

• Swiss Space Industry Group (SSIG): Industry association of which ARIS is a member; comparable as an ecosystem participant connecting Swiss space companies, students, and policy stakeholders.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ArisSpaceCh
• Facebookfacebook.com/aris.space.ch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aris_eth

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Akademische Raumfahrt Initiative Schweiz