Spiez Laboratory

What Spiez Laboratory does

Spiez Laboratory (Labor Spiez) is the Swiss Federal Institute for ABC Protection, a business unit of the Federal Office for Civil Protection (BABS) within the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS/VBS). It addresses atomic, biological, and chemical threats on a scientific-technical basis, serving Swiss federal agencies, the Swiss Army, cantonal first responders, and international organizations (OPCW, IAEA, WHO, UNSGM). Core technical capabilities are organized across five departments — Nuclear Chemistry, Biology, Chemistry, CBRNe Protection Systems, and Logistics/Quality/Security — and include six SAS-accredited testing laboratories (ISO 17025), Switzerland's only BSL-4 biological safety laboratory, an organic synthesis laboratory for chemical warfare agent reference compounds, gamma/alpha/beta radioactivity measurement systems including mass spectrometry, and CBRNe protection material testing infrastructure including shock tubes. The institute operates 24/7 emergency response teams (A/B/C-EEVBS) for radiological, biological, and chemical incidents and serves as Switzerland's National Reference Center for highly pathogenic bacteria (NABA) and National Authority for the Chemical Weapons Convention.

The business model is non-commercial: the institute is funded through annual federal budget allocations to BABS, with no published pricing, no external shareholders, and no commercial sales motion. Revenue mechanics operate via government-to-government procurement and institutional service delivery rather than market transactions. Designated roles include OPCW Designated Laboratory (since 1998), IAEA Collaborating Centre (since 2016), the first WHO BioHub facility worldwide (since 2021), and UNSGM Registered Analytical Laboratory, alongside the National CWC Authority function. International recognition includes the OPCW-The Hague Award (2023) and SATW individual membership for Director Dr. Marc Cadisch (2025). As of January 1, 2026, the institute employs 109 staff plus 8 apprentices at its single Austrasse, Spiez campus in the Canton of Bern, and is governed by a management board under Dr. Marc Cadisch (Head since April 2003), with active research collaborations to EPFL, ETH Zurich, and the University of Bern.

Name

Spiez Laboratory

Legal name

Labor Spiez - Eidgenössisches Institut für ABC-Schutz

Website

https://spiezlab.admin.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1925

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Spiez Laboratory is the Swiss Federal Institute for ABC Protection, operating under the Federal Office for Civil Protection (BABS) to provide accredited CBRNe testing, BSL-4 pathogen diagnostics, emergency response, and arms-control expertise to Swiss federal agencies and international organizations including OPCW, IAEA, WHO, and the UN.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Defense and Civil Protection Laboratory Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (541380), Medical Laboratories (621511), National Security and International Affairs (9281), Fire Protection (92216)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Medical Laboratories (8071)

akta.pro primary industry

Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT), CBRN & Decontamination Response (HLAJAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Microbiology & Infectious Disease Testing Laboratories (HLAFAMAD), Regional/State Public Health Laboratories (HLAJAIAB), Chemical & Hazardous Materials Spill Response (HazMat) (EUAIAMAB)

Keywords

• CBRNe threat analysis
• Chemical weapons verification
• Biological safety testing
• Radioactivity measurement services
• Arms control laboratory

Headquarters

HQ city

Spiez

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Budget Allocation: Funded through annual budget allocations from the Swiss Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) as a division of the Federal Office for Civil Protection (BABS). No commercial revenue generation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Spiez Laboratory provides accredited laboratory testing, scientific analysis, and emergency response services for nuclear, biological, and chemical (ABC) threats on behalf of the Swiss federal government, the Swiss Army, cantonal authorities, and international partner organizations. Its services span chemical warfare agent analysis, BSL-4 pathogen diagnostics, environmental radioactivity measurement, CBRNe protection equipment certification, arms control treaty support, and 24/7 deployment of specialized emergency response teams.

Product overview

Spiez Laboratory (Labor Spiez) is the Swiss Federal Institute for ABC Protection, operating as a division of the Federal Office for Civil Protection (BABS). It is NOT a commercial product company but a government research institute providing laboratory testing, analysis, and emergency response services. The organization offers a portfolio of accredited testing services including radioactivity measurement, biological analysis (with Switzerland's only BSL-4 biosafety laboratory), chemical warfare agent analysis, CBRNe protection systems testing, and materials testing. Additional services include emergency response teams (EEVBS), arms control expertise, research, vocational training, and international collaborations including as WHO BioHub, IAEA Collaborating Centre, and OPCW designated laboratory. The laboratory also organizes the Spiez CONVERGENCE conference series and manages Switzerland's National CWC Authority.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Akkreditierte Stellen (Accredited Testing Facilities)
• Biologie (Biology Services)
• Chemie (Chemistry Services)
• Messen von Radioaktivität (Radioactivity Measurement)
• CBRNe Schutzsysteme (CBRNe Protection Systems Testing)

Quantifiable outcome

• Designated laboratory for OPCW since 1998 with validated analysis procedures and quality controls accepted internationally.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Australian GroupminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Participates in export control regime discussions and supports national authorities in implementing Australian Group export control regulations.
• World Health Organization (WHO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 May 2021First WHO BioHub facility worldwide since 2021. Enables rapid exchange of emerging pathogens with epidemic or pandemic potential. Receives, characterizes, publishes genomic sequences, and distributes samples to authorized research institutions of member states.
• ArmasuissecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Swiss federal armaments agency. Collaborates on CBRNe protection equipment testing, procurement support, and research projects.
• International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016IAEA Collaborating Centre since 2016. Provides expertise in radionuclide analysis in environmental samples, participates in international environmental missions, and conducts training courses. Regular participation in proficiency tests and comparative measurements.
• Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1998Designated laboratory of OPCW since 1998 for chemical weapons analysis and verification. Participates in OPCW inspections and supports the Technical Secretariat with expertise. Contributes to OPCW Scientific Advisory Board and provides training for OPCW member state chemists.
• United Nations Secretary-General's Mechanism (UNSGM)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1987Registered analytical laboratory under UNSGM for investigation of alleged chemical and biological weapons use. Provides experts for mission teams and analytical capabilities. Actively works on establishing quality standards for biological laboratories in the network.
• Kompetenzzentrum ABC-KAMIR (Swiss Army)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss Army's ABC defense center. Joint emergency response teams (EEVBS), shared training exercises, and complementary expertise for military and civilian ABC protection.
• Swiss Universities (EPFL, ETHZ, University of Bern)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on research projects, supervises Master and PhD students, and exchanges scientific expertise in nuclear chemistry, biology, and CBRNe protection.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées (IRBA): French military biomedical research institute covering biological threat analysis, CBRN defense, and reference laboratory functions. Comparable as a national military biomedical research body in a neighboring country, though operating under the French Ministry of Armed Forces rather than the Swiss civilian federal structure.

Direct peers

• Finnish Institute for Verification of the Chemical Weapons Convention (VERIFIN): University of Helsinki-based institute serving as Finland's OPCW Designated Laboratory and CWC national authority. Closely comparable to Labor Spiez as a small government/mission-oriented analytical institute providing chemical weapons verification, accredited testing, and international treaty support.
• Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI) — CBRN Division: Swedish government defense research institute with a CBRN defense and security division covering chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats. Comparable as a small Nordic nation operating an integrated CBRN research, testing, and advisory capability with international treaty ties.
• Bundeswehr Institute for Protective Technologies and CBRN Protection (WIS): German federal CBRN defense institute with comparable scope: testing of CBRN protection equipment, accredited analytical methods, and national reference functions. Direct peer given the joint Germany-Switzerland ABC exercises and overlapping federal-mandate structure.

Broad incumbents

• TNO (Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research): Dutch independent applied research organization with CBRN defense and detection programs. Comparable in providing government-funded scientific support on CBRN threats, though with a broader commercial and contract-research mandate beyond the ABC-protection scope.
• Robert Koch Institute (RKI): Germany's federal public health institute and national reference center for infectious diseases, including high-consequence pathogens. Comparable as a government public-health laboratory with BSL-4 capability and national reference functions, though focused on civilian health rather than defense/treaty verification.
• Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA): US Department of Defense agency for countering weapons of mass destruction, including chemical and biological threat reduction programs. Comparable mission overlap (treaty verification, threat reduction, partner capacity building) at much greater scale and US-diplomatic posture.
• Public Health Agency of Canada — National Microbiology Laboratory (NML): Canada's national microbiology reference laboratory, operating BSL-4 capability and serving as an international reference center for high-risk pathogens. Comparable in role and capability footprint, though larger in scale and positioned within a civilian public-health agency.
• US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center (DEVCOM CBC): US Department of Defense principal R&D center for chemical and biological defense. Overlaps with Labor Spiez on CBRNe protection testing, biological defense, and treaty-relevant chemistry, but with substantially larger budget and a US military focus rather than Swiss federal-civilian structure.
• Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl): UK government-owned defense science organization delivering CBRN, chemical, and biological sciences capabilities for the UK Ministry of Defence. Comparable as a national government laboratory supporting treaty verification and CBRN protection, but operating at significantly larger scale and broader scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SpiezLab
• LinkedInch.linkedin.com/company/Spiez-Laboratory

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Spiez Laboratory