FSRM Swiss Foundation for Research in Microtechnology

What FSRM Swiss Foundation for Research in Microtechnology does

FSRM Swiss Foundation for Research in Microtechnology is a private nonprofit foundation established under Swiss law in 1978 by the Swiss Confederation, 11 cantons, 3 cities, 12 professional associations and 24 companies to promote microtechnology research, training and industrial application. Headquartered in Neuchâtel with 9 employees, FSRM delivers a continuing-education portfolio of more than 150 short, intensive courses covering micro and nanotechnologies, watchmaking, precision manufacturing, materials, metrology, medical devices, quality management, production and emerging technologies. Courses are delivered primarily in-person at the Neuchâtel facility and at partner venues including EMPA Akademie Dübendorf, Haute Ecole Arc Le Locle, Microcity EPFL and Institut iRAP Fribourg, with a roster of over 200 specialist instructors, more than a third recruited from abroad.

The foundation's core revenue streams are professional training course fees (CHF 690-1,500 per participant, with early-bird and multi-employee discounts), customized in-company training developed for specific client needs, full-service congress and event organization (notably EFTF 2024 with 475 participants and MNE 2026), and association secretariat retainers for Micronarc, Swiss MNT Network, sensors.ch and Solar Swiss Connect. FSRM additionally participates in EU-funded research projects as a dissemination, communication and training workpackage lead, including ChipScope, EuroTraining and ASSEMIC. The foundation serves over 300 companies annually across watchmaking, medical devices, precision engineering, materials, packaging machinery, electronics, consumer products and research clients.

FSRM's go-to-market is primarily direct-to-consumer professional training with self-service online registration, complemented by sales-led engagement through customized in-company programs and event-driven demand generation via the multi-canton Innovation Tour program. The foundation also runs the FSRM-Kids youth outreach initiative launched in 2021. Following the death of long-serving Director Philippe Fischer on 8 August 2025, the Foundation Council appointed Sebastian Gautsch, formerly Vice-Director of EPFL's Microtechnology section, as the new Director effective 1 September 2025.

Name

FSRM Swiss Foundation for Research in Microtechnology

Legal name

FSRM Swiss Foundation for Research in Microtechnology

Website

https://fsrm.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

FSRM is a Neuchâtel-based Swiss nonprofit foundation, founded 1978, delivering 150+ continuing-education courses in microtechnology, watchmaking, precision manufacturing and management to over 300 industrial companies annually, alongside association secretariat, event organization and EU project dissemination services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional and Continuing Education

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Learning & Training Content Development (EDAGAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Project, Quality & Operations (PMP PDUs, Six Sigma, Quality CE) (EDAAALAM)

Keywords

• Professional training courses
• Microtechnology education
• Continuing education services
• Conference organization services
• Technical skills training

Headquarters

HQ city

La Chaux-de-fonds

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Professional Training Courses: Revenue generated from short intensive courses for professionals in microtechnology, watchmaking, production, quality, management and emerging technologies. Course fees range from CHF 690-1,500 depending on duration and early-bird status.
2. Congress and Event Organization: Revenue from organizing scientific congresses, conferences and seminars for external clients. Services include registration, website management, e-marketing, program creation, proceedings management, exhibition management and multi-lingual support. References include MNE 2026, Swiss NanoConvention, EFTF 2024.
3. Association Secretariat Services: Administrative and secretariat services provided to professional associations and industry networks (Micronarc, Swiss MNT Network, sensors.ch, Solar Swiss Connect). FSRM manages communications, accounting and operational coordination.
4. Customized In-Company Training: Revenue from developing and delivering bespoke training programs for specific company needs, conducted on-site at client premises.
5. EU Project Dissemination Services: FSRM participates in EU-funded research projects as a partner, leading work packages for dissemination, communication, training and exploitation of results. Switzerland is not associated with Horizon Europe but Swiss partners are eligible as regular project partners with 100% government funding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

FSRM is a Swiss nonprofit foundation that delivers short, intensive continuing education courses for engineers, technicians, and managers in microtechnology, watchmaking, production, quality, management, and emerging technologies. The foundation also provides congress and event organization services, EU project dissemination services, and association secretariat support, leveraging a network of over 200 specialist instructors from industry and research.

Product overview

FSRM Swiss Foundation for Research in Microtechnology operates as a continuing education and research dissemination organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of training and professional development services. The core offering consists of over 150 professional training courses spanning technical domains (micro- and nanotechnology, materials, manufacturing, quality, metrology, medical devices, watchmaking) and management topics (project management, leadership, marketing). These courses are delivered by over 200 specialists from industry and research. Complementing the course catalog, FSRM provides events organization services for congresses and seminars, EU project dissemination and communication services, and management/organizational expertise for professional associations. The organization also runs specialized projects including the Innovation Tour (economic missions) and FSRM-Kids (youth outreach), and offers customized company-specific training. The foundation serves over 300 companies annually across watchmaking, microtechnology, medtech, and precision industries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FSRM-Kids: Science and technology discovery workshops for children aged 7-13
• Innovation Tour

Products and services

• Professional Training Courses
• Events Organization Services
• EU Project Dissemination Services
• Management and Organization Expertise
• Customized Company Courses
• Innovation Tour

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 20,000 engineers and technicians supported since founding in 1978
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers36 records

Segments4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

28 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• EFTF 2024 (European Frequency and Time Forum)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024FSRM is co-organizer of the European Frequency and Time Forum 2024 held in Neuchâtel with 475 participants.
• EPFL AlumniminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSRM is partner of the association for training activities, providing continuing education courses to EPFL alumni network.
• EMPA-AkademieminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer for courses in German language. Courses on topics such as Laser Micromachining held at EMPA Akademie in Dübendorf.
• Microcity SAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSRM is a stakeholder of Microcity SA, a technology park and innovation hub at EPFL. Microcity hosts many events and serves as a venue for training courses.
• Haute Ecole Arc IngénierieminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for hands-on courses, including machining and milling of lead-free brasses at the Le Locle campus.
• Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSRM collaborates with FHH for practical watchmaking courses, combining expertise in watchmaking education.
• fablab-neuchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSRM collaborates with fablab-NEUCH for practical courses on 3D printing, providing hands-on training infrastructure.
• MicronarccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSRM manages the intercantonal platform Micronarc, responsible for exchange, communication and promotion of micro and nanotechnologies in Western Switzerland. Operates Micronarc Alpine Meeting.
• Swiss MNT NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSRM ensures the secretariat and accounting of the Swiss MNT Network association, contributing to coordination of micro and nanotechnologies community.
• sensors.chcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSRM holds the presidency and secretariat of the sensors.ch association, coordinating the Swiss sensor technology community.
• Solar Swiss ConnectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSRM is represented on the committee and assumes the secretariat and accounting of the Solar Swiss Connect association.
• Swiss ePrintminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSRM co-organizes the Swiss ePrint Conference on Printed Electronics and Functional Materials.
• Swiss NanoConventioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSRM co-organizes the annual Swiss NanoConvention, a major nanotechnology conference in Switzerland.
• Micromachine SummitminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSRM leads the Swiss delegation to the Micromachine Summit, representing Swiss microtechnology industry internationally.
• CTI (Swiss Innovation Agency)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSRM organizes the annual Micro Nano Day for CTI/SERI, bringing together the Swiss micro and nanotechnology community.
• NanoTeraminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNano-Tera is a Swiss federal program funding scientific projects. FSRM leads an education/dissemination project within the program.
• arcjurassien.chcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSRM leads the Innovation Tour project supported by the intercantonal regional policy program Arc Jurassien, with funding from the Confederation and cantons of Bern, Jura, Neuchâtel and Vaud. The project organizes economic missions to innovation poles in the region.
• SATW (Swiss Academy of Technical Sciences)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSRM is a member of the SATW academy, contributing to technical sciences coordination in Switzerland.
• Association Suisse de Normalisation (SNV)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss Association for Standardization - FSRM collaborates on standards-related training and certification courses.
• Swiss Plastics ClusterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSRM is a partner of the association for training actions in plastics technology.
• Swiss Electronics ClusterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSRM is a founding member of the Swiss Electronics Cluster.
• CleantechAlpsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSRM is project partner and responsible for dissemination and communication within CleantechAlps network.
• Association PME et Créateurs d'EntreprisesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSRM is a member of the SME and Business Creators association.
• GESO (Groupement Electronique de Suisse Occidentale)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSRM is represented in the committee of GESO, the Electronics Group of Western Switzerland.
• ChipScope (EU Project)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU-funded research project where FSRM leads the Communication, Dissemination, Exploitation work package.
• EuroTraining / EuroTraining-MST (EU Projects)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU-funded training projects where FSRM serves as coordinator for both projects.
• IAQSense, Express, Polybright, Nano2Life, Pronano (EU Projects)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU-funded research projects where FSRM leads the Dissemination, Exploitation, Training work packages.
• ASSEMIC (EU Project)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU-funded project where FSRM serves as Training Manager.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Swissmem: Swiss mechanical and electrical engineering industry association providing training, HR services and continuing education to MEM (machinery, electrical, metals) companies. Adjacent as a Swiss industry-association training provider for the same enterprise customer base.
• Fraunhofer Academy: Continuing education arm of Germany's Fraunhofer applied research institutes, delivering technical training programs to industry professionals. Larger, broader-incumbent version of FSRM's model, with much greater scale and international footprint.
• SATW (Swiss Academy of Technical Sciences): Swiss Academy of Technical Sciences — a network of technical experts that runs continuing education and policy programs. FSRM is a SATW member; SATW operates at a broader/national level with overlap in technical training and expert coordination in Switzerland.

Direct peers

• EPFL Continuing Education (EPFL Extension School): EPFL's professional and continuing education programs target engineers and managers with technical and management upskilling. Highly comparable to FSRM's positioning in Switzerland and increasingly overlapping content in microtechnology, AI and Industry 4.0.
• CSEM (Centre Suisse d'Electronique et de Microtechnique): Swiss applied research center for microtechnology, nanotechnology and systems engineering. Closely comparable as a Swiss microtechnology organization that runs training and innovation programs serving the same industrial audience as FSRM, and a venue partner for the Innovation Tour.
• Haute Ecole Arc Ingénierie: Swiss University of Applied Sciences campus in Le Locle offering hands-on technical courses, including machining/milling of lead-free brasses. Direct peer in the same Swiss precision-industry training ecosystem, with active FSRM partnership for practical course delivery.
• Mikrocentrum: Dutch knowledge and networking organization for precision engineering and microtechnology, running industry events and training programs across micro- and nanotechnologies. Closely analogous to FSRM in scope and mission outside Switzerland.
• IVAM Microtechnology Network: Germany-based international microtechnology network running events, workshops and training for high-tech companies. Same industry vertical (MNT) and same association-driven training/event business model as FSRM, with cross-border reach into Swiss member firms.
• HEIG-VD (Haute Ecole d'Ingénierie et de Gestion du Canton de Vaud): Swiss University of Applied Sciences providing engineering and management continuing education programs. Listed as an FSRM customer and a comparable continuing education provider in the same Swiss engineering-training market.
• EMPA-Akademie: Swiss federal materials science and technology research institute that operates its own continuing education academy (Akademie) in Dübendorf, offering technical courses in German language. Directly comparable to FSRM as a co-organizer and direct channel for technical training delivery in Switzerland.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/fsrmch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fsrm-swiss-foundation-for-research-in-microtechnology

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about FSRM Swiss Foundation for Research in Microtechnology