AlgorithmWatch CH
AlgorithmWatch CH is a Zurich-based non-profit founded in 2020 that conducts investigative research, builds transparency databases, and advocates for evidence-based policy on algorithmic systems and AI, serving the Swiss public, policymakers, trade unions, and public administration.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersZurich, Switzerland
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What AlgorithmWatch CH does
AlgorithmWatch CH is a Zurich-based, non-governmental non-profit organization founded in 2020 that conducts investigative research, builds transparency tools, and advocates for evidence-based policy on algorithmic systems and artificial intelligence in Switzerland. The organization serves the general public, civil society, policymakers, trade unions, and public administration, with a stated mission to ensure that algorithms and AI strengthen rather than weaken justice, democracy, human rights, and sustainability. Its principal outputs are research products rather than commercial software: the Atlas of Automation, a continuously updated database mapping algorithmic systems used across Swiss cantons; the RAISD research project, a multi-year collaboration with the University of Zurich analyzing AI-generated search summaries (45,000+ AI summaries and 940,000+ citations collected across German, French, Italian, Romansh, and English); the Climate & AI Coalition, a network project on sustainable AI policy; the AI Impact Assessment Tool for public authorities; and position papers, publications, and the bi-weekly AlgorithmNews CH newsletter. Underlying technology consists of web scraping infrastructure, annotation tooling, and an interactive public dashboard, with all content released under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0.
The organization's go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: it engages through public consultations with the Swiss Federal Council, Parliament, UN bodies, and the Council of Europe, alongside media outreach, conferences, and a multi-platform social presence. Revenue is generated entirely through philanthropic channels — primarily multi-year grants from Swiss foundations (Mercator Foundation Switzerland, Christoph Merian Foundation, Ernst Göhner Foundation, Hasler Foundation) and project-specific supporters (ClimaNow, Democracy Foundation Basel, Horizon Europe) — supplemented by individual donations and a 'Friends' membership program. AlgorithmWatch CH sells no products or services; all research, tools, and publications are provided free of charge. The organization is part of the broader AlgorithmWatch network, which also operates from Berlin, and is supported by an Advisory Committee of approximately 15 external experts from academia, politics, business, and civil society.
AlgorithmWatch CH firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- AlgorithmWatch CH
- Legal name
- AlgorithmWatch CH
- Website
- https://algorithmwatch.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- AlgorithmWatch CH is a Zurich-based non-profit founded in 2020 that conducts investigative research, builds transparency databases, and advocates for evidence-based policy on algorithmic systems and AI, serving the Swiss public, policymakers, trade unions, and public administration.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
AlgorithmWatch CH industry classification
Industry- Product category
- AI Policy Research and Advocacy
- akta.pro primary industry
- Regulatory Readiness & Audit Automation (e.g., EU AI Act, NIST AI RMF, ISO/IEC 42001) (HDAAAMAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Model Monitoring, Accountability & Incident Management (HDAAAMAF)
Keywords
Where AlgorithmWatch CH is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Zurich
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
AlgorithmWatch CH business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Donations & Membership: AlgorithmWatch CH accepts donations from individuals, with tax-deductible donation receipts available. Also offers a 'Friends' membership program. Donations can be made via TWINT, bank transfer, PayPal, credit card, or postcard.
- Foundation Grants & Sponsorship: Primary funding comes from Swiss foundations including Mercator Foundation Switzerland, Christoph Merian Foundation, Ernst Göhner Foundation, Hasler Foundation, ClimaNow, and Democracy Foundation Basel. These grants support specific projects such as the RAISD research project and the Climate & AI Coalition.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels10 records
AlgorithmWatch CH product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AlgorithmWatch CH is a non-governmental, non-profit research and advocacy organization that investigates the societal impact of algorithmic systems and AI in Switzerland. The organization produces investigative research, maintains public databases documenting algorithmic systems used by public and private actors, develops practical governance frameworks such as an AI Impact Assessment Tool, and submits evidence-based policy recommendations to Swiss and international regulators. All outputs (research, tools, databases, publications) are provided free of charge to the public.
Product overview
AlgorithmWatch CH is a non-governmental, non-profit research and advocacy organization that does not sell a commercial software product but rather produces investigative research, databases, and policy frameworks. Its main offerings include the Atlas of Automation (a database of algorithmic systems used in Switzerland), the RAISD research project on AI and democracy, the Climate & AI Coalition network, the FINDHR project on AI hiring discrimination, and an AI Impact Assessment Tool. These are complemented by publications, position papers, and the AlgorithmNews CH newsletter. The organization focuses on evidence-based advocacy to shape governance of algorithms and AI to benefit society broadly.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Atlas of Automation
- AI Impact Assessment Tool
Quantifiable outcome
- Collected and analyzed >45,000 AI summaries with >940,000 citations from Google and Bing search engines over ~9 weeks, covering all four Swiss national languages and English.
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use AlgorithmWatch CH
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
AlgorithmWatch CH technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
AlgorithmWatch CH partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- University of Zurich – Department of InformaticscoreAlgorithmWatch CH and the Department of Informatics at the University of Zurich (Social Computing Group) jointly conduct the RAISD research project (January 2026–December 2028), investigating how AI affects democracy and society in Switzerland. The collaboration combines civil society advocacy with academic rigor, including joint hiring of research staff and co-authorship of publications. This partnership is central to AlgorithmWatch CH's research mandate.
- ClimaNowcoreClimaNow is a key collaborator in the Climate & AI Coalition project (June 2026–May 2028), a network bringing together stakeholders from climate and AI sectors in Switzerland and Germany to develop evidence-based recommendations for climate-friendly AI.
- Horizon Europe (FINDHR project)majorAlgorithmWatch CH participates in the European Horizon Europe FINDHR research project alongside multiple European partners, developing algorithms, methods, and training to reduce discrimination in AI-driven recruitment. This is a multi-country collaboration aimed at tackling algorithmic hiring discrimination.
- Syndicom (Trade Union)minorAlgorithmWatch CH conducted a joint project with trade union syndicom to investigate how employees can be empowered when algorithmic systems are used in the workplace, developing recommendations for worker rights and participation.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
AlgorithmWatch CH competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Future of Life Institute: Civil society organization focused on AI governance and existential risk, actively engaged in EU AI Act advocacy and policy submissions—overlapping regulatory advocacy focus.
- AlgorithmWatch: Berlin-based parent/sibling organization also focused on algorithmic accountability and AI ethics, with overlapping leadership and shared civil society research/advocacy model. Most directly comparable organization.
- Access Now: Global civil society organization defending digital rights, including extensive AI policy advocacy at UN, EU, and national levels—directly comparable policy engagement model.
- AI Now Institute: US-based research institute producing policy research on AI accountability, algorithmic bias, and governance—same civil society research-to-policy model targeting public authorities.
- European Digital Rights (EDRi): European umbrella network of civil society organizations defending digital rights and freedoms, including algorithmic accountability and AI regulation—comparable advocacy coalition model.
- The Center for AI and Digital Policy: US-based organization focused on AI policy and digital rights, producing AI policy recommendations and engaging with international governance bodies—similar policy research and advocacy scope.
- Ada Lovelace Institute: UK-based independent AI ethics research organization producing evidence-based research on AI and society, with similar funding mix and policy advocacy approach.
Broad incumbents
- Mozilla Foundation: Larger foundation funding responsible technology and AI accountability research/advocacy—broader digital civil society portfolio with overlapping trustworthy AI focus.
- Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI (HAI): Major academic AI policy research center producing influential AI Index reports and policy briefs—broader and more resourced, but operating in adjacent AI governance research space.
Emerging players
- Fondation pour les Études Progressistes (FEPS) / Think Tank Cluster: European progressive think tank network engaging on AI regulation and digital policy at EU level—adjacent civil society policy ecosystem addressing AI governance.
Market position
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
AlgorithmWatch CH social profiles
Digital presenceAlgorithmWatch CH financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
AlgorithmWatch CH leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
AlgorithmWatch CH funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
AlgorithmWatch CH M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about AlgorithmWatch CH
What does AlgorithmWatch CH do?
AlgorithmWatch CH is a non-governmental, non-profit research and advocacy organization that investigates the societal impact of algorithmic systems and AI in Switzerland. The organization produces investigative research, maintains public databases documenting algorithmic systems used by public and private actors, develops practical governance frameworks such as an AI Impact Assessment Tool, and submits evidence-based policy recommendations to Swiss and international regulators. All outputs (research, tools, databases, publications) are provided free of charge to the public.
Is AlgorithmWatch CH a public or private company?
AlgorithmWatch CH is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was AlgorithmWatch CH founded?
AlgorithmWatch CH was founded in 2020. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is AlgorithmWatch CH based?
AlgorithmWatch CH is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does AlgorithmWatch CH make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations & Membership is the primary driver. The others are foundation Grants & Sponsorship.
Who are AlgorithmWatch CH's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Future of Life Institute, AlgorithmWatch, Access Now, AI Now Institute, European Digital Rights (EDRi), The Center for AI and Digital Policy and Ada Lovelace Institute. Broad incumbents are Mozilla Foundation and Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI (HAI). Fondation pour les Études Progressistes (FEPS) / Think Tank Cluster is listed as an emerging player.
Does AlgorithmWatch CH have an API?
No public API is recorded for AlgorithmWatch CH.
What industry is AlgorithmWatch CH in?
AlgorithmWatch CH's product category is AI Policy Research and Advocacy. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAAAMAE, Regulatory Readiness & Audit Automation (e.g., EU AI Act, NIST AI RMF, ISO/IEC 42001), with a secondary code of HDAAAMAF, Model Monitoring, Accountability & Incident Management.