The International Commission for the Protection of the Waters of Lake Geneva - CIPEL

Name

The International Commission for the Protection of the Waters of Lake Geneva - CIPEL

Legal name

Commission internationale pour la protection des eaux du Léman (CIPEL) / International Commission for the Protection of the Waters of Lake Geneva

Website

https://cipel.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Transboundary Water Resource Management

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (541620), Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (924110), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Oceans, Coastal & Marine Resource Management (BPADALAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wetlands & Waters of the U.S. Delineation / Riparian Assessments (EUAHAHAC), Environmental Monitoring, Data & Reporting (Air/Water/Soil) (BPAIAMAC), International Standards Development & Standardization Bodies (BPADANAA)

Keywords

• Transboundary water management
• Environmental monitoring services
• Limnological research
• Lake water quality data
• Intergovernmental environmental cooperation

Headquarters

HQ city

Geneva

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Governmental/Intergovernmental Funding: CIPEL operates as an intergovernmental organization funded by France and Switzerland to coordinate the management and protection of Lake Geneva waters. The organization does not generate commercial revenue but is sustained through governmental contributions and international cooperation between the two countries.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CIPEL coordinates Franco-Swiss scientific monitoring, environmental data platforms, and public education for the protection of Lake Geneva waters. Its core deliverables are real-time and historical lake-quality data (Léman Live, Beach Map, Limnothèque, Scientific Reports, Limnological Bulletin, Dashboard) and stakeholder engagement programs (Ateliers Lémaniques workshops and a traveling exhibition). Services are funded through governmental and intergovernmental contributions and provided free of charge to the public.

Product overview

CIPEL operates as an intergovernmental organization (not a typical tech company) providing environmental monitoring and protection services for Lake Geneva. Its core product portfolio consists of real-time data platforms (Léman Live, Beach Map), scientific monitoring and reporting systems (Scientific Reports, Limnological Bulletins, Dashboard/Tableau de bord), and public engagement services (Educational Workshops, Traveling Exhibition). The products work together as an integrated environmental management system: real-time monitoring feeds into quarterly and annual reports, which inform the Action Plan, while public-facing tools like the beach map and workshops disseminate findings to stakeholders and citizens. The Limnothèque serves as the central data repository connecting all these offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Léman Live Real-time data platform displaying lake currents, temperatures, and water dynamics for Lake Geneva through hydrodynamic numerical modeling and continuous measurements. Available to the public free of charge via the CIPEL website.
• Beach Map (Carte des plages) Interactive web application cataloging 120 beaches around Lake Geneva with annual water quality analysis data, provided to the public free of charge for recreation planning.
• Scientific Reports (Rapports scientifiques) Annual comprehensive scientific reports documenting campaigns and studies on Lake Geneva's ecological state, with data spanning 1957 to present. Provided free of charge to governments, researchers, and the public.
• Limnological Bulletin (Bulletin limnologique) Quarterly bulletin summarizing measurement data including water temperature, transparency, dissolved oxygen concentration, and chlorophyll-a concentration from CIPEL monitoring points. Provided free of charge.
• Ateliers Lémaniques (Educational Workshops) Immersive educational workshops for schools, associations, and public institutions covering Lake Geneva ecosystems, including presentations, river excursions, snorkeling experiences, and interactive pollution response role-playing games, facilitated by a scientific mediator.
• Limnothèque (Data Catalogue) Comprehensive data catalogue containing decades of studies, monitoring data, indicators, and reports on Lake Geneva's water quality and ecological status, freely accessible to the public.
• Dashboard (Tableau de bord) Annual monitoring indicator system with nearly 60 indicators tracking the state of natural habitats and implementation progress of the 2021-2030 Action Plan, provided to the public and policymakers.
• Natural Environments Exhibition (Exposition itinérante) Free traveling exhibition of 6 rollups illustrating the 5 distinct natural environments around Lake Geneva, lent at no charge for regional events with postcard-format leaflets available.

Quantifiable outcome

• Phosphorus levels in Lake Geneva have decreased since the 1980s due to proactive policy measures coordinated by CIPEL.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Eawag (Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology)coreTechnology or IntegrationEawag provides the LéXPLORE platform for continuous water temperature measurements and the Meteolakes system for hydrodynamic modeling of Lake Geneva. Eawag calculates real-time current velocity, direction, and water temperature using meteorological data, updated every 3 hours.
• INRAE (Institut national de recherche pour l'agriculture, l'environnement)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerINRAE conducts measurement campaigns at the SHL2 monitoring point in Thonon, contributing to CIPEL's scientific monitoring program for Lake Geneva.
• FabWildPixminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on educational videos about Lake Geneva's natural environments, including reed beds, macrophytes, and river mouths.
• Pierre-Abraham RochatminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIllustrator for the traveling exhibition on Lake Geneva's natural environments.
• LéXPLORE PlatformcoreTechnology or IntegrationOffshore platform near Pully, Switzerland measuring water temperature continuously (every 10 minutes) at various depths. Data accessible through Datalakes-Eawag.
• Datalakes (Eawag)coreTechnology or IntegrationPlatform making LéXPLORE temperature measurements accessible to the public, showing temperature evolution over time and depth.

Scale indicators6 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Broad incumbents

• Eawag (Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology): Switzerland's primary aquatic research institute and CIPEL's most important technology partner. Operates at much larger scale across all aquatic science, supplies the Léman Live platform and hydrodynamic modeling infrastructure that powers CIPEL's real-time public data capabilities.
• INRAE (French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment): France's primary agricultural and environmental research institute and CIPEL's bilateral scientific partner. Conducts measurement campaigns at the SHL2 monitoring point in Thonon, providing critical French-side scientific data for CIPEL's monitoring program.

Others

• International Network of Basin Organizations (INBO): Global network of river and lake basin organizations where CIPEL participates through EURO-INBO. Not a competitor but an ecosystem enabler that facilitates knowledge sharing across transboundary water commissions including CIPEL.

Direct peers

• International Meuse Commission (IMC): Intergovernmental commission for the Meuse River across Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. Similar transboundary water governance model with coordinated monitoring and policy implementation functions.
• International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine (ICPR): Intergovernmental commission coordinating Rhine River protection across Switzerland, Germany, France, and the Netherlands. Same intergovernmental model applied to a transboundary waterway, with similar scientific monitoring and Action Plan governance structures.
• International Commission for the Protection of Lake Constance (IGKB): Intergovernmental body coordinating protection of Lake Constance across Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. Closest structural peer to CIPEL: same binational/multinational commission model, same lake protection mandate, same scientific monitoring approach for a transboundary European lake.
• International Commission for the Protection of the Moselle and Saar (CIPMS): Intergovernmental commission coordinating protection of the Moselle and Saar rivers across Luxembourg, Germany, and France. Comparable trilateral governance model, scientific monitoring mandate, and cross-border basin management approach.
• International Sava River Basin Commission (ISRBC): Intergovernmental commission coordinating the Sava River basin across Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia. Comparable international commission model for transboundary water protection with multilateral governance.
• International Scheldt Commission (ISC): Intergovernmental commission coordinating Scheldt estuary protection across France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Direct peer in transboundary water governance, scientific monitoring coordination, and stakeholder engagement.
• International Commission for the Protection of the Waters of Lake Lugano (CIPAIS): Binational Swiss-Italian commission protecting Lake Lugano with virtually identical mandate structure to CIPEL. Directly comparable in scope, governance model, and scientific monitoring focus on a transboundary lake.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCcJcHUWQH3NoI2ihXt78ShA
• Facebookfacebook.com/cipeleman
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cipel
• Instagraminstagram.com/lemancipel

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

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The International Commission for the Protection of the Waters of Lake Geneva - CIPEL