Smart City Lab Grenchen
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersGrenchen, Switzerland
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
Smart City Lab Grenchen firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Smart City Lab Grenchen
- Legal name
- Verein Smart City Lab Grenchen
- Website
- https://smartcitylabgrenchen.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Smart City Lab Grenchen industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Smart City Solutions
- NAICS
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Smart Cities & Urban Innovation Programs (Digital Planning, Civic Tech for Cities) (BPAIANAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Lighting Controls & Smart Lighting Systems (BPABAGAC), Multi-Sensor Environmental Monitoring Hubs & Smart Home Integrations (HSAHAGAJ)
Keywords
Where Smart City Lab Grenchen is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Grenchen
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Smart City Lab Grenchen business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Hardware Sales: Sale of Smart Energy Coach Kits (180 CHF) and Smart Citizen Sensor Kits (150 CHF) to citizens for home installation and participation in smart city projects.
- Grant Funding: Project funding from government programs including 60,000 CHF from EnergieSchweiz (Swiss Federal Office of Energy) for the Smart Energy Coach project.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Smart Energy Coach Kit - Santa Edition |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Smart Citizen Kit |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Smart City Lab Grenchen product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Smart City Lab Grenchen is a Swiss non-profit association (Verein) that develops and operates smart city platforms for the city of Grenchen. Its core offering centers on the Smart Energy Coach — an integrated hardware kit (Raspberry Pi-based smart meter reader) and mobile app that lets residents visualize electricity, gas, and water consumption with gamification to encourage savings. Complementary offerings include a citizen-built environmental sensor network on the pulse.eco platform, a circular street lighting upgrade program (LumaUP), and community workshops/meetups on smart city topics.
Product overview
Smart City Lab Grenchen is a non-profit association (Verein) that promotes smart city development in Grenchen, Switzerland through an 'open' smart city approach. The core offering consists of the Smart Energy Coach platform (including hardware kit, mobile app, and citizen co-development program) for energy visualization and savings, supported by projects like circular street lighting (LumaUP), environmental monitoring (pulse.eco), thermal imaging (ThermoPlaner3D), and citizen sensor networks (Smart Citizen Kit). Additional services include public WiFi infrastructure and an energy dashboard. The association serves as a networking hub connecting citizens, administration, and businesses around topics like eGovernment, Smart Mobility, Smart Environment & Energy, Smart Economy, Smart Living, and Smart Citizen.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Smart Energy Coach: A technical solution for visualizing smart meter energy data with gamification elements to encourage energy saving among Grenchen residents. Includes an Android app, hardware kit (Smart Energy Coach Box), and community workshops.
Products and services
- Smart Energy Coach Platform Integrated energy visualization and savings platform consisting of a hardware kit (Smart Energy Coach Box), a mobile app, and a citizen co-development program. Reads smart meter data to help Grenchen residents monitor and reduce their electricity, gas, and water consumption through gamification and personalized recommendations.
- Smart Energy Coach Kit DIY hardware kit (Raspberry Pi 4.0-based) priced at CHF 180 plus 7 CHF shipping, including enclosure, power supply, SD card, ELV optical reading head for smart meters, and Smart Energy Coach firmware prototype. Records electricity, gas, and water consumption data for upload to the Smart Energy Coach App.
- Smart Energy Coach App Mobile application for Android (iOS announced for early 2025) that visualizes energy consumption data (electricity, gas, water), provides gamification elements like points and competitions, and offers individual energy profiles and personalized saving recommendations based on 365-day consumption history.
- Smart Citizen Kit DIY environmental sensor kit (open-source hardware from Fab Lab Barcelona) priced at CHF 150 that measures air temperature/humidity, noise levels, light pollution, air pressure, CO2, VOC, and fine dust PM1/2.5/10. Includes Smart Citizen Main Board, Sensor Board, PM2.5 Sensor, Micro-SD card, USB power supply, USB cable, and outdoor housing.
- pulse.eco Grenchen environmental sensor network Citizen-operated environmental monitoring network displaying locally collected data on fine dust, noise emissions, temperature, humidity, and light pollution on a digital city map of Grenchen and the surrounding region between Biel and Solothurn. Data published to the pulse.eco platform (Netcetera).
- SWG Energie-Dashboard (Energy Dashboard) Public energy dashboard accessible to all Grenchen citizens at grenzen.swg.ch, showing real-time and historical electricity consumption including photovoltaic generation and energy-saving tips. Developed by SWG in collaboration with Sensioty as a smart city initiative coordinated through Smart City Lab Grenchen.
Quantifiable outcome
- 76% CO2 savings through circular lighting upgrade of Luma Gen1 streetlights
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Smart City Lab Grenchen
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Smart City Lab Grenchen technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
AI capability6 records
Feature3 records
Smart City Lab Grenchen partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- Sensioty AGcoreInitiating partner of Smart City Lab Grenchen along with the city's economic development agency. Specializes in IoT and Smart City technologies. Provided expertise for Smart Grid and smart city infrastructure development.
- HFTM (Höhere Fachschule für Technik Mittelland)coreHigher technical college providing expertise and hosting workshops and educational events. Contributes faculty and students to smart city projects.
- SevenBit GmbHsupportingLocal ICT and web service provider contributing technology expertise and hosting services for smart city initiatives.
- Elektron AGcoreLighting and smart infrastructure company initiating circular lighting projects including LumaUP and City of Grenchen initiative. Leads sustainable outdoor lighting development.
- SWG (Städtische Werke Grenchen)coreMunicipal utility company providing smart meter infrastructure and energy data for the Energy Dashboard and Smart Energy Coach projects.
- GAG (Gemeinschaftsantennen-Anlage Region Grenchen AG)coreLocal telecommunications provider operating public WiFi infrastructure and contributing to smart city connectivity projects.
- Fab Lab BarcelonasupportingProvides Smart Citizen Kit technology - open-source hardware platform for environmental sensing. Foundation for citizen-built sensor network.
- NetceterasupportingProvides pulse.eco platform for environmental data collection and visualization from citizen sensor network.
- SignifycoreInternational lighting company providing Interact City platform for connected street lighting and Zhaga interfaces for the circular lighting upgrade project.
- VEBO GenossenschaftcoreSocial institution with approximately 1,900 employees performing circular economy upgrades of streetlights. Provides meaningful employment for people with disabilities while supporting sustainability goals.
- Stadt Grenchen (City of Grenchen)coreMunicipal government and founding partner providing strategic direction and hosting smart city initiatives.
- Future City AlliancesupportingInternational network connecting smart city initiatives for knowledge sharing and best practice exchange.
- ZHAW (Zürcher Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften)supportingPartner in ThermoPlaner3D Innosuisse project providing physics expertise for infrared measurement and building energy balance calculations.
- FHNW (Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz)supportingPartner in ThermoPlaner3D project contributing to microclimate detection and thermal image normalization.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Smart City Lab Grenchen competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Signify (Interact City): Global lighting leader whose Interact City platform already powers Smart City Lab's circular streetlight upgrade. Comparable as the broad incumbent providing the underlying connected-lighting infrastructure for municipal smart city programs.
- Itron: Utility-focused smart city/IoT platform provider for water, gas, and electricity. Comparable as a broad incumbent in smart meter data and utility customer engagement, overlapping with the Smart Energy Coach use case.
- Siemens Smart Infrastructure: Sells building/urban energy management and infrastructure software at scale. Comparable as a broad incumbent covering the same digital-twin, energy, and building telemetry categories that Smart City Lab addresses for a single Swiss municipality.
- Cisco (Kinetic for Cities / IoT): Large networking and IoT vendor with municipal smart city offerings. Comparable as a broad incumbent whose connectivity and data platform layers overlap with the LoRaWAN/public WiFi/sensor network stack used by Smart City Lab.
Direct peers
- Cityzenith: Digital twin and smart city platform provider. Comparable as a software-led smart city platform aggregating building, energy, and environmental data for municipalities; both serve the same customer profile (city governments seeking integrated urban intelligence).
Emerging players
- Urbio: Smart city platform focused on community engagement and urban sustainability projects. Comparable as an emerging player targeting the same municipal use cases (citizen engagement, sustainability data) as Smart City Lab, but with a broader SaaS offering.
Others
- Fab Lab Barcelona: Originator of the Smart Citizen open-source environmental sensor kit used by Smart City Lab. Comparable as an open-source technology provider and ecosystem partner in citizen-science smart city infrastructure.
- Netcetera: Swiss software vendor that provides the pulse.eco platform used by Smart City Lab. Comparable as a technology enabler supplying the citizen environmental-data infrastructure that the lab leverages for its smart city offerings.
- Future City Alliance: International network of smart city initiatives of which Smart City Lab is a member. Comparable as a peer network and knowledge-sharing consortium for municipal smart city programs.
Regional players
- Smart City Winterthur: Other Swiss municipal smart city program of comparable scale and citizen-engagement orientation. Comparable as a regional peer in the same national context pursuing similar eGovernment, smart energy, and smart living agendas.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Smart City Lab Grenchen social profiles
Digital presenceSmart City Lab Grenchen financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Smart City Lab Grenchen leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Smart City Lab Grenchen funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Smart City Lab Grenchen 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 Smart City Lab Grenchen
What does Smart City Lab Grenchen do?
Smart City Lab Grenchen is a Swiss non-profit association (Verein) that develops and operates smart city platforms for the city of Grenchen. Its core offering centers on the Smart Energy Coach — an integrated hardware kit (Raspberry Pi-based smart meter reader) and mobile app that lets residents visualize electricity, gas, and water consumption with gamification to encourage savings. Complementary offerings include a citizen-built environmental sensor network on the pulse.eco platform, a circular street lighting upgrade program (LumaUP), and community workshops/meetups on smart city topics.
Is Smart City Lab Grenchen a public or private company?
Smart City Lab Grenchen is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Smart City Lab Grenchen founded?
Smart City Lab Grenchen was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Smart City Lab Grenchen based?
Smart City Lab Grenchen is headquartered in Grenchen, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does Smart City Lab Grenchen make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are grant Funding.
Who are Smart City Lab Grenchen's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Signify (Interact City), Itron, Siemens Smart Infrastructure and Cisco (Kinetic for Cities / IoT). Cityzenith is listed as a direct peer. Urbio is listed as an emerging player. Others are Fab Lab Barcelona, Netcetera and Future City Alliance. Smart City Winterthur is listed as a regional player.
Does Smart City Lab Grenchen have an API?
Yes. The Smart Energy Coach features a REST API that allows users to retrieve energy consumption data (electricity, gas, water) for integration into external dashboards and applications. Access to the API is demonstrated in the Power BI workshop context where users learn to connect to the Smart Energy Coach REST API for data visualization.
What industry is Smart City Lab Grenchen in?
Smart City Lab Grenchen's product category is Smart City Solutions. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIANAJ, Smart Cities & Urban Innovation Programs (Digital Planning, Civic Tech for Cities), with a secondary code of BPABAGAC, Lighting Controls & Smart Lighting Systems. Its NAICS code is 54151 and its SIC code is 7373.