spm | Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Projektmanagement

What spm | Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Projektmanagement does

spm (Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Projektmanagement), founded in 1983 and headquartered in Glattbrugg, Zürich, is the leading independent Swiss professional association for project management. It serves individual project management professionals, young practitioners under 35 via the IPMA Young Crew program, companies across insurance, energy, transport/logistics, manufacturing, IT, finance, and public-sector institutions, plus a network of training and consulting partners. Its core offering is a membership-based platform delivering networking, knowledge exchange, professional development, and IPMA certification pathways.

The association's product surface centers on Swiss-adapted IPMA competence standards — swiss.ICB4 (project, programme, and portfolio management), Swiss OCB (organisational competence), Swiss PEB (project excellence), and swiss.ICB4agile — sold as PDFs and printed volumes through shop.spm.ch via the edubase platform. A 2026 publication extends the catalogue into AI applications for project management. Technical operations are lightweight: the main spm.ch website, an e-commerce shop, the edubase/edubook digital and print-on-demand infrastructure, and a member area. Distribution leverages the website, newsletter, LinkedIn (Young Crew), a cross-border pma Austria podcast partnership, and an in-person event programme (Frühjahrstagung, PM Camp Zürich, spm.talk, spm.unterwegs site visits, regional Stammtisch in Basel/Bern/Zürich and online).

Revenue mechanics blend subscription-recurring membership fees tiered from CHF 45 (students) to CHF 25,000+ (patrons), with one-time publication sales (CHF 19.50–95), event participation fees, and facilitation of IPMA certifications through VZPM. The 11-person operational team is supported by a 10-member volunteer board and an extensive Fachgruppen (expert group) leadership structure covering KI/AI, healthcare, infrastructure, PMO, IT bridge, and conflict management. The go-to-market motion is community- and event-led, anchored on the IPMA brand.

Name

spm | Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Projektmanagement

Legal name

Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Projektmanagement

Website

https://spm.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

spm, founded in 1983 in Switzerland, is the leading independent professional association for project management professionals, offering IPMA certification pathways, Swiss-adapted competence standards, expert groups, events, and publications to individuals, companies, and public institutions across Switzerland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Glattbrugg

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees from individuals, companies, organizations, and public institutions. Tiers include student (CHF 45), Young Crew (CHF 90), individual (CHF 180), company membership 1 (CHF 400), company membership 2 (CHF 650), and patron/gonor membership (from CHF 25,000).
2. Publication Sales: Sales of digital and printed publications including the AI in Project Management e-book (CHF 19.50), IPMA ICB standards (CHF 35-40 for printed versions), and bundled packages (CHF 95 for ICB4 bundle).
3. Event Participation: Revenue from event registrations including conferences, workshops, seminars, and regional Stammtisch gatherings. Some events offer free participation with confirmation for IPMA-certified attendees.
4. IPMA Certification Services: Facilitation of IPMA certifications through the VZPM (Verein zur Zertifizierung von Personen im Management). The association connects training seekers with registered training providers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

spm is a non-profit professional association that delivers membership services to Swiss project management practitioners, including access to a national and international network, IPMA certification pathways (Levels A-D) administered via VZPM, expert groups (Fachgruppen) covering AI, healthcare, PMO, infrastructure and other domains, and a calendar of recurring events (Frühjahrstagung, PM Camp, spm.talk, spm.unterwegs, regional Stammtisch). The association also publishes and sells Swiss-adapted competence standards and practical guides including swiss.ICB4, Swiss OCB, Swiss PEB and the AI in Project Management handbook.

Product overview

spm offers a portfolio of professional publications and standards for project management in Switzerland. The core offerings include the Swiss-adapted IPMA competence baselines (swiss.ICB4) covering project, programme and portfolio management in German, French, and English, along with organizational competence (swiss.OCB1) and project excellence baselines (swiss.PEB1). A recent addition is 'Das Schweizer Praxisbuch – KI im Projektmanagement' (2026), a practical guide on AI applications in project management published via the edubase platform. The organization also facilitates IPMA certifications and manages a network of training partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Young Crew: IPMA Young Crew Switzerland - network for young project managers under 35 years old
• spm.talk
• spm.stammtisch
• spm.unterwegs

Products and services

• spm Membership Program Annual membership subscriptions for individuals (CHF 180), Young Crew members under 35 (CHF 90), students up to 27 (CHF 45), companies (CHF 400-650) and patron members (from CHF 25,000), granting access to the national and international spm network, expert groups, events, and IPMA certification pathways.
• IPMA Certification Program (Levels A-D) Four-level competence certification (IPMA Levels A, B, C, D) for project, programme and portfolio management professionals, organized by VZPM and delivered via a network of registered training partners, verifying competence based on the Swiss ICB4 framework.
• swiss.ICB4 Projektmanagement Swiss competence standard (PDF and printed version at CHF 35) describing the competence inventory for career development, certification, training and research in project management.
• swiss.ICB4 Programmmanagement Swiss competence standard (PDF and printed version at CHF 35) covering competence requirements for programme management practitioners.
• swiss.ICB4 Portfoliomanagement Swiss competence standard (PDF and printed version at CHF 35) covering competence requirements for portfolio management practitioners.
• swiss.OCB1 Organisational Competence Baseline Swiss organisational competence standard (PDF and printed version at CHF 40) describing the concept of organisational competence for managing project, programme and portfolio-related work.
• swiss.PEB1 Project Excellence Baseline Swiss project excellence standard (PDF and printed version) for organisational assessment of excellence in project and programme management.
• swiss.ICB4agile – Arbeiten in agilen Organisationen Swiss guide (PDF) interpreting ICB4 competencies in agile contexts, enabling hybrid classical and agile working approaches.
• Das Schweizer Praxisbuch – KI im Projektmanagement (E-Book) Practical Swiss guide (e-book CHF 19.50) for project managers, professionals and organisations on applying AI in project management, covering multi-agent systems, AI-supported PM tools, documentation, knowledge management, leadership, ethics and responsibility.
• spm Frühjahrstagung (Annual Spring Conference) spm's annual spring conference gathering Swiss project management professionals for keynote sessions, networking and knowledge exchange.
• PM Camp Zürich Open unconference event for Swiss project management practitioners with participant-driven sessions on current PM topics.
• spm.talk (Online Discussion Series) Recurring online webinar/discussion series with expert input on project management themes such as mindset, energy for project success and inner attitude.
• spm.unterwegs (Site Visit Events) Behind-the-scenes site visits to Swiss organisations (e.g. SBB Serviceanlage Pünten) enabling members to learn how large Swiss enterprises run operations and projects.
• spm.stammtisch (Regional Networking Gatherings) Informal in-person and online networking meetups for Swiss project managers held regionally in Basel, Bern and Zürich on a recurring cadence.
• spm Fachgruppen (Expert Groups) Specialised member communities focusing on targeted project management topics such as AI/KI, healthcare, PMO, infrastructure, conflict management, IT-PM Bridge and PM goes Boardroom, open to spm members for networking and knowledge exchange.
• IPMA Young Crew Switzerland Sub-community of spm for project managers and students under 35 offering networking, career guidance, national and global connections through the IPMA Young Crew network.

Quantifiable outcome

• 97-99% certification success rate for ConPlus IPMA exam preparation courses
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IPMA (International Project Management Association)coreStrategic or Co-development Partnerspm is the Swiss member association of IPMA, coordinating the Swiss implementation of the IPMA certification system. The partnership provides international recognition for Swiss project management professionals through the four-level IPMA certification (Levels A-D). IPMA comprises over 60 member countries.
• pma – Projekt Management AustriaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegular exchange with pma, Austria's leading project management association. pma shares their podcast with spm for distribution to Swiss members, featuring expert discussions on project management topics.
• VZPM (Verein zur Zertifizierung von Personen im Management)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerVZPM organizes and conducts IPMA certifications in Switzerland. The certification verifies competence in project management based on the IPMA Individual Competence Baseline.
• 4Projects GmbHcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTraining partner offering customized project management training. Provides IPMA certification preparation courses (Levels A-D), hybrid/online/in-person options, and corporate training programs from locations in Brugg, Bern, Dietikon, Olten.
• ConPlus Guntern + PartnercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIPMA-registered preparation courses since 2007 using blended learning approach. Reports 97-99% certification success rates. Offers courses in German for Level D, C, B, and A certifications.
• Kalaidos FachhochschuleminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSwiss-accredited university of applied sciences with over 4,000 students. Offers IPMA certifications Level D, C, B, CAS FH in Project Management, and EMBA FH with Project Management specialization.
• SGO Business SchoolcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIPMA-registered training provider offering project management courses, Certificate of Advanced Studies, and MAS programs. Located at Flughofstrasse 50, Glattbrugg.
• STS Project Management TrainingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIPMA-registered exam preparation course provider offering courses in English, German, and French for Levels C and A.
• Swissmem AcademyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTraining and consulting center of Swissmem for technical companies. Offers modular project management curriculum including CAS Industrielles Projektmanagement and IPMA Level D and C preparation courses.
• ACE project services AGminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConsulting firm supporting companies in digital transformation from strategy development to implementation. Specializes in insurance, energy, public sector, and transport/logistics industries.
• next level consulting SchweizminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFocused on project management, process management, and change management consulting. Offers training, coaching, and tools for project and process planning, serving industries including IT, manufacturing, energy, finance, and public administration.
• SPOL AGminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSpecialized in project and portfolio management services with over 20 years of experience. ISO-9001:2000 certified. Known for Bruno Jenny's project management books and training of thousands of participants.
• PEBIT GmbHminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConsulting firm with over 30 years of experience in large strategic and smaller projects. Offers PM-Bee product for building project management capabilities, including project leadership, PMO setup, and IPMA certification support.
• Brandenberger+Ruosch AGminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConsulting firm providing high-quality consulting and management services for clients in real estate and infrastructure since 1965. Supports clients across all phases from project development to demolition.
• Braun Anlagebau GmbHminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with COMENO Company Consulting (Stuttgart/Konstanz) offering project, program, and portfolio management training based on IPMA ICB 4.0 standards. Offers certification for Levels A-D and international training.
• BWI Management WeiterbildungminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFounded in 1929 at ETH Zurich, BWI offers over 200 public and internal seminars annually on leadership, project management, and self-management. Expanded in 2020 to include consulting services.
• Campana & Schott RealisierungsmanagementminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRealization management consulting firm supporting project and program execution.
• Hochschule LuzernminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUniversity of Applied Sciences and Arts offering project management education programs. Registered IPMA training provider.
• reflecta agminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConsulting firm providing project management and organizational services.
• Rosenthaler + Partner AGminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConsulting firm offering project management and related professional services.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Scrum Alliance: Leading agile certification body whose credentials increasingly compete with classical PM certifications like IPMA. Relevant because spm's own swiss.ICB4agile publication addresses the agile-classical convergence.
• Scaled Agile (SAFe): Provider of the SAFe framework and certifications, a fast-growing alternative for enterprise agile PM training that competes for the same corporate training budgets spm's IPMA-aligned partners rely on.

Others

• SGO Business School: Swiss IPMA-registered training provider co-located with spm at Flughofstrasse 50, Glattbrugg. Functions as both a partner (delivering certification prep courses) and a partial competitor for training delivery revenue.
• Kalaidos Fachhochschule: Swiss university of applied sciences (4,000+ students) and spm partner. Comparable in that it delivers IPMA-aligned PM education and certifications (CAS FH, EMBA FH) at scale, and is an enabler/partner of spm rather than a direct competitor.
• Hochschule Luzern: Swiss University of Applied Sciences and Arts offering IPMA-registered PM education programs. Functions as a partner training provider within the spm network while also operating an independent academic franchise.

Direct peers

• pma - Projekt Management Austria: Austria's national IPMA member association and spm's closest peer in the DACH region. Operates the same membership, certification, and event model with comparable size, structure, and audience. spm already partners with pma on podcast distribution, indicating direct overlap.
• GPM - Deutsche Gesellschaft für Projektmanagement: Germany's national IPMA member association, a larger version of spm's exact business model. GPM operates the same IPMA-aligned certification, training, and Fachgruppen structure for the German market and competes for DACH mindshare.

Broad incumbents

• APM - Association for Project Management: UK's chartered body for the project profession, with a similar membership-and-certification model. While UK-focused, APM competes internationally for PM talent seeking globally portable credentials.
• PMI - Project Management Institute: The dominant global PM certification body (PMP, CAPM) and a competitor to the IPMA franchise that spm promotes. PMI offers an alternative certification pathway that competes for the same Swiss enterprise training budgets.
• IPMA International: The global federation of which spm is a member. IPMA sets the ICB/OCB/PEB standards that spm localizes, and indirectly competes with spm for institutional relationships and brand association in Switzerland.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/spm-schweiz

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 spm | Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Projektmanagement