SwissCore

What SwissCore does

SwissCore is a Brussels-based liaison office of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), founded in 1995, that connects Switzerland and the European Union in research, innovation, and education. It serves as the principal Swiss representational and intelligence-gathering presence in Brussels for Swiss universities, ETH-domain institutions, the SNSF, Innosuisse, swissuniversities, and other public research, innovation, and education stakeholders. The organization is a branch (not a separately incorporated entity) of SNSF, domiciled in Belgium at Rue du Trône 98, 1050 Brussels — within steps of the European Parliament and the European Commission's DG RTD — and operates with a small team of approximately 11 staff including a Head of Office, Office Manager, Senior/Junior Advisors, and trainees.

SwissCore's offering is built around three core services: a free monthly Synopsis Newsletter covering European R&I and education developments; an events programme (Swiss Science Briefings, EduCafés, Annual Events, Innovation Briefings) that convenes Swiss and EU policymakers; and physical meeting facilities (two rooms seating 14–26 plus flexible workspace) provided free to Swiss funders, partners, and clients. All services are delivered free of charge, with no commercial pricing model. The organization does not develop proprietary technology; its platform surface is a standard WordPress website, social channels (LinkedIn, X, YouTube), and email/print newsletters. Strategic value is delivered through human-mediated policy intelligence, network facilitation, and physical proximity to EU institutions rather than software.

The business model is institutional rather than commercial. SwissCore is wholly funded by Swiss public institutions — primarily SNSF, with State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) referenced as a funder — and has no revenue-generating products, no funding rounds, no subsidiaries, and no M&A activity. It sits inside the Swiss National Science Foundation as a cost center whose mandate is diplomatic and informational rather than profit-seeking. Active participation in the IGLO network (Informal Group of R&I Liaison Offices), co-organization with peer EU liaison offices (CZELO, LINO, SLORD), and engagement with European Commission DGs, ERC, ESA, Science Europe, and university associations constitute its operating ecosystem.

Name

SwissCore

Legal name

SwissCore

Website

https://swisscore.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SwissCore is the Brussels liaison office of the Swiss National Science Foundation, serving Swiss research, innovation, and education stakeholders by connecting them with EU institutions through policy intelligence, events, and meeting facilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Research Policy Liaison Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

Study Abroad Provider Networks, Consortia & Membership Organizations (EDAIAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)

Keywords

• EU research liaison
• Policy intelligence services
• Research event facilitation
• Science policy networking
• Swiss-EU cooperation

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Institutional Funding: SwissCore is a branch office of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), funded by Swiss public institutions to represent Swiss interests in EU research, innovation, and education programmes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SwissCore is the Brussels-based branch office of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), acting as a liaison and information intermediary connecting Switzerland and the European Union in research, innovation, and education. It delivers three core services: a free monthly Synopsis Newsletter on EU R&I developments, an Events Program convening Swiss and EU stakeholders (Swiss Science Briefings, EduCafés, Annual Events), and Meeting Facilities (two meeting rooms and flexible workspace) for Swiss funders, partners, and clients.

Product overview

SwissCore is a policy and information services organization (branch office of the Swiss National Science Foundation) that connects Switzerland and the European Union in research, innovation and education. Rather than a software product company, SwissCore offers three core services: the Synopsis Newsletter (a free monthly English-language publication covering European R&I developments), an Events Program (organizing Swiss Science Briefings, EduCafé sessions, Annual Events, and Innovation/R&I Briefings), and Meeting Facilities (two meeting rooms and flexible workspaces at their Brussels premises). These services collectively support Swiss-EU collaboration in research, innovation, and education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Synopsis Newsletter

Quantifiable outcome

• 30 years of continuous Swiss-EU cooperation facilitation
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered core (parent organization), core and secondary.

• Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF)core (parent organization)OthersSwissCore is a branch office of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF). SNSF is the main funding agency for scientific research in Switzerland and provides institutional support and oversight for SwissCore's operations as the Swiss liaison office in Brussels.
• Mission of Switzerland to the European UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwissCore works closely with the Mission of Switzerland to the EU, co-organizing events and serving as a key bridge between Swiss research institutions and EU policymakers in Brussels.
• State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSERI is referenced as a key funder and partner for SwissCore's activities in representing Swiss interests in EU research and innovation programmes.
• InnosuissecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss innovation agency mentioned as a key partner in SwissCore's network, supporting Swiss participation in EU innovation frameworks.
• swissuniversitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe association of Swiss universities is a key partner, collaborating on events and initiatives related to Swiss higher education engagement with EU programmes.
• EuresearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork providing support to Swiss researchers participating in EU framework programmes, working closely with SwissCore on policy outreach.
• Swiss universities and research institutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerComprehensive network of Swiss universities, ETH institutions, universities of applied sciences, and research organizations that participate in EU programmes through SwissCore facilitation.
• European Commission (DG RTD, DG EAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey EU institution providing contributions to SwissCore events and representing the primary policy framework within which SwissCore operates in Brussels.
• IGLO Network (Informal Group of R&I Liaison Offices)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwissCore actively participates in IGLO working groups including Research Policy, International Cooperation, Health, MSCA, and Implementation of Horizon Europe, chairing various working groups.
• Science EuropesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean association of research funding organizations that SwissCore engages with on policy discussions including FP10 amendments.
• European Universities AssociationsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation of European universities engaged in SwissCore events and discussions on higher education policy.
• European Research Council (ERC)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwissCore participates in the ERC Informal Group of R&I Liaison Offices (IGLO), engaging on issues related to ERC grants and European research excellence.
• Helmholtz AssociationsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman research organization co-organizing SwissCore events including the Swiss Science Briefing on Co-creating FP10 with ZHdK.
• Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of Europe's largest art universities, co-organizing events with SwissCore on design science and health innovation for FP10 discussions.
• Czech Liaison Office (CZELO)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizes EduCafé events with SwissCore on topics including STEM education policy.
• Lithuanian RDI Liaison Office (LINO)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organized the AI-Powered Solutions Transforming Healthcare event with Slovak SLORD and SwissCore.
• Slovak Liaison Office for Research and Development in Brussels (SLORD)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organized the AI-Powered Solutions Transforming Healthcare event with Lithuanian LINO and SwissCore.
• Eawag (Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizes Swiss Science Briefings with SwissCore, including the Eyes on Water event focused on science diplomacy and water resilience.
• European Space Agency (ESA)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerContributes to SwissCore events on space science and water research, highlighting Swiss contributions to ESA missions.
• MovetiasecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss agency for mobility and exchange in education and training, referenced in SwissCore's network for education programme coordination.
• ETH BoardsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerGoverning body of the ETH Domain, part of SwissCore's network of Swiss research institutions.
• Academies of Sciences SwitzerlandsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of SwissCore's stakeholder network for research policy coordination.
• Guild of European Research-Intensive UniversitiessecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean university association that co-organized events with SwissCore on Africa-Europe research cooperation.
• European Science Diplomacy AlliancesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance contributing to SwissCore's science diplomacy events and discussions.
• Wetsus (European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean partner contributing to SwissCore's water resilience and science diplomacy events.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Netherlands House for Education and Research (Neth-ER): Dutch liaison office in Brussels representing Netherlands' research and education interests to the EU. Closely comparable to SwissCore in mandate (bridging national stakeholders with EU R&I policy), team size, event-based engagement model, and IGLO membership.
• Lithuanian RDI Liaison Office (LINO): Lithuania's Brussels Research, Development and Innovation liaison office and IGLO member; co-organised events with SwissCore. Closely comparable structure, size, and operating model for representing a smaller EU member state in Brussels R&I policymaking.
• UK Research Office (UKRO): UK's Brussels-based liaison office supporting UK engagement with European research programmes, including post-Brexit Horizon Europe association. Directly comparable to SwissCore as a country liaison entity providing policy intelligence, events, and stakeholder support in Brussels.
• Slovak Liaison Office for Research and Development in Brussels (SLORD): Slovakia's Brussels R&D liaison office and IGLO member; co-organised the AI-Powered Solutions Transforming Healthcare event with SwissCore. Operates the same small-team, event-driven, policy-intelligence model targeting a single national stakeholder community.
• Czech Liaison Office for Education and Research (CZELO): Czechia's Brussels-based R&I and education liaison office operating under the same IGLO framework as SwissCore. CZELO is explicitly cited as a SwissCore co-organiser (EduCafé events) and is the closest functional analogue: a small national team representing a non-EU country's interests in EU R&I and education policy.
• Euresearch: Swiss non-profit network supporting Swiss researchers' participation in EU framework programmes. Listed as a SwissCore strategic partner; comparable in serving Swiss researchers with EU programme intelligence, though focused more on applicant support and less on Brussels policy advocacy.

Others

• Science Europe: European association of research funding organisations (including SNSF). SwissCore engages with Science Europe on FP10 policy discussions; comparable in its public/research-policy remit but operates at the funder-association level rather than the single-country liaison level.
• IGLO (Informal Group of R&I Liaison Offices): Umbrella network of Brussels-based national R&I liaison offices in which SwissCore is an active participant and chair of multiple working groups. Not a peer but the ecosystem in which SwissCore operates and which defines the competitive set.
• Mission of Switzerland to the European Union: Official Swiss diplomatic representation to the EU in Brussels; SwissCore's closest co-located partner. While a diplomatic mission rather than a research/education liaison office, the two share overlapping stakeholder networks and co-organise events, making them operationally adjacent.

Broad incumbents

• Swissnex: Swiss global network for education, research, and innovation with offices in multiple locations including a presence in Boston and other innovation hubs. Peer in mission (connecting Switzerland with international R&I ecosystems) but broader in geography and remit; not focused on EU policy liaison specifically.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SwissCore
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCdSWsCgYbhZTEfbumgFTw-Q
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/swisscore---contact-office-for-european-research-innovation-and-education

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 SwissCore