What Swiss Aeropole does

Swiss Aeropole, operated through its legal entity swiss aeropole SA, is Switzerland's first technology park specialized in aerospace and related industries, located in Payerne adjacent to Payerne Airport. The company runs two interlinked businesses: (1) a 25-hectare technology and business park offering workspace and infrastructure services, and (2) the civil aviation operations of Payerne Airport, including a 2.8 km runway, business aviation terminal, and ground services. It serves aerospace startups, drone and UAS companies, business aviation operators, and increasingly defense and government technology stakeholders.

Core services span five product lines: business address and company registration (domiciliation), private office and co-working leasing, sale or long-term lease of constructible land for custom-built facilities, runway access for flight testing (used historically by Solar Impulse and SolarStratos), and civil airport operations including JET A-1 fuel, de-icing, and aircraft handling. Underlying technology is physical infrastructure rather than software: a controlled airspace, a 2.8 km runway, buildable industrial land, a business aviation terminal, and dedicated specialized assets such as the first private hydrogen propulsion test site in Switzerland, built in partnership with Destinus and the Commune de Payerne. The park hosts approximately 37 resident companies as of end-2023, including aerospace R&D firms, drone operators, hydrogen propulsion developers (Destinus), business aviation services (Speedwings), electric amphibious aircraft developers (Jekta), and government defense research (armasuisse Science and Technology).

The business model combines recurring real-estate-style revenue streams (office and land leasing, co-working subscriptions, domiciliation fees) with managed-services revenue from civil airport operations (fuel, handling, de-icing, FBO services). Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is event-driven and relationship-driven: the park hosts the Swiss Aerospace Cluster General Assembly, conducts site tours, and leverages its landmark test-flight heritage to attract high-value aerospace tenants. Customer segments are segmented vertically across aerospace, drone/UAS, business aviation, and energy/sustainability. Recent strategic momentum includes regulatory expansion of operating capacity, the addition of armasuisse as a federal defense tenant, and a board restructuring in late 2025 / early 2026 to support the next phase of growth.

Name

Swiss Aeropole

Legal name

swiss aeropole SA

Website

https://swissaeropole.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Swiss Aeropole operates Switzerland's first aerospace-focused technology park at Payerne Airport, offering office leasing, buildable land, and 2.8 km runway access for flight testing to aerospace startups, drone companies, and business aviation operators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aerospace Technology Park and Airport Infrastructure Services

NAICS

Airport Operations (48811)

SIC

Airports, Flying Fields & Airport Terminal Services (4581)

akta.pro primary industry

Aviation Infrastructure Agencies (Public Airports, Airfield Ops, Ground Access) (BPAIALAE)

Keywords

• Aerospace technology park
• Business park leasing
• Civil airport operations
• Flight testing services
• Aerospace workspace

Headquarters

HQ city

Payerne

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Office and Workspace Leasing: Swiss Aeropole generates revenue through leasing business offices, private offices, co-working spaces, and buildable land to resident aerospace companies
2. Business Domiciliation Services: Company registration and business address services for new enterprises establishing at the park
3. Airport Operations: Revenue from civil aviation operations at Payerne Airport including business aviation services, fuel (JET A-1), de-icing, and aircraft handling services managed through swiss aeropole SA

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

swiss aeropole SA develops and operates an aerospace-focused technology and business park on a 25-hectare site adjacent to Payerne Airport in Switzerland, leasing private offices, co-working space, and buildable land to aerospace and aviation tenants while also providing business address and company registration services. It additionally manages the civil operations of Payerne Airport and offers flight testing access on a 2.8 km runway with controlled airspace, including a dedicated hydrogen propulsion test site.

Product overview

Swiss Aeropole is a technology park and business park specializing in aerospace and related industries, located in Payerne, Switzerland. The company offers physical infrastructure services including business address registration (domiciliation), private office rental, co-working spaces, buildable land parcels for custom facilities, and flight testing services via its 2.8 km runway at Payerne Airport. The 25-hectare development area is designed to attract aerospace, aviation, drone, and technology companies to the region. The ecosystem includes a growing community of companies spanning aviation, aerospace, drones, technology, and related services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Domiciliation d'affaires (Business Address and Registration Service) Business address and company registration service providing a legal domicile in Payerne for new enterprises establishing operations at the Swiss Aeropole technology park.
• Office and Co-working Space Rental Private offices, co-working spaces, and meeting/event facilities rented to companies participating in the Swiss Aeropole community.
• Buildable Land Parcels (Terrains constructibles) Custom-built infrastructure parcels within the 25-hectare technology park, provided to companies requiring specialized facilities such as hangars or industrial buildings.
• Flight Testing Services (Runway and Controlled Airspace) Access to the 2.8 km runway and controlled airspace at Payerne Airport for flight testing of aircraft and aerospace prototypes, as used by Solar Impulse, SolarStratos, and Destinus.
• Payerne Airport Civil Operations and FBO Services Civil aviation operations management at Payerne Airport, including business aviation terminal services, JET A-1 fuel, de-icing, aircraft handling, and VIP handling.
• Hydrogen Propulsion Test Site Private, equipped and secured hydrogen propulsion test site developed in partnership with Destinus and the Commune de Payerne, enabling testing of hydrogen propulsion systems and other innovative aerospace technologies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Civil air movements grew from 296 to 1157 over five years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Swiss Air ForcecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 October 2025Payerne Airport serves as a key operational site for Swiss Air Forces while enabling civil aviation co-utilization. The Federal Council approved adjustments to the Sectoral Aviation Infrastructure Plan (PSIA) supporting both military mission and civil development. Since 2013, the aerodrome embodies a unique model of military-civilian cohabitation supporting national security and regional development.
• armasuisse Science and TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 September 2025armasuisse S+T, the technology center of the Swiss Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport, is establishing a technology branch at Swiss Aeropole. Goal is to develop and test innovative solutions in energy, cybersecurity, space, and drones. Team will move into coworking space by end of 2025 and into dedicated offices by summer 2026. Presence strengthens synergies between civilian and military stakeholders.
• DestinuscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 October 2023Destinus has been based at Swiss Aeropole since 2021 and inaugurated the first private hydrogen propulsion test site. The company is building hydrogen-powered hypersonic aircraft combining aerospace and space technologies for intercontinental transport.
• Commune de PayernecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2023The Commune of Payerne and Destinus signed a partnership agreement for the realization of a unique hydrogen test site in Switzerland at Swiss Aeropole. The site is equipped and secured for testing hydrogen propulsion systems and other innovative technologies.
• InnovaudminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss Aeropole joined Innovaud as a strategic site of the Canton of Vaud, connecting the technology park to regional innovation support networks.
• Swiss Aerospace ClustercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss Aeropole hosts the annual General Assembly of the Swiss Aerospace Cluster. The cluster brings together institutions, companies, and research stakeholders to catalyze innovation in Switzerland's aerospace sector. Swiss Aeropole's Massimo Fiorin serves on the board alongside representatives from Skyguide, Bossard Aerospace, Beyond Gravity, and others.
• Boschung GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoschung Group hosted the Swiss Aerospace Cluster General Assembly 2025 at their facilities, demonstrating their role in the aerospace ecosystem at Swiss Aeropole.
• InnovaudminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovaud supported the Swiss Aerospace Cluster General Assembly 2025, reinforcing collaboration between regional innovation actors and Swiss Aeropole.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Aerospace Valley: French aerospace competitiveness cluster centered on Toulouse and Nouvelle-Aquitaine/Occitanie, bringing together OEMs, Tier-1s, research labs, and SMEs. A much larger incumbent in the same aerospace-cluster category that Swiss Aeropole operates in, providing ecosystem scale and supply-chain access that Swiss Aeropole aspires to build.
• Salon-de-Provence airfield / Istres (DGA Essais en Vol): French military-civilian airfield complex used by DGA for flight testing and home to aerospace tenants. Comparable as a dual-use military-civilian airfield hosting aerospace testing and resident companies, similar to Swiss Aeropole's military-civilian cohabitation model at Payerne.
• Farnborough Airport / TAG Aviation: UK business aviation airport co-located with the Farnborough International Airshow and aerospace cluster. Comparable as a business aviation hub anchored to an aerospace ecosystem and an active runway, though significantly larger and oriented toward established aviation tenants.
• Genève Aéroport: Major Swiss commercial and business aviation airport operator headquartered in Geneva. Comparable as a Swiss airport operator offering business aviation services, FBO handling, and infrastructure access, although much larger and focused on scheduled commercial traffic rather than aerospace R&D.

Regional players

• Aéroports de Lyon (AERIA airport area): Operates Lyon-Bron and adjacent business aviation and aerospace zones in France, with associated industrial real estate and FBO services. Comparable as a European regional airport operator that combines aviation services with adjacent aerospace real estate development, though at a larger scale and different national context.
• Ypenburg / Lelystad Aerospace Business Parks (Netherlands): Dutch regional airports and adjacent aerospace business parks offering MRO, flight testing, and tenant facilities. Comparable as European regional airport operators with aerospace-related industrial real estate, though serving a different national market.
• Bern Airport: Regional Swiss airport operating business aviation and general aviation services with adjacent industrial zones. Comparable as a Swiss regional airport offering business aviation, handling, and aviation-adjacent real estate, though with a less aerospace-specialized tenant base than Swiss Aeropole.

Direct peers

• Centrale Nantes / IRT Jules Verne (Aerospace campus): French research and technology institute focused on advanced manufacturing, aeronautics, and energy, with shared test platforms for industrial partners. Comparable as a public-private aerospace campus offering testing infrastructure and tenant incubation, similar to Swiss Aeropole's hydrogen and flight testing facilities.
• Innovation Park Zürich / Switzerland Innovation parks: Network of federally supported Swiss innovation parks focused on advanced technologies, including mobility and aerospace-related fields. Comparable as a Swiss technology park operator offering labs, offices, and ecosystem programming, though not co-located with an active runway.
• ZAL Center for Applied Aeronautical Research: Civil aeronautical research and technology center in Hamburg, Germany co-financed by public and private stakeholders. Directly comparable as a dedicated aerospace facility offering hangar, lab, and flight testing infrastructure for resident companies, similar in mission to Swiss Aeropole's Payerne site.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/swissaeropole
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aeropole-ch
• Instagraminstagram.com/swiss_aeropole

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Swiss Aeropole