What SIW does

SIW (SIW Höhere Fachschule für Wirtschaft und Informatik AG) is a privately held Swiss digital higher vocational school headquartered in Winterthur, founded in 2018 as the first fully online Höhere Fachschule in Switzerland. The company delivers federally accredited HF diploma programs (NQR level 6) and eidgenössische Fachausweis (federal professional certificate) programs in business informatics, business administration, technical informatics, and technology, targeting working professionals seeking to upskill or transition into ICT, cybersecurity, AI, and digital business roles.

The core product portfolio spans two career ladders. The ICT pathway begins with the foundational ICT-Assistant KIS certificate (3 semesters, CHF 375-500/month) and branches into four semester-3 specializations: Dipl. ICT Systems Engineer SIW, Dipl. ICT Security Engineer SIW, Dipl. AI Systems Engineer SIW, and Dipl. ICT O365 Workplace Engineer SIW (each CHF 500/month over 3 semesters). The HF diploma track includes Dipl. Informatiker/in HF (CHF 15,600 net after cantonal subsidies, billed at CHF 434/month over 36 months) and Dipl. Betriebswirtschafter/in HF Fokus Digitalisierung (CHF 11,800 net, CHF 327.80/month). Federally accredited certificate programs include Cyber Security Specialist mit eidg. FA and AI Business Specialist mit eidg. FA (each ~CHF 14,400-14,940, with SIW able to advance federal subsidies to halve upfront cost). Programs are delivered through SIW's proprietary alpha-learning® methodology, which combines live virtual classroom instruction, guided self-study with digital materials, personal coaching, and 1-2 in-person Saturday sessions per semester at one of seven regional locations (Zürich, Winterthur, Bern, Luzern, Olten, St. Gallen, Chur).

SIW generates revenue almost exclusively from tuition fees, billed on a monthly subscription cadence across multi-semester program enrollments, with no disclosed enterprise or B2B channel. Enrollment is direct-to-consumer via the siw.swiss website, supported by online Infoabend events, free trial lessons (Probelektion), a pre-enrollment IT-Skill-Check diagnostic, and direct admissions counseling. The school bundles free access to international certification prep platforms (CompTIA, Microsoft, AWS, Cambridge English via Swiss Exams) into its tuition, and offers embedded career services. Partnerships with ICT-Berufsbildung Schweiz, KIS, and Swiss Exams anchor its federal accreditation authority. Revenue, headcount, ownership, and management team details are not publicly disclosed.

Name

SIW

Legal name

SIW Höhere Fachschule für Wirtschaft und Informatik AG

Website

https://siw.swiss

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

SIW is a privately held Swiss digital higher vocational school, founded in 2018, delivering fully online HF diplomas and eidgenössische Fachausweis programs in ICT, cybersecurity, AI, and digital business to working professionals across German-speaking Switzerland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Vocational Education

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Computer Training (611420)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Engineering & Technology Institutes (Comprehensive) (EDAHAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Institutes of Technology (IoT / Technical Universities) (EDAHAEAC)

Keywords

• Higher vocational education
• Digital learning programs
• ICT career training
• Online business administration
• Cybersecurity certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Winterthur

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Course Fees: SIW generates revenue primarily through tuition fees charged per program. Fees are quoted per semester or total program cost and invoiced monthly. For HF-level programs, Kantonal subsidies are directly netted against the invoiced amount. For eidgenössische Fachausweis programs, SIW can advance federal support funds, reducing the student's upfront cost. The revenue model is subscription-like in its monthly billing cadence but fundamentally one-time course fees tied to program enrollment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

SIW is a privately operated Swiss Höhere Fachschule (higher vocational school) that delivers fully digital education programs in business informatics, business administration, ICT engineering, and emerging technology fields. It grants federally recognized eidg. Fachausweis credentials and HF diplomas, combining vocational training, professional experience, and scientific knowledge using its proprietary alpha-learning® methodology.

Product overview

SIW (SIW Höhere Fachschule für Wirtschaft und Informatik AG) is a Swiss digital higher vocational school operating since 2018, positioning itself as the first fully digital Höhere Fachschule in Switzerland. Its product portfolio consists of a portfolio of accredited and non-accredited educational programs delivered through its proprietary alpha-learning® methodology, which combines live virtual classroom sessions, guided self-study, and personal coaching. The core offering spans two tracks: (1) ICT career pathway starting with ICT-Assistant KIS (foundational 3 semesters), followed by one of four specializations in semesters 3–6 — Dipl. ICT Systems Engineer SIW, Dipl. ICT Security Engineer SIW, Dipl. AI Systems Engineer SIW, and Dipl. ICT O365 Workplace Engineer SIW; and (2) HF diploma programs including Dipl. Informatiker/in HF (with Cyber Security or ICT/Network specialization) and Dipl. Betriebswirtschafter/in HF (Fokus Digitalisierung). Additionally, SIW offers federally recognized professional examination (eidg. Fachausweis) programs in Cyber Security Specialist and AI Business Specialist, plus an IT-Vorbereitungskurs for entrants needing foundational IT preparation. All programs are 100% online with minimal in-person requirements and are specifically designed for working professionals. The IT-Skill-Check serves as a free pre-enrollment diagnostic tool. SIW also organizes free online information evenings and trial lessons (Probelektion) as enrollment funnel touchpoints.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• alpha-learning®: The proprietary learning concept combining virtual classroom, self-study, and personal coaching for digital education delivery.

Products and services

• AI Business Specialist mit eidg. Fachausweis Berufsbegleitende Vorbereitung auf die eidgenössische Berufsprüfung zum AI Business Specialist; richtet sich an Berufstätige, die ihre Geschäftsprozesse mit KI-Methoden erweitern wollen.
• Cyber Security Specialist mit eidg. Fachausweis Berufsbegleitende Vorbereitung auf die eidgenössische Berufsprüfung im Bereich Cyber Security; für Berufstätige, die sich für Cybersecurity-Rollen qualifizieren möchten.
• Dipl. ICT Systems Engineer SIW Voll digitaler HF-Lehrgang mit SIW-Abschluss, der Berufstätige auf System-Engineering-Rollen in der ICT vorbereitet.
• Dipl. ICT Security Engineer SIW Digitaler HF-Lehrgang mit SIW-Abschluss, der Berufstätige auf Security-Engineering-Rollen in der ICT vorbereitet.
• ICT-Assistant KIS Vorbereitungsprogramm auf die KIS ICT-Assistant-Lehrabschlussprüfung für angehende ICT-Berufsleute.
• IT-Vorbereitungskurs Vorbereitungskurs für Quereinsteiger in ICT-Berufe, der die Teilnehmenden auf weiterführende SIW-Lehrgänge vorbereitet.
• Dipl. Betriebswirtschafter/in HF, Fokus Digitalisierung Digitaler HF-Lehrgang mit eidgenössischem Abschluss, der Berufstätige auf betriebswirtschaftliche Rollen mit Schwerpunkt Digitalisierung vorbereitet.
• Dipl. Informatiker/in HF Digitaler HF-Lehrgang mit eidgenössischem Abschluss für Berufstätige, die sich zu Informatik-Fachpersonen weiterbilden möchten.
• Dipl. AI Systems Engineer SIW Digitaler HF-Lehrgang mit SIW-Abschluss, der Berufstätige auf Engineering-Rollen rund um KI-Systeme vorbereitet.
• Dipl. ICT O365 Workplace Engineer SIW Digitaler HF-Lehrgang mit SIW-Abschluss, der Berufstätige auf Workplace-Engineering-Rollen im Microsoft-365-Umfeld vorbereitet.

Quantifiable outcome

• SIW's Cyber Security Specialist exam pass rates: 75% (2021) and 64% (2022) and 88% (2023), compared to 50%, 51%, and 72% for all schools combined — demonstrating significantly higher pass rates than the national average.
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ICT-Berufsbildung SchweizcoreOthers · 1 January 2018ICT-Berufsbildung Schweiz is the national examination body responsible for the eidgenössische Fachausweis (federal professional examination) in ICT fields. SIW works with this body for Cyber Security Specialist, AI Business Specialist, and other professional certification programs. The partnership involves following the official module framework (Modulbaukasten) and proctoring the federal exams.
• KIS (Konferenz der Informatikschulen Schweiz) and ICTBB-CH (ICT-Berufsbildung Schweiz)coreOthersKIS (Conference of Swiss Computer Science Schools) and ICTBB-CH (ICT Vocational Education Switzerland) jointly award the national 'ICT Assistant' certificate upon successful completion of the ICT-Assistant KIS program. This is a Swiss national certification body partnership for the foundational ICT program.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Fernfachhochschule Schweiz (FFHS): Switzerland's leading distance-learning university of applied sciences, offering federally accredited online bachelor's, master's, and continuing education programs. Directly comparable as a Swiss online higher education provider targeting working professionals, with a similar blended-learning model and overlapping ICT/business curriculum.
• HWZ Hochschule für Wirtschaft Zürich: Private Swiss business school in Zürich offering bachelor, master, and continuing education programs with a strong focus on digital business, management, and applied technology. Comparable in target customer (Swiss working professionals), Swiss accreditation model, and digitalization-oriented curriculum.
• WISS Wirtschaftsinformatik Schule Schweiz: Swiss vocational school specializing in business informatics (Wirtschaftsinformatik) and ICT programs at HF and eidgenössische Fachausweis levels. Overlaps directly with SIW's HF Informatiker and Wirtschaftsinformatik portfolio in Swiss vocational ICT education.
• AKAD College / AKAD Hochschule: Long-established Swiss provider of online and blended vocational, technical, and business education for working adults. Direct peer in terms of fully online/remote program delivery, flexible monthly billing, and a workforce-upskilling value proposition.
• EB Zürich (Eidgenössische Berufsmaturität / adult education): Swiss adult education provider offering Berufsmaturität, HF, and continuing education programs, with part-time and hybrid formats serving working professionals in the Zürich region. Comparable as a competing Swiss vocational/higher vocational school targeting employed adults.
• BVS Business Village (BVS Biel): Swiss private school offering business and ICT vocational programs (HF diplomas and federal certificates) for working professionals. Comparable as a private Swiss competitor in the same HF/eidgenössische Fachausweis market, with similar B2C/working-professional positioning.
• Kalaidos Fachhochschule: Swiss private university of applied sciences operating multiple specialized schools including a business and ICT/informatics school, with strong online and part-time offerings. Highly comparable to SIW as a private Swiss higher education institution competing for the same working-professional segment.

Regional players

• SRH Hochschule (SRH Universities, Germany): Large German private, state-recognized university group with strong online and part-time programs in business, IT, and engineering, targeting working professionals. Comparable in private higher-education business model and digital delivery, but operating in Germany rather than Switzerland.
• IU Internationale Hochschule (IU International University of Applied Sciences): Germany's largest private university with a fully online and flexible program portfolio in business, IT, and engineering for working adults. Comparable in scale, online-first delivery, and target customer, but operates in the German (DACH) market rather than Switzerland.

Broad incumbents

• ZHAW School of Management and Law / ZHAW School of Engineering: Major public Swiss university of applied sciences offering a broad portfolio of business, IT, and engineering programs, including continuing education for working professionals. A broader incumbent competitor with deep public funding and a wider program catalog, putting indirect pressure on SIW's offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCSjucYomDFRqzwN4htfYD4A
• Facebookfacebook.com/siw.swiss
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/siw-swiss
• Instagraminstagram.com/siw_swiss

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 SIW