immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Tag: ICT

  • Between AI dynamics and stable services

    Between AI dynamics and stable services

    In Switzerland, the increase in employment in the second quarter of 2025 was only 0.6 %. The long-term average is 1.3 %. Germany is stagnating, France is even recording a decline, only Italy and the United Kingdom are still showing growth, albeit below the norm. In Switzerland, the service sectors are affected differently. While the healthcare and education sectors are experiencing robust growth, the ICT sector is down 1.4% and has lost almost 3,000 jobs

    ICT weakens
    The ICT sector has been a growth driver for years. Currently, a combination of productivity gains through artificial intelligence, automation and economic restraint is causing a noticeable slowdown. Routine tasks are being automated and the demand for traditional software developers is falling. Junior positions in particular are coming under pressure as a result of the use of AI. Tasks are being completed faster and with fewer staff, and entry-level opportunities are becoming rarer. In contrast, specialized roles for cloud architecture, machine learning and cybersecurity remain scarce and in demand

    After some above-average growth in ICT in recent years, a correction phase can be observed, which is also accompanied by a shift in job profiles.

    Government-related services remain stable
    The picture is different for healthcare, education and public administration. These government-related sectors continue to grow steadily, in some cases even above average. They are driven by three factors.

    • Demographics: Ageing societies, retirements and a shortage of skilled workers are increasing the need for care, support and education.
    • Political initiatives: Programs and wage incentives specifically promote new hires, for example in care or early childhood education, and ensure employment growth.
    • Productivity limit: Many activities in the education and social sector can hardly be automated, the need for personnel remains constantly high (“Baumol effect”)

    Specialization is in demand
    The labour market remains dual. Growth continues in government-related sectors, driven by social and political trends. In the ICT sector, demand remains fundamentally present, but is shifting more towards specialized and higher-skilled roles. Investments in the cloud, AI and cyber security will be key job drivers in the long term. However, there will be no broad-based increase in employment. Those who focus specifically on the skills of the future will remain successful in the changing job market.

    After strong years, 2025 marks a turning point in Switzerland and Europe. Declines in the ICT sector, robust growth in government services. The dualization of labour market trends will continue to intensify. Specialized skills and all services related to healthcare, education and administration have a bright future.

  • 1.47 billion in venture capital invested in Swiss start-ups in the first half of the year

    1.47 billion in venture capital invested in Swiss start-ups in the first half of the year

    In the first half of 2025, CHF 1.47 billion flowed into Swiss start-ups, an increase of 36 per cent compared to the previous year. This is the third-best result since measurements began. However, growth was driven by a small number of startups that raised large sums from international investors. The number of financing rounds fell for the third time in a row to 124, which corresponds to a decline of ten per cent.

    Biotech as a growth driver
    The biotech sector in particular produced a strong result. It set a new record with an inflow of CHF 705 million in capital. The previous record of CHF 436 million from 2021 was clearly surpassed. The reasons for this success lie in highly qualified start-up teams and technological developments based on excellent research.

    Recovery in ICT and fintech
    The recently weakening ICT and fintech sectors were also able to recover. General ICT start-ups recorded investment growth of 86 per cent to CHF 247 million. Fintech companies received CHF 153 million, which corresponds to an increase of 93 per cent. The number of transactions remains low, which indicates continued investor selectivity.

    Swiss startup ecosystem remains resilient
    Despite the uncertain market environment, the Swiss startup ecosystem is able to produce internationally competitive companies. One example of this is Sygnum Bank, which became Unicorn in the first half of 2025. The bank, which specialises in digital assets, was valued at over 1 billion dollars, a signal of the potential of innovation outside of the healthcare sector.

    Gloomy outlook among investors
    A broad-based survey shows that expectations for the coming twelve months are subdued. Fundraising and more difficult exit opportunities are of particular concern. International trade barriers, on the other hand, only play a subordinate role. Access to capital is likely to remain challenging for many start-ups, despite individual success stories.

  • Ternary data storage

    Ternary data storage

    For decades, data storage has been based on binary code, which only recognises two states: “0” and “1”. The new technology brings a ground-breaking change by introducing a third state “2”. This achieves a fourfold increase in storage density. Inspired by cuneiform writing, the new polymer uses tiny indentations as memory points: no indentation stands for “0”, a shallow indentation for “1” and a deeper indentation for “2”.

    Precision and efficiency thanks to modern materials
    The polymer, consisting of sulphur and dicyclopentadiene, is processed with atomic precision. A microscopically small tip creates the dents, replacing conventional methods such as laser beams. This offers numerous advantages.

    • Energy efficiency: Mechanical processing requires no heat.
    • Reusability: Data can be erased and the material rewritten by heating.
    • Durability: The polymer can withstand numerous read-write-erase cycles.

    Economical and sustainable
    The main components of the polymer are cost-effective and environmentally friendly, unlike existing storage technologies that rely on rare earths and energy-intensive processes. The new material offers a sustainable alternative that meets the increasing demands of the digital age.

    Far-reaching effects
    The introduction of ternary code could push the boundaries of existing storage technologies. Major technology companies such as IBM and Intel are already showing interest in the new technology. The quadruple storage density, combined with low energy consumption and sustainability, makes this development a key to the future of big data and artificial intelligence.

  • CANCOM Switzerland equips Grand Resort Bad Ragaz with new IT system

    CANCOM Switzerland equips Grand Resort Bad Ragaz with new IT system

    The IT services and trading company CANCOM Switzerland has installed the latest WiFi6 network infrastructure from Huawei at the Grand Resort Bad Ragaz. According to a press release from CANCOM, the old network of the 5-star hotel, which covers over 400,000 square metres, was replaced during ongoing operations with 80 switches, 500 access points, two physical firewalls from Palo Alto Networks and five virtual instances. In addition, two high-performance WLAN controllers and four highly functional management servers were implemented.

    The introduction of WiFi6 technology enables fast Internet and smooth communication across the entire site with its various buildings. According to CANCOM, the Grand Resort can also make its guests’ stay even more pleasant, for example with checkout terminals.

    The new network also reportedly gives the hotel’s IT team significantly greater flexibility and autonomy: “When guests brought their own IT equipment or needed their own separate network, it was always a major challenge,” says Reto Schwengeler, Head of Infrastructure and Security at the hotel. “With the old network environment, such adjustments involved a lot of effort and we were reliant on external support.” Now the in-house team benefits from a clearly organised iMaster management solution.

    Thanks to the “excellent collaboration” with CANCOM Switzerland, the project was successfully completed within a very short time. “In the past,” says Schwengeler, “we used to receive complaints almost every week. Today I hear nothing more.”

  • Scandens is successful with software for refurbishments

    Scandens is successful with software for refurbishments

    Scandens, a spin-off of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH), launched a software solution in June 2023 that optimises remediation planning. According to a press release, the first seven months have been successful. It has been used to analyse and optimise 274 properties. Housing cooperatives, planning offices, real estate companies, architects and insurance companies are expected to save CHF 42 million in costs and 116,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide over a period of 25 years.

    The web-based software combines artificial intelligence with building modelling and life cycle cost calculations. It can be used to automate data collection, feasibility checks, component planning and component design as well as profitability calculations and CO2 balancing, including grey emissions.

    The software has been well received by energy consultants and building owners. They use the tool for holistic, rapid planning of refurbishment projects. These can be implemented more efficiently and cost-effectively, which contributes to an increase in the renovation rate, as Diego Sigrist, co-founder of Scandens, is quoted in the press release.

    The ETH spin-off is supported by the Migros Pioneer Fund and was founded with the aim of making energy-efficient building refurbishments simpler and more cost-effective, thereby promoting the shift towards greater sustainability in the construction sector.

  • Inventx expands in the Circle

    Inventx expands in the Circle

    Inventx is expanding and remodelling its site at Zurich Airport. The IT and digitalisation service provider for the financial sector was one of the first companies to rent space in The Circle in 2020, Inventx explains in a press release. A further floor has now been rented in the “IT hotspot” in Kloten.

    With the new premises, Inventx aims to create new jobs for the growing company. At the same time, the aim is to promote dialogue, encounters and co-creation. To this end, the Circle location is being expanded into an office home. In addition to state-of-the-art workstations, Inventx is setting up a gaming zone with billiards, darts and a lounge as well as large and small seminar rooms.

    “With our expansion, we are opening up a whole range of opportunities for our employees to realise their creativity and take their collaboration to a new level,” Inventx CEO Pascal Keller is quoted as saying in the press release. “This expansion is also a milestone for our customer interaction – we look forward to welcoming our customers to the new environment for even more co-innovation and intensive community building.”

  • IKEA Switzerland offers 3D room planner for your own home

    IKEA Switzerland offers 3D room planner for your own home

    The furniture store IKEA Switzerland presents a new 3D room planner. According to a press release, IKEA Kreativ allows you to design your own home virtually. The new free function is now available in the IKEA app and online. IKEA Kreativ utilises the latest 3D technology and artificial intelligence, the press release continues.

    Users can choose between two options. Option 1 allows you to scan and design your own living space. Option 2 allows you to set up interactive 3D showrooms.

    With the first option, a wide-angle image of a room is taken with the smartphone and saved in the user’s IKEA profile. There is no need to tidy up, as the furniture eraser function can be used to empty the entire room or digitally remove individual items, such as an old couch or clutter, according to the press release. You can then browse through the IKEA range and place your favourite products in the virtual living room. With option 2, it is not your own room that is set up, but an interactive 3D showroom provided by IKEA.

    If you want to put the room design into practice, you can add individual products or the entire room furnishings to your shopping basket and order them online. Alternatively, the products can also be added to the shopping list in the app for the next visit to the IKEA store.

    “We see great potential in using innovative technologies to improve the shopping experience and make the transition between our online offering and a visit to the store seamless,” says Ann Ström, Country Digital Manager at IKEA Switzerland.

  • Green Datacenter tackles the construction of two more data centres

    Green Datacenter tackles the construction of two more data centres

    Green Datacenter AG is embarking on the next construction phase on the Metro Campus Zurich. Following the completion of the first data centre in 2022, the construction of data centres N and O will be implemented earlier than planned, the provider of data centres and related services headquartered in Lupfig announced in a statement. The company cites a strong increase in demand for secure and high-performance data centres as the reason for the early start of construction.

    “Our growth reflects the rapid pace of technology and digitalisation,” company CEO Roger Süess is quoted as saying in the statement. “Modern data centres are a prerequisite for this transformation to be realised at high speed, securely and sustainably in Switzerland.” The two new data centres will provide space for up to 160,000 IT systems.

    Households and businesses in the surrounding communities can benefit from the waste heat of the data centres. To this end, Green Datacenter is investing “several million in waste heat extraction and is cooperating with Energie 360°“, the company writes. The Zurich-based energy provider is implementing several district heating projects in the region. “With the use of waste heat and many other measures, we contribute to the circular economy and support the energy transition,” Süess says. “For us, it is clear that only sustainable data centres can achieve future-oriented digitalisation.”

  • R&M launches new splice closure

    R&M launches new splice closure

    R&M has expanded its range with a high-density type of SYNO splice sleeve. The new SYNO S-500 splice closure has twice the splicing capacity of the standard types, writes the globally active specialist for data and communication networks from the Zurich Oberland in a statement. The splice closure, which is designed for the expansion of hybrid fibre optic infrastructures, can be used to cable single fibres and ribbon fibres simultaneously.

    The SYNO S-500 is equipped with eight entries for standard round cables, ribbon cables and microproducts. “Single fibre splices, ribbon fibre splices and splitters can be placed next to each other on the splice carriers,” R&M explains. Due to the resealable gel seal of the sleeve, the cabling can be retrofitted or changed at any time.

    According to the manufacturer, the SYNO S-500 can be used for overhead and underground cabling, and especially in regions where the infrastructures for fibre optic lines to the house are to be expanded quickly and prepared for future applications. As an additional service, R&M offers “customer-specific pre-assembly”.

  • PriceHubble acquires WhenFresh

    PriceHubble acquires WhenFresh

    PriceHubble, according to its own information the European market leader for performance data solutions in the field of real estate and finance, has acquired London-based WhenFresh ltd. Acquired. According to a media release, the wholly owned merger of WhenFresh into PriceHubble’s portfolio will lead to the expansion of its leading market position.

    WhenFresh previously provided data and decision systems to banks, insurers, the public sector and other Big Data users and is a leading specialist in residential property data in the UK. The company provides access to over 200 proprietary, private and public datasets. WhenFresh’s solutions and expertise now enable PriceHubble’s clientele to make faster, more informed and more cost-effective decisions around property risk.

    “PriceHubble has quickly established itself as the leading B2B SaaS provider of real estate performance data solutions for banks, insurance companies and asset managers globally,” Dr Stefan Heitmann, founder and executive chairman of PriceHubble, was quoted as saying in the statement. “Seeing our sixth acquisition successfully completed and our unique capabilities extended into the largest banking and real estate market in Europe and beyond fills us with respect and joy in equal measure. We are exceptionally pleased to welcome the WhenFresh team.”

    WhenFresh Ltd will become a wholly owned subsidiary of PriceHubble UK, led by Mark Cunningham, co-founder and director of WhenFresh. Alan Dean, Co-Founder and Technical Director of WhenFresh, will become Group Innovation Director of PriceHubble.

  • Soobr wins Purus Innovation Award at CMS Berlin

    Soobr wins Purus Innovation Award at CMS Berlin

    Soobr has received the Purus Innovation Award 2023 in the Digital Tools and Systems category. The technology company from the canton of Bern was honored by CMS Berlin, the leading international trade fair for the cleaning industry, for its artificial intelligence-based smart cleaning platform. It enables optimized and dynamic planning of building cleaning and also ensures transparency with a digital bill of quantities, Soobr quoted the jury as saying in a statement. Soobr also spread the victory news on LinkedIn. The company remains true to its mission of driving innovation and providing excellent solutions, it said there.

    All 18 final-round competition entries were on display in a special show at CMS Berlin, Sept. 23-26. According to CMS, the Award for Innovation Achievement in the Cleaning Industry recognizes products, tools and systems that impress with their high application quality and superior overall design.

    According to the release, Soobr Smart Cleaning replaces inefficient, rigid cleaning schedules with flexible deployment plans. Thanks to data evaluation based on artificial intelligence, cleaning is only carried out where it is really necessary. This saves water, chemicals, plastic and money. This allows companies to respond to fluctuations in building occupancy rates, for example. The cleaning staff receive their deployment plans via an app.

    Soobr was founded in Ittigen in 2020. The company maintains a subsidiary in Hamburg.

  • Luucy presents new version of the platform for spatial planning

    Luucy presents new version of the platform for spatial planning

    Luucy AG, with offices in Lucerne and Schlieren, has launched a new version of its interactive 3D platform for spatial and real estate development. According to a media release, the update brings a number of new features and improvements to existing functions.

    For example, Luucy will now offer improved speed and reliability. The platform should function smoothly and efficiently, regardless of whether one manages one’s profile, works in an organisation or uses the marketplace. Various causes of crashes have been fixed.

    According to the press release, there are extended export options for presentations. In addition to the export as PDF, there is also the option to export the individual slides as images. Furthermore, the search in the marketplace has been simplified by a filter function. The pedestrian mode has been extended by a “useful function”, Luucy says. You can see your current altitude at any time with an altitude display. The altitude display is shown at the top of the screen.

    A free app called Cost Calculator is now available in the marketplace and can be installed from there. This can be used to calculate the costs per square metre or cubic metre in projects and to create a cost overview of modelled buildings per variant.

    According to the press release, the update of Luucy brings a number of smaller innovations and improvements. Imported models can now be exported again. One can define the location for a presentation directly on the map. And area and volume reductions are taken into account for copied buildings. Parcels from the PLR cadastre of public-law restrictions on landownership are automatically activated as properties.

  • ICT and life sciences dominate company settlements

    ICT and life sciences dominate company settlements

    The Conference of Cantonal Directors of Economic Affairs (VDK) reports that the promotion of Switzerland as a business location by the federal government, the regions and the cantons can look back on another positive year. Once a year, the VDK compiles statistics on the number of new foreign companies settling in Switzerland. According to the VDK’s current survey, a total of 265 foreign companies settled in Switzerland in 2022. They have already created a total of 1199 new jobs in the first year of operation. Over the course of three years, this figure is expected to rise to over 3100 jobs.

    “Even though, with 265 companies, 17 fewer companies were settled compared to the previous year, the development of settlements has remained relatively stable over the last 10 years,” writes the VDK. And as in previous years, most of the new settlements in 2022 are active in the ICT and life sciences sectors. Regionally, around half come from the USA, Germany or France.

    The focus on future technologies set out in the national location promotion strategy 2020-2023 is to be maintained in the years 2024 to 2027, the VDK explains further in the press release. Such companies also contribute “with their innovative know-how in their network to strengthening regional and local value creation as well as the SME landscape”. In addition, the VDK points to the cooperation of the Confederation and the cantons with the official Swiss organisation for export promotion and location promotion, Switzerland Global Enterprise, and its representations abroad managed as Swiss Business Hubs.

  • Swiss AI is in the final of the Elevator Pitch Competition

    Swiss AI is in the final of the Elevator Pitch Competition

    Swiss AI has been nominated for the Elevator Pitch Competition(EPiC) 2023 in Hong Kong. The Zug-based start-up is one of 24 finalists in the Proptechs category, according to a statement from the organiser, the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation(HKSTP). Another 26 finalists were named in the Fintechs category. The 50 young companies were selected from 618 applications from 55 countries.

    Swiss AI uses optimisation algorithms to help multinational companies and other clientele from around the world plan their investment decisions. A digital twin combines the financial, technical, environmental and quality of life impacts of planning to enable informed decision-making. Swiss AI is about “promoting sustainable societal change in terms of energy, mobility and urbanisation while creating investment opportunities around the world”. The company is based in Zug and the development department is in Zurich.

    The EPiC finale will take place on 28 April at Hong Kong’s tallest building, the International Commerce Centre. The centrepiece of the event is a 60-second lift ride during which participants present their business model.

    According to the announcement, EpiC, with the Science Park’s network of more than 1,000 investors and 300 corporate partners, offers “the best platform available for start-ups” to achieve “real business success”. All 50 finalists would have the chance to be considered for direct investments of up to $5 million from the HKSOP Venture Fund and receive support for market expansion across Asia. In addition, the overall winner will receive $90,000.

  • Jarowa convinces investors

    Jarowa convinces investors

    The Zug start-up Jarowa has secured 12.4 million francs in a Series A financing round, according to a press release . The round was led by London-based venture capital firm Eos Venture Partners. In addition, moyreal holding AG from Sarnen, Helvetic Trust AG from Zurich and a Zurich family office have invested.

    Jarowa operates a platform with services for claims management. This is primarily aimed at insurance companies, real estate managers and leasing companies. The services listed cover the areas of mobility, buildings and trades, healthcare and legal advice. In the event of a claim, insurance coverage is automatically checked and a suitable service provider selected. The damage repair is processed digitally for all parties involved.

    Jarowa intends to use the financing to expand its presence in Europe, explains CEO Andreas Akeret in the press release. The start-up's platform is currently accessible to companies from Switzerland, Germany, Italy and Great Britain.

  • Siemens Smart Infrastructure acquires Brightly

    Siemens Smart Infrastructure acquires Brightly

    Brightly Software , a software-as-a-service (SaaS) facility and maintenance management company based in Cary, North Carolina, has acquired Siemens Smart Infrastructure . A corresponding agreement has already been signed, Siemens informed in a statement . The purchase price is $1.575 billion plus a performance-based earn-out component.

    The takeover is intended to promote the growth of the Zug-based Siemens subsidiary in the digital and software as a service divisions. In particular, the acquisition will complement the offerings of Siemens Smart Infrastructure for building technology "with established cloud-based solutions in key sectors such as public infrastructure, education and healthcare as well as manufacturing," according to the release. At the same time, Siemens wants to use Brightly's position in the American market. In addition, the Group expects synergies with a net cash value in the mid three-digit million range.

    "With Brightly, we are taking a big leap forward and are taking the operation of buildings to the next level," Matthias Rebellius, Member of the Management Board of Siemens AG and CEO of Smart Infrastructure, is quoted as saying in the press release. The acquisition of Brightly supports Siemens' vision to "create fully autonomous buildings that continuously learn from the people who live in them and adapt to their needs".

  • digitalSTROM launches new product

    digitalSTROM launches new product

    digitalSTROM AG from Schlieren is launching a new device for the convenient operation of shadow facilities. According to the press release , electric roller shutters, awnings, blinds and curtains can be opened and closed digitally with the GR-KL300 universal shade clamp. This is done using digitalSTROM commands. These can also be given by a smartphone app. In this way, desired shading positions can be called up from a distance.

    According to the product description , the various types of shading, such as the height of blinds, can be freely configured using software. Several installations can be intelligently networked in the digitalSTROM system via the power line in the house. This makes it possible to control several shading devices in one room or in the entire apartment or house.

    With the GR-KL300, opening and closing can be controlled via a digitalSTROM button and automated if desired. Depending on the time of day, weather conditions or as a simulation of presence, a specific setting can be selected.

    The drive of the blinds or other systems can also be operated directly via buttons without digitalSTROM. The installation automatically recognizes the position of the shading device. And there is a shutdown when overload is indicated. According to digitalSTROM, the new device will be on the market from April 15th.

  • Settlements reach pre-corona level

    Settlements reach pre-corona level

    Company settlements are increasing again after the Corona dip. The Greater Zurich Area AG (GZA), as the location marketing organization for nine cantons, was able to settle a total of 125 companies in 2021, an increase of 36 companies compared to the first Corona year 2020. According to a statement by the GZA, 42 companies came from the USA (+20 ), 19 from Germany (+4), ten from Italy (+5) and five each from China (-6), Great Britain and Singapore.

    Overall, the companies created 582 jobs in the economic area, an increase of 11 percent compared to the previous year. In the next five years there should be a total of 1843 jobs.

    The ICT sectors are most strongly represented with 42 companies, followed by the life sciences with 25 companies and the machine industry with 18 and financial services with 13 companies. The life sciences companies created 235 jobs, followed by the ICT companies with 154 jobs.

    However, the importance of the companies for the location goes beyond the number of new jobs. “We specifically address those companies that achieve high added value and strengthen the existing ecosystem,” said GZA Managing Director Sonja Wollkopf Walt at a digital media conference.

    One of the newly settled companies is Benchling . The American provider of cloud solutions for life sciences wants to create up to 150 jobs in the Circle at Zurich Airport. The Chinese pharmaceutical company Hengrui already has its European headquarters in Basel and is now setting up a research and development site in Zurich.

    The German RegTech company targens will sell its software for compliance solutions to banks in Switzerland and Liechtenstein from Schwanden GL. Ruedi Becker, the Swiss head of the Landesbank Baden-Württemberg subsidiary, was able to convince his superiors of the advantages of Glarus together with the GZA.

    That pleases the Glarner location promoter Christian Zehnder. So far, Glarus has been strong in manufacturing and food production. “We want to get away from our traditional image,” he said. “When companies settle here, however, we depend on the strong partner GZA, who markets the location internationally.”

    Sonja Wollkopf Walt sees it similarly: the settlement of targens strengthens the ecosystem as a whole and sends the signal that the economic area extends beyond Zurich and Zug. “In the Greater Zurich Area there is the ideal location for every company.”

    The Greater Zurich Area includes the cantons of Glarus, Graubünden, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Ticino, Uri, Zug and Zurich.

  • DecentWorld brings real value to virtual real estate

    DecentWorld brings real value to virtual real estate

    Swiss Asset Management – Vermögensverwaltung launched its Metaverse platform DecentWorld on March 1st. The game offers users the opportunity to invest in digital real estate and roads using NFT (Non-Fungible Token) technology. According to a media release , the creators of DecentWorld expect their creation to “step by step revolutionize the blockchain industry and bring real value to virtual real estate.”

    The purchased virtual roads can be grouped into collections. Completed collections automatically generate income. These are accumulated and distributed at regular intervals.

    As the release goes on to say, Switzerland is on the way to becoming the next Silicon Valley for crypto and blockchain. “Inspired by the Swiss approach to designing the future”, the development team “created a unique user interface with an artistic touch”. DecentWorld also stands for trust and transparency in the blockchain industry through the use of state-of-the-art security functions.

  • digitalSTROM presents new products

    digitalSTROM presents new products

    According to a press release , digitalSTROM AG from Schlieren will present two innovations at the Light + Building 2022 trade fair. On the one hand, the networking specialist is presenting the integrated solution for access control. According to the announcement, this consists of the fully integrated Smart Video Doorbell and the interactive 10.1″ display, dS-Touch. With the video doorbell, residents can always keep an eye on who is ringing the doorbell. With the dS-Touch display, access control is integrated into the all-in-one solution from digitalSTROM for the first time. This includes fully centralized automation and control of lights, shutters, blinds, heating and ventilation systems and buttons.

    The dS Energy extension, which is also new, enables residents with a photovoltaic system to improve their energy balance. The self-generated energy is thus routed to the boiler or heat pump via an intelligent control system. This will also significantly reduce dependency on the electricity company, according to the statement.

    For the first time since 2018, digitalSTROM will be taking part in the trade fair from October 2nd to 6th in Frankfurt in order to present its range of smart home solutions and innovations to an international audience. “We benefit from the growing dynamics of home automation and the steadily increasing interest in digitalSTROM solutions,” Peter Lambrechts, Executive Chairman at digitalSTROM, is quoted as saying. In the difficult years for the entire industry, his company invested heavily in research and development and was able to present new products and solutions at Light + Building.

  • Swisscom takes over majority of e-government specialists

    Swisscom takes over majority of e-government specialists

    Swisscom announces the acquisition of the Zurich-based Innovative Web Group. With the takeover, the telecommunications company wants to expand its activities in the areas of web solutions and e-government for public administrations and municipalities, according to a press release. The Innovative Web Group remains legally independent. The takeover will not result in any changes for customers or employees. The parties have agreed not to disclose the company valuation.

    The Innovative Web Group, founded in 2000, is well positioned in the segment of e-government solutions for Swiss municipalities and cities, cantons, municipal utilities, schools and other administrative-related organizations. With the acquisition of the group of companies, Swisscom expects new growth potential for its “Municipalities and Associations” business area, which is mainly handled by the subsidiary Swisscom Directories AG with the municipality platform Localcities .

    Localcities provides information and advice on all aspects of official, economic, social and cultural life in the community. In association with Innovative Web, the foundation stone is to be laid in order to “use technical modules reciprocally and develop new, innovative solutions for almost every need of the around 2,200 Swiss communities, regardless of the size of the community”, says Stefano Santinelli , CEO Swisscom Directories AG, quoted.

  • Artificial intelligence analyzes CO2 emissions from traffic

    Artificial intelligence analyzes CO2 emissions from traffic

    An analysis method developed at the Eidgenössische Materialprüfungs- und Forschungsanstalt ( Empa ) can make statements about how the consumption of a country’s vehicle fleet changes from year to year. This new method is based on math and deep learning techniques. According to a communication , it is able to show where politicians and car buyers could start to reduce CO2 emissions.

    Analyzing this has become increasingly difficult in recent years. Because vehicles can no longer be divided into classic segments such as small, medium and luxury classes due to technical innovations. In addition, new vehicles are getting bigger and heavier. In addition, the cubic capacities would decrease, while the efficiency of the engines would get better and better at the same time.

    That is why the Empa Vehicle Drive Systems department describes its analysis technology as an “important breakthrough”: It enables “CO2 emissions to be assessed separately and an accurate automatic vehicle classification to be carried out by analyzing large databases,” explains researcher Naghmeh Niroomand. “This makes it easier to analyze changes in fleets in a country or a large company.” Thanks to this new method, “subjective and expert-based factors” would be eliminated and databases from all over the world would be comparable.

    For Switzerland, the team was able to calculate the average CO2 emissions of newly registered cars. If less heavy vehicles such as SUVs were on Swiss roads, this would be the most effective way of promoting decarbonization, says Niroomand. It would also be helpful to buy vehicles with lower performance in the same vehicle class.

  • CLEMAP successfully collects capital

    CLEMAP successfully collects capital

    CLEMAP has successfully completed a seed round, the young company from Zurich informs in a message . No information is given there about the amount of capital collected under the leadership of Malco Parola, investor in the Swiss ICT Investor Club ( SICTIC ). CLEMAP intends to use the funds for the further development of its B2B energy platform and further market entries. Founded in 2017, the company has specialized in products for intelligent networks, factories and buildings since 2020.

    In the financing round that has now been concluded, the investors were convinced “by the new national and international cooperation”, writes CLEMAP. CLEMAP's charging management for electric vehicles and energy monitoring solutions for intelligent factories are named as further capital magnets in the communication. The young company is already active on the Italian market with the latter. The load breakdown product CLEMAP One is already being used in intelligent buildings.

    In connection with the seed round, the start-up is also changing its board of directors. SICTIC investor Parola takes a seat as a new member. Pascal Kienast will hand over the presidency to the ex-CEO of Repower, Kurt Bobst. With Gino Agbomemewa as CEO and Pascal Kienast as COO, however, the management of CLEMAP will remain unchanged.

  • Digital tool organizes meetings of co-owners

    Digital tool organizes meetings of co-owners

    Immowise is the first platform for the digitization of general meetings of floor owners and property managers, writes wise.swiss in a press release. The digital tool helps the administrator to digitally design all phases of a general meeting, it says there. The administration of the invitations, the preparation and adjustment of the agenda, the calculation and determination of the quorum as well as the recording of voting results and surveys and the creation of minutes are named as such. In addition, notes and comments on the General Assembly can be recorded with Immowise. Immowise can be adapted to the particular characteristics of co-ownership, writes wise.swiss.

    The young company based in Neuchâtel specializes in the development of digital tools in working life. A number of real estate companies were already among the customers, explains Sebastian Chiappero in the press release: "The concept of a specific platform for managing general meetings was born in 2019 at your request," said the wise.swiss CEO. The coronavirus pandemic also drove implementation.

    Immowise can reduce the time required in all phases of a general assembly by 20 to 30 percent, explains the director responsible for the platform, Gilles von Burg. At the same time, care is taken to ensure data security. "The initial feedback from our customers has been very positive, both for remote and on-site use," says Gilles.

  • EPFL exhibits Design Brain in Seoul

    EPFL exhibits Design Brain in Seoul

    The Media x Design Laboratory of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne ( EPFL ) is currently exhibiting a larger-than-life design brain in the South Korean capital. The exhibit called Artificial Swissness can be seen until October 31 at the Seoul Biennale for Architecture and Urbanism .

    According to a communication from EPFL, Artificial Swissness aims to extend the epistemology of computer science to the cultural field. “Our design brain is an experiment on the question of whether machines can design structures,” laboratory director Professor Jeffrey Huang is quoted as saying. “That means whether they can not only recommend music or drive cars, but also create meaningful cultural artefacts, such as architecture with distinctive Swiss characteristics.”

    As the message goes on to say, the exhibit should be a constantly changing spatial interface that represents the inner thoughts of an artificial intelligence machine that has been trained on 10,000 images of Swiss chalets and alpine architecture. “We make the visual interferences in these layers of the neural network visible,” say the two EPFL students Frederick Kim and Mikhael Johanes. “This gives us an insight into the inner workings of our generative artificial network that creates architectural images.” The two of them set up the installation in Seoul after a 14-day quarantine.

    The digital screens of the installation show the machine-generated images of typical Swiss architecture. At the same time, an LED projection reveals the constantly evolving learning process that the machines go through while they sift through thousands of images of alpine architecture in order to distill the essence of “Swissness”.

  • Artificial intelligence recognizes the type of land use

    Artificial intelligence recognizes the type of land use

    Thanks to a student at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne ( EPFL ), the regularly necessary classification of land use is now much less time-consuming than before. According to a press release from the university, she has developed and trained her own machine learning algorithm that can not only distinguish forests from other types of land. Instead, Valérie Zermatten's algorithm also recognizes rivers, lakes, camping and sports fields, cemeteries, water treatment stations, public parks, airports and dams. This makes it clearly superior to the algorithm developed by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) called Areal Statistics Deep Learning, or ADELE for short.

    The results produced by their program as part of a master’s thesis are similar to the official data published by the FSO. According to the announcement, this suggests that it could be used for land use classification in the future. The big advantage lies in the processing time for aerial photos, because their classification into around 40 different categories is still largely done by hand.

    All of Switzerland is photographed from the air every three years. Because manual categorization takes so long, the results are only published every six years. With this mapping, land consumption can be better tracked, soil permeability can be monitored and urban sprawl can be combated.

    “Our goal is not to replace humans with artificial intelligence,” says Devis Tuia, one of Zermatt's doctoral supervisors at EPFL. “Although Valérie's algorithm will reduce the amount of tedious work that has to be done manually.” But even then there is still enough for people to do – for example, to recognize whether it is a house or a school, a football field or a football field Wiese act.

  • BKW takes over IT company ngworx

    BKW takes over IT company ngworx

    The BKW Group from Bern has bought ngworx. The energy company wants to merge the Zurich IT company with its subsidiary swisspro Solultions , according to a media release . Together, the companies are to expand the IT division of BKW Building Solutions into a holistic IT provider. "We can also expand our geographic presence in this technology-driven business," Mathias Prüssing, CEO of BKW Building Solutions, is quoted in the press release.

    Ngworx AG was founded in Zurich in 2013 and offers network consulting, engineering and integration services for business customers in Switzerland and Europe. With just under 20 employees, the company has practical experience and knowledge in the area of networks and security. According to a press release, the ngworx management team will remain with the company and will help shape the development of the IT division of BKW Building Solutions.

  • Schaffhausen receives new data center

    Schaffhausen receives new data center

    The Geneva data center operator Safe Host is investing in the Schaffhausen community of Beringen. He wants to build a data center on the site of the former SIG tennis club. According to a press release, the building application was submitted on April 9th. There are two projects to be approved: On the one hand, the data center itself with its ancillary buildings. On the other hand, a new substation for the electricity company of the canton of Schaffhausen ( EKS ). The latter should, among other things, enable the feed-in of larger amounts of renewable energies.

    The data center will generate solar power itself. Photovoltaic shelves will be installed on all free roof areas and on the south facade. In addition, the office complex is heated with the waste heat generated by the data center itself. The rainwater is also stored where possible and processed for cooling.

    According to the announcement, the municipality of Beringen sees the project as a "further milestone in the development of the industrial quarter". The local council is convinced that such a “high-tech building” has a “signal effect” in Beringen.

    The architectural office Schmidli Architekten + Partner from Rafz ZH is responsible for the planning. This has already been entrusted with the planning of Safe Host's data center in Rafz, which is currently still under construction.

    The Beringer data center is already the fifth owned by Safe Host. In addition to the new data center in Rafz, the company also has three centers in the greater Geneva area.

  • Zühlke supports Adtrac with targeted outdoor advertising

    Zühlke supports Adtrac with targeted outdoor advertising

    Zühlke supports the Zurich start-up Adtrac . The aim of the cooperation is the development of a platform for the targeted control, changing content and tracking of digital outdoor advertising until it is ready for the market. According to a press release, the innovation service provider from Schlieren has been at Adtrac's side right from the start with advice and support for further development. This should make the platform ready for the market in a few months.

    According to the media release, the idea of Adtrac is to transfer the advantages of the digital world into the classic principle of outdoor advertising. The sensors of the advertising displays should be used to play the most relevant content for the target group in front of the displays. This means that the offer on the advertising space can be adapted precisely for these viewers and their interests based on data about the respective target group. And the customer can follow the progress of his campaign online. According to Adtrac, the web-based campaign tool is used for this. Advertisers can use it to plan their campaigns themselves at any time, follow them live, optimize them and create evaluations.

    "Thanks to Zühlke's expertise and the flexible and agile cooperation, we are now there with a market-ready and convincing product," Benjamin Wey, CEO of Adtrac, is quoted as saying. Adtrac was created as a joint venture between Advertima , Fortimo and SPAR , all based in St.Gallen.

    After the initial launch on the market, the platform is to be continuously developed and supplemented with new functions.

  • The city of Zug is becoming even more digital

    The city of Zug is becoming even more digital

    The city of Zug has introduced a new app called eZug, according to a media release . This is a digital platform for residents. They can use this to identify themselves to city authorities, request and receive official documents and keep them safe or forward them. This is currently possible, for example, for certificates of ability to act, identity cards, certificates of repute, certificates of residence or extracts from debt enforcement. Over time, new services should be added continuously. For example, a parent portal is to be integrated into the app by summer. There parents and teachers of the city schools should be able to communicate with each other.

    “The launch of eZug shows that we are speeding up the implementation of our smart city strategy. With eZug we are laying an important foundation stone for other planned e-government applications, ”said Mayor Karl Kobelt in the message.

    The core of the app is the eID + technology developed by Procivis AG in Zurich and successfully used by the Canton of Schaffhausen since 2018. Residents who already use the existing ZUGLOGIN infrastructure can have the information they have entered there transferred to the new app.