Info for companies

The photonic industry plays an important role in Switzerland with a direct revenue of around 3 billion SFr (details can be downloaded Oct 2009 Optech report (94 KB) ), ranking second per capita in Europe.

Support of innovation at companies

Switzerland has many different programs to support innovation. The three major programs are:

• SNSF Swiss National Science Foundation (650Mio. CHF/year). Mainly supporting basic science projects with some funds available for technology transfer for institutes and companies. Requests can be submitted anytime.
• EU R&D projects (300Mio. CHF/year). Calls for specific topics are published periodically by the EU. Wait until your topic of interest is being published and submitt proposal (togteher with other companies and research institutes). Disadvantage: Low acceptance ratio and red tape. Advantage: Funding of R&D at institutes and companies.
• CTI Innovation promotion (120Mio. CHF/year). Request needs to include at least one company and one research institute. CTI is funding the research at institute up to R&D investment of the company. Submit request anytime.

SLN supports member companies:

SLN can support you and your company! We offer to members free of charge:

• Matching partner: Support to find a matching research institute
• Public innovation funding: Support to find governmental funding
• Market data: Access to international photonics networks and to market data and reports.
• Financing of companies: SLN establishes contact with equity and dept-equity sources  
• Patents: SLN can give first level support for intellectual property questions

• Seed money: Member companies will recieve a seed money check (sFr. 5000.-) for selected projects. This check can be cashed in at any research institute in order to prepare a CTI submission. Send in your short description of the project or just state your problem (200 to 400 words to -ink-fog#@sq-wiz/ssy6lad*sek1r.r2nel3ti ). The SLN board decides within 2 weeks if the request can be honored with a seed money check.