Organization
CSEM’s mission is to develop and transfer technologies to the industrial sector to reinforce the sector’s competitive advantage. It works towards building ties between higher education institutions and partners in Industry, and aims to help entrepreneurs with the creation of start-up companies. CSEM’s headquarters are located in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. It also has five sites in the Swiss cities of: Alpnach, Allschwil, Bern, Landquart, and at the Technopark Zürich.
History of its geographical expansion
Over the years, CSEM has expanded its presence and capabilities through the establishment of various research centers.
1997 – Zurich Site. In 1997, CSEM integrated the former micro-optical laboratories of the Paul Scherrer Institut in Zurich, Switzerland. [6] This integration allowed CSEM to broaden its technological offerings while strengthening its presence within Switzerland.
2001 – Alpnach Site. In 2001, CSEM launched a new research center, CSEM Alpnach, in Alpnach, Switzerland. [7] The focus was on generating interactions and exploiting synergy effects in the domain of microrobotics.
2007 – Neuchatel Observatory. In 2007, CSEM integrated the Neuchâtel Observatory into its organization. [8] The primary objective of this takeover was to associate the observatory's Time-Frequency laboratory with the University of Neuchâtel and to continue pursuing fundamental and applied research activities. [9]
2007 – Landquart Site. In the same year, CSEM established another research center, CSEM Landquart, in Landquart, Switzerland. [10] This center received support from the cantonal government of Graubünden and focused on developing new technologies and competencies in nanomedicine while contributing to the economic fabric of the Rhine Alpine Valley.
2022 – Allschwil Site (previously opened in Muttenz in 2011). In 2022, CSEM relocated its Basel site, previously opened in Muttenz in 2011, [11] to the Switzerland Innovation Park in Allschwil, Switzerland. [12] This move aimed to boost CSEM's activities in Tools for Life Sciences.
2022 – Bern Site. Also in 2022, CSEM opened a new office in Bern, Switzerland, located close to the University Hospital Bern. [13] The purpose of this office was to further expand CSEM's activities in digital health, with a specific focus on wearable medical devices. [14]
History
CSEM was founded in 1984 by The Swiss Federal Council. It was created to provide Switzerland with a research and development (R&D) center that would enable the country to keep pace with technological innovation. Presently, CSEM operates as a Research and Technology Organization (RTO). In 1984, the City of Neuchâtel, in the Canton of Neuchâtel, Switzerland, was chosen as the location for the new research and development center due to its long tradition in watchmaking and its heritage in manufacturing industrial, precision, and mechanical components. [15]
CSEM [16] was formed by merging three different companies:
Today, CSEM has over 566 [3] employees, and operates throughout Switzerland.
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Switzerland Innovation, organised through the Switzerland Innovation Foundation is the Swiss national network of science parks.
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Mario El-Khoury is a Lebanese-Swiss engineer, cited as a Digital Shaper by the economic magazine Bilanz in 2020, and among the 100 most important personalities of the Swiss economy in 2019 and 2020.
