CSEM celebrates 25 years in Central Switzerland
Neuchâtel/Alpnach - The Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology (CSEM) has celebrated its 25th anniversary in Central Switzerland. The CSEM now generates in excess of 3 million Swiss francs of annual technology transfer to the region.
CSEM celebrated 25 years of operations in Central Switzerland at an event hosted by its site in Alpnach in the canton of Obwalden. According to a statement, a number of members of cantonal governments, including Petra Steimen-Rickenbacher (Schwyz), Daniel Wyler (Obwalden), Othmar Filliger (Nidwalden), Silvia Thalmann-Gut (Zug) and Urban Camenzind (Uri), gathered to mark this occasion on June 22. Together with the canton of Lucerne, these cantons made the strategic decision back in 2001 to establish the CSEM in Alpnach. Today, in addition to its headquarters in Neuchâtel, CSEM also operates sites in Allschwil in the canton of Basel-Landschaft, Bern, Landquart in the canton of Graubünden, and Zurich.
The work in Alpnach focuses on robotics, sensor technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI), fluidic/handling systems and algorithms for industrial applications. Since 2001, around 40 innovation projects have been realized per year across Central Switzerland. During this period, CSEM’s workforce has grown from 12 to 55 employees, while revenues have increased from 4.5 million to 11 million Swiss francs. CSEM works in close collaboration with cantonal economic development agencies and the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts.
“Innovation happens where research and entrepreneurship meet. For 25 years, CSEM has made a decisive contribution to the success of this process in Central Switzerland”, comments Othmar Filliger, President of the Conference of Cantonal Directors of Economic Affairs for Central Switzerland (ZVDK).
A concrete example of this work is the Gemtelligence application developed for the Gübelin Gem Lab in Lucerne, which uses AI to analyze gemstones.
