About us

Our services for
the troops

The Swiss Innovation Forces stem from one of the strategic initiatives of Vision 2030. As part of the defense innovation system, we contribute to the adaptive Swiss Army.

We are a privately managed corporation, fully owned by the federal government. We compare solutions available on the market with the current challenges of the Swiss Army and test them with the troops.

We support the employees of the Defense Group in their innovation projects. We empower them to identify their problems and work on their solutions. This way, we promote bottom-up innovation.

What we mean by innovation:

Our goal is to measurably improve the user situation by a factor of x. Metrics can include: efficiency, quality, error rate, satisfaction
We do not aim for perfection in three to five years, but for a 60-80% solution today
We are not looking for groundbreaking innovations, but for established, today available products that are new to the army and administration
This also means that we bring solutions available on the civilian market directly or with slight modifications to the Swiss Army
To achieve this, we maintain close communication, particularly with the Swiss start-up scene, to identify promising innovations early

How we proceed:

In all our activities, we place the user at the center
We invest resources where we can create real added value for the troops and administration
The quick testing of an initial functional solution with the troops is our goal
Due to our independence and agility, we operate differently from large organizations. This allows us to maintain a high pace
We iterate quickly, deal openly with mistakes, and value the result more than the process

How we convey innovation:

A lot of knowledge and ideas lie dormant among the employees of the army and administration
They should be empowered to work not only in the system but also on the system
To achieve this, we convey the innovation methods and provide the necessary tools
We provide the necessary space and tools for exchange and networking among innovators, both offline and online
We help eliminate systemic barriers to enable innovation

What we mean by innovation:

Our goal is to measurably improve the user situation by a factor of x. Metrics can include: efficiency, quality, error rate, satisfaction
We do not aim for perfection in three to five years, but for a 60-80% solution today
We are not looking for groundbreaking innovations, but for established, today available products that are new to the army and administration
This also means that we bring solutions available on the civilian market directly or with slight modifications to the Swiss Army
To achieve this, we maintain close communication, particularly with the Swiss start-up scene, to identify promising innovations early

How we proceed:

In all our activities, we place the user at the center
We invest resources where we can create real added value for the troops and administration
The quick testing of an initial functional solution with the troops is our goal
Due to our independence and agility, we operate differently from large organizations. This allows us to maintain a high pace
We iterate quickly, deal openly with mistakes, and value the result more than the process

How we convey innovation:

A lot of knowledge and ideas lie dormant among the employees of the army and administration
They should be empowered to work not only in the system but also on the system
To achieve this, we convey the innovation methods and provide the necessary tools
We provide the necessary space and tools for exchange and networking among innovators, both offline and online
We help eliminate systemic barriers to enable innovation

In the Academy, we empower the employees of the Defense Group to further their education and become part of the innovation

to the Academy →

At our events, we connect innovators. Because innovation thrives on active exchange

to the events →

Through project work with the troops, we promote the cultural shift towards an agile and adaptive organization

To the projects →

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have any more questions?

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Was ist eigentlich die Rolle der Swiss Innovation Forces in der Armee?

Wir sind dazu da, Innovationsideen unternehmerisch (d.h. mit Start-up-Methodik, pragmatisch, schnell und effektiv) bei den Nutzern umzusetzen. Das ist unser Alleinstellungsmerkmal im "Innovationssystem Verteidigung".

Warum sind die Swiss Innovation Forces nicht Teil der Armee?

Damit wir unabhängig am Markt agieren und so z.B. auch Einstiegshürden für Lösungspartner aus der Privatwirtschaft, insbesondere Start-ups, abbauen können. Das gelingt, weil wir als eigenständige Aktiengesellschaft anders agieren können. Durch unsere Aussenperspektive können wir die Schweizer Armee noch besser beraten.

Gibt es nicht schon andere Organisationen, die Innovation für die Schweizer Armee betreiben?

Jede Organisation und jeder Innovationspfad aus dem Innovationssystem der Armee deckt andere Innovationsbereiche ab. Gewisse betreiben Forschung und Entwicklung und arbeiten insbesondere an den Problemen von morgen. Wir fokussieren uns auf Lösungen, die bereits heute existieren. Oft handelt es sich dabei um Lösungen aus der Privatwirtschaft, die sich dort bewährt haben und ohne grosse Anpassungen und rasch der Truppe verfügbar gemacht werden können.

Wie grenzt ihr euch zu armasuisse W+T ab?

Wir arbeiten komplementär zu armasuisse W+T. Während diese den Fokus auf Forschung und Entwicklung legt und damit einen längeren Zeithorizont bedient, setzen wir auf die Umsetzung und Einführung in der Truppe jetzt und sofort. Wir pflegen einen permanenten Austausch mit armasuisse W+T und arbeiten auch projektbezogen zusammen.

Wie grenzt ihr euch zum Kompetenzzentrum Drohnen und Robotik ab?

Die Drohnenthematik ist so umfassend und wichtig, dass verschiedene Akteure erforderlich sind, um dieses Thema anzugehen. Die Mandate überschneiden sich daher teilweise. Durch die Abstimmung zwischen den Organisationen werden jedoch unerwünschte Redundanzen und Ineffizienzen vermieden.

Wie steht ihr in Beziehung zu "Innovation Verteidigung" (Inno V)?

Inno V erbringt selber keine Projektleistungen oder andere Innovationsangebote, sondern koordiniert und setzt Standards für die Innovationsarbeit in der Schweizer Armee bzw. im Innovationssystem V.

Do you have any more questions?

to the contact form →