Environmental technology promotion

In the first 25 years, i.e. between 1997 and 2021, a total of 665 projects received funding of around CHF 84 million in all relevant environmental areas:

Around CHF 4 million in funding is available every year. Credit is granted annually by the Federal Assembly. Every five years, the Federal Council reports on the impact of environmental technology promotion. The federal government offers financial support to pilot and demonstration projects in the pre-market launch phase. This means that research results can be translated into marketable technologies and products more quickly.

Art. 49: Environmental Protection Act (EPA)

Video «Die Umwelttechnologieförderung des BAFU»

The video is available in German with German and French subtitles.

Which projects are supported?

The term ‘environmental technology‘ encompasses all technologies, installations, processes and products (goods and services) that reduce environmental pollution and enable the sustainable use of natural resources. As part of environmental technology promotion efforts, support is provided to pilot and demonstration (P&D) projects as well as projects that improve resource efficiency and strengthen the competitiveness of the Swiss economy.

These include projects in the areas of waste, recycling and raw materials, biodiversity (nature and landscape protection, forest conservation), soil and contaminated sites, climate, noise abatement, air pollution control, disaster prevention (protection from natural disasters and safety), resource efficiency and water.

Who is supported?

Individual firms, groups of firms or project groups with members from firms and research institutes may submit an application to receive funding for their projects. Teams with members from both firms and research institutes are valued.

Assisted patent searches and assisted patent landscape analyses

The Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI) offers a Basic search - Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property. This service is free of charge for project participants who receive financial support from the FOEN within the framework of its funding programmes in the area of development and marketing of environmental innovations. This applies to the environmental technology promotion, the technology fund, the wood action plan and the forest and wood research funding. Project participants interested in this free offer from the IPI should contact innovation@bafu.admin.ch.

Foundations

Funding is also available from a range of foundations. Further information can be found in the foundation directory of the Federal Supervisory Board for Foundations ESA (de, fr, it) or on the Stiftung Schweiz platform.