EIDGENOSSISCHE MATERIALPRUFUNGS- UND FORSCHUNGSANSTALT

Their core work

EMPA is Switzerland's federal laboratory for materials science and technology, operating at the intersection of research and industrial application. They specialize in advanced materials characterization, nanosafety assessment, sensor development, and environmental monitoring — translating fundamental materials research into practical standards, testing protocols, and engineered solutions. Their work spans from nanoscale material behavior (graphene, nanocomposites, thin-film solar cells) to large-scale atmospheric monitoring infrastructure and soft robotics, consistently bridging the gap between laboratory discovery and real-world deployment.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early H2020 period (2015–2018), EMPA focused heavily on nanomaterials regulation and safety frameworks, graphene fundamentals, nanocomposite manufacturing, and climate change infrastructure — reflecting their traditional role as a materials testing and standards body. From 2019 onward, their portfolio shifted toward applied sensor technologies, real-world emissions monitoring, soft robotics, and risk governance — signaling a move from characterizing materials in the lab to deploying sensing and actuation systems in the field. Graphene remained a constant thread throughout, but the application context evolved from basic material properties to functional devices.

EMPA is transitioning from a materials characterization lab toward an applied systems integrator — expect growing capabilities in smart sensors, autonomous monitoring, and robotic actuation built on their deep materials expertise.

How they like to work

EMPA overwhelmingly participates as a partner rather than leading projects — coordinating only 9 of 90 projects (10%), which is typical for a national research lab that provides specialized expertise to large consortia. With 1,071 unique partners across 47 countries, they operate as a high-connectivity hub, rarely repeating the same consortium twice. This makes them an accessible and experienced partner: they know how EU consortia work, they integrate smoothly, and they bring credibility as a Swiss federal institution without competing for leadership.

EMPA maintains one of the broadest collaboration networks in Swiss research, with 1,071 unique partners spanning 47 countries — effectively pan-European with significant global reach. Their partner diversity reflects their role as a go-to materials expertise provider that fits into almost any consortium configuration.

What sets them apart

EMPA occupies a rare niche as a federally mandated materials testing authority that also conducts frontier research — giving them both regulatory credibility and scientific depth that few organizations can match. Their dual expertise in nanosafety governance and advanced materials development means they can both build new materials and assess whether those materials are safe for deployment, making them invaluable for projects that need to bridge the lab-to-market gap. As a Swiss institution outside the EU but deeply embedded in European research networks, they also bring political neutrality and access to Switzerland's precision engineering ecosystem.

Highlights from their portfolio

• CLUSTER
  One of EMPA's few coordinator roles, an ERC Starting Grant (€2.27M) on crystal nucleation — demonstrates their capacity to lead fundamental materials research.
• GrapheneCore1
  Part of the EU Graphene Flagship (€818K to EMPA), Europe's largest research initiative on 2D materials, confirming EMPA's standing in advanced materials.
• NanoREG II
  Central to defining EU-wide nanosafety regulation and safe-by-design methodologies — positions EMPA as a regulatory science authority for nanomaterials.