Our Wood History.
Made by Our Experts.

Our Wood History.
Made by Our Experts.

Our DNA: Wood for Sustainable Businesses.


The entire team at Swiss Wood Solutions shares the same ambition: to develop resource-conserving innovations and future-oriented business models for sustainable businesses. As a pioneering technology and business incubator for wood-based technologies, we provide scientific and practice-based material expertise accompanied by a business mindset. Always with our finger on the pulse of the latest developments, we are there to take our clients through each phase of product development, right up to market rollout.

Wood-Based Technologies are Our Passion and Our Story.


We are passionate about wood and the opportunities it offers society and business, and have been ever since our foundation in Zurich in 2016 as a spin-off of ETH and EMPA. We still have the same innovative drive and pioneering spirit as we did at the outset – but our experience and expertise have multiplied since then. Today, we are a world-leading business when it comes to combining sustainability with wood-based frontier technologies and developing promising business models.

Today

2023

  • Start of Timbercard pilot with Zuercher Kantonalbank in Switzerland (Zurich Cantonal Bank)
  • Sale of the first 100,000 serial cards and licensing of Timbercard to Copecto GmbH

2023

2022

  • Relocation from Zurich to Altdorf (Switzerland) and expansion of company premises
  • A3 capital increase
  • Start of Timbercard pilot with GLS Bank in Germany
  • Eurostars funding program to support WoodCard

2020

  • Fire and COVID lockdown led to six-month period of short-time working
  • A2 capital increase

2020

2019

  • Procurement of wood densification press
  • Presentation of initial prototypes of the Swiss Wood Card – now Timbercard – at Zuercher Kantonalbank (Zurich Cantonal Bank) and Viseca
  • Eurostars funding program for RETWood
  • Innosuisse funding program for machine learning

2018

  • A1 capital increase
  • Sales of Sonowood products to instrument makers begin
  • Horizon Europe EU funding program for TEEWood

2018

2017

  • External testing of prototypes and start of pilot production of Sonowood products
  • Swiss Wood Solutions ranked 58th in Switzerland’s TOP 100 Startups, fifth among newcomers
  • Winner of Falling Walls award for young researchers and innovators in Switzerland
  • Funding from Gebert Rüf Stiftung (2)

2016

  • Swiss Wood Solutions founded in Zurich as a spin-off of ETH Zurich and EMPA (Switzerland)
  • Gebert Rüf Stiftung funding program (1)

2016

Founding

The Expert Team at Swiss Wood Solutions: Committed to Your Sustainable Business.


At Swiss Wood Solutions, our hallmarks are our innovative strength, our inquiring nature and our enthusiasm for every single project. Our clients can always rely on us to deliver the solution that adds the greatest value to their project.

A Multidisciplinary Team.


Our experienced and highly qualified experts come from a wide range of scientific backgrounds and are committed to promoting sustainable businesses. They have in-depth knowledge of wood-based technologies, product engineering, the wood industry, chemistry, wood physics and wood mechanics, bonding technology, adhesive applications, nanobiology, material sciences, business management, and business development. Their extensive practical experience perfectly positions them to create market-ready, viable and sustainable innovations.
Oliver Kläusler - CEO Swiss Wood Solutions - Für nachhaltige Unternehmen - For Sustainable Businesses
Dr. Oliver Kläusler
Chief Executive Officer
Oliver Kläusler
Chief Executive Officer
  • Studies in Wood Economics and Technology at the University of Hamburg
  • Doctoral thesis and management of a research group at Empa Duebendorf and ETH Zurich
  • Research Engineer and Project Manager in the wood industry in Switzerland, Czech Republic, USA
  • Inventor and developer of production technology for two beaufort products for Audi vehicles
  • Co-founder and First CEO of Swiss Wood Solutions
Patrick Steiner - Chief Financial Officer - Business Development Manager - Deputy CEO - Für nachhaltige Unternehmen - For Sustainable Businesses
Patrick Steiner
Chief Financial Officer & Business Development Manager
Patrick Steiner
Chief Financial Officer and Business Development Manager
  • International management
  • New business development & product Development
  • Expertise in adhesive knowledge and adhesive bonding technology
  • Production and process engineering in the wood industry and adhesive application
  • Sales
Gaspard Clerc - Chief Technology Officer - Für nachhaltige Unternehmen - For Sustainable Businesses
Dr. Gaspard Clerc
Chief Technology Officer
Gaspard Clerc
Chief Technology Officer
  • Violin Maker degree from the Violin Making School in Brienz
  • Master's Degree in Wood Engineering from the Biel University of Applied Sciences
  • Doctorate from the University of Munich
Irina Jermann - Chief Commercial Officer - Für nachhaltige Unternehmen - For Sustainable Businesses
Irina Jermann
Chief Commercial Officer
Irina Jermann
Chief Commercial Officer
  • Studies in Business Administration with a focus on marketing at the University of Basel and the University of St. Gallen (HSG)
  • Over 20 years of experience in B2C (FMCG and Book Retailing)
  • Strategy development
  • Business development
Munish Chanana - Head of Innovation - Für nachhaltige Unternehmen - For Sustainable Businesses
Dr. Munish Chanana
Head of Innovation & Business Development Consultant
Munish Chanana
Head of Innovation and Business Development Consultant
  • Chemistry studies at the Westphalian Wilhelms University in Münster
  • Doctoral thesis at the Max Planck Institute in Potsdam
  • Head of the research group for hierarchical nanobiological materials at ETH Zurich over many years
Cédric Sax - Research and Development Manager - Für nachhaltige Unternehmen - For Sustainable Businesses
Dr. Cédric Sax
Research and Development Manager
Cédric Sax
Research and Development Manager
  • MSc in Materials Science at ETH Zurich
  • PhD in Solid State Physics at ETH Zurich
  • Consulting in IT Banking
  • Founder of the Start-up Potiio - drinking bottle for sweet drinks with minimal sugar content
Walter Sonderegger - Quality Manager - Für nachhaltige Unternehmen - For Sustainable Businesses
Dr. Walter Sonderegger
Quality Manager
Walter Sonderegger
Quality Manager
  • Studies/PhD in Wood Science at ETH Zurich
  • Wood Engineer at the Institute for Building Materials at ETH
  • Deep expertise in wood mechanics, wood physics and hydrothermal compaction methods
  • Author of a large number of research articles in journals and reference books on wood and wood physics
Christian Lehringer - Director Consulting & Services - Für nachhaltige Unternehmen - For Sustainable Businesses
Dr. Christian Lehringer
Director Consulting & Services
Christian Lehringer
Director Consulting and Services
  • Cabinet maker and Master in Wood Science and Technology, University Hamburg
  • PhD in Wood Modification, University Göttingen/Empa Duebendorf
  • Almost 10 years of global B2B adhesives business at corporate Henkel Engineered Wood
Regula Bissig - Administration - Für nachhaltige Unternehmen - For Sustainable Businesses
Regula Bissig
Administration
Sabrina Gisler - Mitarbeiterin Produktion - Für nachhaltige Unternehmen - For Sustainable Businesses
Sabrina Gisler
Production Employee
Monika Mesic - Production Employee - Für nachhaltige Unternehmen - For Sustainable Businesses
Monika Mesic
Production Employee

Join Us in Creating Sustainable Businesses.


A career at Swiss Wood Solutions entails more than the average start-up role. Our employees actively shape our business with their expertise. We support talented and motivated individuals on their career paths, enabling them to realize their full potential – at the cutting edge of the latest scientific findings.

View Career Opportunities