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SWISSto12

HardwareRenens, Vaud, Switzerland (with subsidiaries in the USA)Founded 2011· One of 1637 Hardware companies tracked by AMPulse

SWISSto12 specializes in the development and production of high-precision 3D printed RF components for satellite communications and aerospace applications.

CEO / Founder
Emile de Rijk
Team Size
201-500
Stage
Active
Total Funding
$217.0M
Latest Round
Grant
Key Investors
Swiss Innovation Fund, Innosuisse, European Space Agency (ESA), EGS Beteiligungen, World Economic Forum, Swisscanto Holding, Swisscom, Private Investors

Technology & Products

Key Products

SWISSto12 specializes in 3D printed radio frequency (RF) components for satellite communications and aerospace applications, including the HummingSat GEO satellite platform and Ku-band active electronically steered antenna (AESA) user terminal technology.

Technical position · AMPulse analysis

Combines proprietary 3D printing technology with deep expertise in RF design to deliver innovative and efficient solutions.

Patent position

SWISSto12 filed 5 patent families in 2022–2024 versus 10 in 2019–2021, a 50% fall, steeper than the 22% fall in tracked AM filings in the same patent offices. AMPulse analysis

Filing momentum
5 families filed 2022–2024, 10 in 2019–2021 (-50%); all tracked AM filings in the same offices -22%
Focus, 2019–2021 → 2022–2024
Applications 100% → 100%
Filed in
US 52%EP 38%WO 33%CN 14%

21 AM patent families in total. Recent years are still being published, so read a filing change against the same-office figure.

Differentiation

Value Proposition

Delivers cost-effective, lightweight, and highly efficient RF components through advanced 3D printing technology, reducing lead times and production costs.

How They Differentiate

SWISSto12 differentiates itself through its proprietary and patented additive manufacturing (AM) technologies for advanced RF performance, size, and weight savings. They offer unmatched customization and performance in 3D printed RF components and are pioneering small GEO satellites (HummingSat) to unlock a wide range of space missions.

Market & Competition

Target Customers

Satellite manufacturers, aerospace, defense, and telecommunications companies

Industry Verticals

Aerospace, Telecommunications, Defense

Competitors

Aerospacelab, Syrlinks, Celestial Space Technologies

Growth & Milestones

Growth Metrics

Rapid expansion in production capacity and increasing market penetration in key aerospace segments

Major Milestones

Successful launch of the first 3D printed RF component, Established strategic partnership with Airbus, Awarded key government and defense contracts

Notable Customers

Space Compass Corporation, Intelsat, Inmarsat (Viasat), SES, Lockheed Martin

https://swissto12.com

Recent coverage of SWISSto12

AM patents

AM-relevant patents linked to this company.

Patents
31
Granted
12
Families
21

Leading domains: application (31), process (20), material (6)

Filings by year: 2024: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 7 · 2019: 11 · 2017: 4

  1. Waveguide device and method of manufacturing this device11923591 · US
  2. Corrugated passive radiofrequency device suitable for an additive manufacturing method12494585 · US
  3. METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A WAVEGUIDE DEVICE BY ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING AND ELECTRODEPOSITION, AND SEMI-FINISHED PRODUCT03939115 · EP
  4. Waveguide filter suitable for an additive manufacturing method11581620 · US
  5. OMNIDIRECTIONAL RESONATOR COMBLINE WAVEGUIDE FILTER20250372853 · US

Funding rounds

  • Series C$70M2026-07-16Lead: Undisclosed
  • Grant$85M2026-01-21Lead: European Space Agency
  • Series B$117M2025-12-31Lead: Private Investors
  • Series A$18.6M2024-01-20Lead: Sequoia
  • Seed$0.1M2012-05-21Lead: Angel Investor

Equipment deals on record

Publicly disclosed purchases or installs only.

  • MetalFabG2

    4 systems · Not disclosed

    Buyer: SWISSto12 · Supplier: Additive Industries
All equipment activity

Why this company matters

AMPulse analysis, not a company disclosure

SWISSto12 occupies a distinctive position at the intersection of metal additive manufacturing and RF engineering, producing 3D-printed radio frequency components for satellite communications, aerospace, and defense. The company was founded in 2011 as a spinoff from EPFL and has since scaled to a team of 201–500 employees, with headquarters in Renens, Switzerland, and US subsidiaries. Its core value proposition is delivering cost-effective, lightweight RF hardware that outperforms conventionally machined alternatives in both electrical efficiency and production speed.

The company's core technology is metal additive manufacturing applied to RF components such as waveguides, dual-polarized antennas, and Ku-band AESA user terminals. SWISSto12 combines proprietary 3D printing processes with deep RF design expertise to produce parts that are simultaneously lighter, more compact, and more performant than traditional milled or assembled equivalents. The company also builds the HummingSat GEO satellite platform, a small geostationary satellite that leverages these printed RF components to enable a wider range of space missions at lower cost.

SWISSto12's customer base includes satellite operators and prime contractors such as Intelsat, Inmarsat (Viasat), SES, and Lockheed Martin, as well as telecommunications and defense organizations. The company has partnered with Airbus Defence and Space and maintains ties with ETH Zurich. Its patented IP portfolio for 3D-printed RF products spans over 50 jurisdictions, covering methods for additive manufacturing of waveguides and dual-polarized antenna designs.

The company has raised approximately $165 million from investors including the European Space Agency, Innosuisse, and Swisscom. A key strategic question is whether SWISSto12 can maintain its technological lead as larger aerospace primes and metal AM service bureaus invest in competing RF-optimized print processes. Its HummingSat platform also faces competition from other small GEO satellite developers such as Aerospacelab.