Technology Monitoring
Mission
Our mission is to identify, track, and assess technological developments that may impact Switzerland’s cyber security and cyber defence. We support the early detection of trends, risks, dependencies, and potential technological disruptions, thereby providing a robust basis for national security assessments, capability planning, and strategic decision-making. These activities are aligned with the priorities set out in national cyber strategies and those of the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS).
Approach
The Cyber-Defence Campus contributes to the analysis of technological developments by applying a scientific, quantitative, and data-driven approach. While the field of technology monitoring has traditionally relied primarily on qualitative and manual approaches, we use big data, artificial intelligence, predictive techniques, and open-source data to generate analyses that are comparable, traceable, and directly actionable. By “comparable” and “traceable,” we mean a direct reference to the data used and access to that data.
This capability is supported by the Technology and Market Monitoring (TMM) platform, developed in collaboration with academic, industrial, and institutional partners. The TMM platform enables the systematic integration and analysis of diverse data sources. This added value is made possible by cleaning up databases and creating algorithms to link databases or different ontologies.
Scope of Monitoring Activities
Our activities focus on digital and security-related technologies that could have an impact on Switzerland's national security. Key areas cover large language models, generative artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, post-quantum cryptography, next-generation networks, and other Emerging and Disruptive Technologies (EDT).
In response to the evolving technological landscape, the analysis portfolio has grown over time. While earlier work focused primarily on in-depth reviews of quantum technologies, this has now been supplemented by more comprehensive Emerging and Disruptive Technologies (EDT) reports. These reports allow for the systematic comparison of multiple technological domains within a unified analytical framework. All these contributions can be found here: Technology Reviews.
Products and Contributions
Our activities produce outputs such as studies, thematic reports, trend analyses, and continuous tracking of rapidly evolving technological fields. The objective is to generate actionable technology intelligence to support decision-makers within the federal administration and the Swiss Armed Forces. These activities also contribute to foresight, market research, maturity assessment, and the identification of opportunities, risks, and dependencies. In this context, we operate as a technology observatory, transforming signals from research, industry, and market developments into structured and actionable knowledge.
Collaboration and Knowledge Transfer
Our activities are carried out in close collaboration with academic partners, industry partners, and the Swiss government. This collaborative approach extends beyond the observation of technological developments, contributing to the establishment of a robust network of expertise across different fields.
Through these partnerships, the Cyber-Defence Campus facilitates effective knowledge transfer between research, government, and operational stakeholders. This activity provides management and employees with reliable and relevant information on which to base their decisions.
Outlook
Our technology monitoring activities are evolving into a more integrated, comparative, and forward-looking monitoring system, enabling the systematic assessment of technological developments across different fields. The goal is to strengthen Switzerland’s capacity to evaluate emerging technologies, support informed policy decisions, enhance digital resilience, and contribute to technological sovereignty in the cyber domain.