ETH Earth observation centre moves to Root

ETH Zurich will establish an interdisciplinary competence centre for Earth observation in Lucerne.?This centre has been made possible by a generous donation from the J?rg G. Bucherer-Foundation over the next ten years. ETH Swiss GeoLab will use data from satellite, airborne and ground based observations, as well as AI-driven analysis methods and high-performance computers, to develop solutions to address specific challenges ¨C from the early detection of natural disasters to harvest forecasts for agriculture. 

Following a three-month evaluation process, which received professional support from Lucerne Business (a Public-Private-Partnership organization), ETH has now decided on a location in the Canton of Lucerne. Close to the city of Lucerne, the chosen location is D4 Business Village in the municipality of Root. This site stands out not only for its easy accessibility ¨C under an hour from the ETH »Ê¹ÚÌåÓý,»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp in Zurich by train ¨C but also for its immediate availability of versatile and expandable space.  

Strong business environment  

Key factors in the decision included the attractive business environment, with Technopark Luzern in the immediate vicinity. ¡°The Business Village has an active innovation ecosystem ¨C an environment offering ideal conditions for a new research centre that plans to work with start-ups and tech companies from the outset,¡± says Dr Felix Seidel, Managing Director of ETH Swiss GeoLab.  

Fabian Peter, Member of the Lucerne Cantonal Council and Director of Economic Affairs for the canton, is pleased about the new location: ¡°With ETH Swiss GeoLab, the business location of Lucerne is gaining an attractive partner. An innovation cluster is springing up around the Business Village and Technopark, which will be beneficial both for the Canton of Lucerne and for the whole of Central Switzerland.¡± To support the establishment of ETH Swiss GeoLab, the Canton of Lucerne is contributing 2.8 million Swiss francs to the costs of the location¡¯s infrastructure. 

Opening in summer 

There has been considerable interest in the location of the GeoLab in Lucerne. By the submission deadline in November 2025, Lucerne Business received 46. ETH Zurich evaluated these locations systematically and according to clear criteria. Seven locations ultimately made it onto the shortlist and were visited and examined in detail by an ETH delegation in January. These were located both in the city of Lucerne and its suburbs. 

ETH Zurich plans to open the new location in the summer of this year. Initially, a core team led by Managing Director Felix Seidel will work in Lucerne before being joined, in a later step, by further teams that will come to Lucerne for specific research projects. ETH Swiss GeoLab will reach its full size by around 2030. Some 100 experts will work in Lucerne, primarily on a project basis.  

First pilot projects already planned 

One first, specific pilot project will centre around the early detection of mass movements, such as rockfalls and landslides, using satellite data. ¡°Individual cantons such as Valais, Bern or Graub¨¹nden already use satellite data today. In collaboration with the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, private companies, and the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), we want to optimise these cantonal and local early detection systems where possible and expand them to the whole of the Swiss Alps,¡± explains ETH Professor Verena Griess, who leads the new centre as co-director together with ETH Professor Thomas Zurbuchen.   

Another goal of the GeoLab is to develop an AI model that is trained using large quantities of different geodata. Originating from satellites, drones, sensors, meteorological stations and other sources, this data allows the model to interpret complex spatial relationships ¨C such as which areas are most endangered by mass movements. One day, the plan is for the model to be available to decision-makers and researchers, as well as private companies. 

Open to partnerships 

If possible, this year will also see the launch of a first call for research projects, which will be open to applications from Swiss researchers. Seidel and his team are working on the framework for the call in coordination with decision-makers from politics, administration and business. From 2027, the first teams will then work on these projects in Lucerne. With a view to scaling up promising technologies and solutions, the plan is to involve decision-makers, start-ups and industry partners from the outset.  

¡°We want to deliver innovative Earth observation solutions to where they are needed and will be most effective. For this, we¡¯re reliant on suitable partners,¡± explains Seidel. One aim of the GeoLab is to support companies and authorities in achieving high-risk/high-reward technical solutions to gain economic benefit through improved decision making. Initial discussions are already under way with Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU) and others with regard to possible collaborations.