Jörg G. Bucherer Foundation donates 100 million to ETH Zurich for earth observation center

In a nutshell

• At the heart of the ETH Swiss GeoLab will be a technological platform that can be used to link large amounts of data from satellites, drones, measuring stations and other sources.
• The physical presence of the new center in the Canton of Lucerne is also thanks to the support of the Canton of Lucerne, which is contributing 2.8 million Swiss francs to the infrastructure costs.
• The ETH Swiss GeoLab is headed by ETH Professor Thomas Zurbuchen as Director and ETH Professor Verena Griess as Vice Director.

Predicting storms, measuring snow depths or tracking climate change: Earth observation using satellites, drones and sensors has become indispensable in many areas. However, the potential is far from being fully exploited: the huge amounts of data are still not being used in a targeted manner. A generous donation of 100 million Swiss francs from the Jörg G. Bucherer Foundation is now set to change this.

The donation will enable ETH Zurich to establish an interdisciplinary competence center for earth observation with global appeal over the next ten years. The ETH Swiss GeoLab will use data from space, from the air and from the ground as well as AI-supported analysis methods and high-performance computers to better understand our planet and overcome specific challenges. The spectrum of possible research topics is broad: it ranges from the early detection of natural disasters, such as the landslides that recently hit the Swiss communities of Blatten and Brienz, to agricultural yield forecasts that help farmers with their planning.

Earth observation in the service of society
ETH President Joël Mesot emphasizes the opportunities that arise for Switzerland and Europe: "There are already numerous researchers at ETH Zurich who are involved in earth observation. The unique partnership with the Jörg G. Bucherer Foundation gives us a unique opportunity to take research and knowledge transfer in this important field to a new level."

"At the heart of the center will be a technological platform that will allow us to link large amounts of data from satellites, drones, measuring stations and other sources. This will allow us to recognize things that were previously hidden from us," says the designated director Thomas Zurbuchen. The astrophysicist was NASA 's Director of Science from October 2016 until the end of 2022 and took over as Professor of Space Science and Technology at ETH Zurich Space in 2023. Thomas Zurbuchen will lead the ETH Swiss GeoLab together with Verena Griess as Vice Director, who holds the Chair of Forest Resource Management at ETH Zurich.

"My team and I use satellite data in our research to obtain information about the condition of trees, forests and terrestrial ecosystems. Earth observation is therefore particularly close to my heart and I am delighted to be setting up the ETH Swiss GeoLab together with Thomas Zurbuchen," says Verena Griess.

A long-term partnership
The Jörg G. Bucherer Foundation was established in 2025 from the legacy of Jörg G. Bucherer. The promotion of the natural sciences is a fundamental concern of the Jörg G. Bucherer Foundation, as Dr. Urs Mühlebach, President of the Foundation Board, explains: "As a new foundation, we are very pleased to support the establishment of the ETH Swiss GeoLab and thus make a forward-looking contribution to strengthening Lucerne as a business and science location. Supporting the research activities of ETH Zurich in the canton of Lucerne is in line with the spirit of Jörg G. Bucherer, who saw forward-looking research and the promotion of scientific activities in the canton of Lucerne as key concerns." With strong companies in the aircraft, machinery and electronics industries and the two Lucerne universities, the region is an ideal location for the new center.

Reto Wyss and Fabian Peter, members of the Lucerne cantonal government who helped initiate the partnership, are also delighted with the generous commitment of the Lucerne-based Jörg G. Bucherer Foundation: "The new competence center is an investment in the innovative strength of the canton of Lucerne and Central Switzerland. Research in the field of earth observation is of great relevance for tackling global and local challenges," says Cantonal Councillor Fabian Peter. To support the establishment of the ETH Swiss GeoLab, the Canton of Lucerne is contributing CHF 2.8 million over ten years towards the costs of the infrastructure for the site in the Canton of Lucerne.

Gradual development until 2030
In the first two years, the organizational foundations for the new center will be laid and the focus of the content will be sharpened. It will also be necessary to find suitable premises for the center in the Canton of Lucerne, which will be ready for occupation from 2027. In addition to research, the ETH Swiss GeoLab will also develop new technologies for earth observation and products and services based on them. In order to scale these technologies and ensure the transfer of knowledge to the economy and society, start-ups and industrial partners will be integrated from the outset.
The ETH Swiss GeoLab will have reached its full size by 2030. Around 100 employees will work for the center and also launch further education and training courses.