1.0Market Snapshot
- 8,691
- IT consulting (7,344), computer facilities management (54) and other IT service businesses (1,293) in 2024 (BFS STATENT, NOGA 62.02, 62.03 and 62.09). Programming firms, hosting and telecom are counted in other classes and are not included.
- 61,216
- Employees in these businesses in 2024 (BFS STATENT), 53,880 full-time equivalents; about 7.0 employees per business.
- −2.9%
- Employment change from 2023 to 2024 (BFS STATENT), the first fall in years. Employment is still 10.1% above 2020 and 32.1% above 2011.
According to Val Index analysis of Swiss commercial-register and federal data (2026), Switzerland counts 8,691 it services & managed services companies — IT consulting (7,344), computer facilities management (54) and other IT service businesses (1,293) in 2024 (BFS STATENT, NOGA 62.02, 62.03 and 62.09). Programming firms, hosting and telecom are counted in other classes and are not included..
2.0Industry Overview
BFS counted 8,691 IT consulting and IT service businesses with 61,216 employees in 2024 (STATENT, NOGA 62.02, 62.03 and 62.09). After a decade of growth, employment rose 32.1% from 2011 to 2023, the sector shed 2.9% of its jobs in 2024, and the number of businesses fell slightly. Most businesses are small: the average is seven employees, and a third of all employment is in the canton of Zurich. Programming firms (10,568 businesses), hosting and telecom are counted in other classes and covered in their own reports. No official market size for IT services is published.
3.0Industry Health Check (SWOT)
- Demanding clients in banking, insurance, pharma and the public sector
- Shortage of IT specialists and high salaries
- Cloud migration, security and AI projects
- Offshore and nearshore delivery competing on price
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IT Services & Managed Services business valuation in Switzerland
- Statutory Multiple (EBITDA)
- 5.0 - 7.0×
- Deal Multiple (EBITDA)
- 6.5 - 9.5×
- Market Trend
- Rising
Indicative ranges based on market research. Actual multiples vary by company size, growth, and market conditions.
8.0Regional Clusters
Zurich
1,989 businesses with 20,360 employees in 2024 (BFS STATENT), a third of the sector's employment and the largest firms on average (10.2 employees); Zühlke (Schlieren) and Netcloud (Seuzach) are registered here.
Western Switzerland
1,696 businesses with 11,449 employees; ELCA is registered in Pully.
Central Switzerland
1,561 businesses with 10,027 employees; SoftwareOne is registered in Stans and Bechtle's Swiss holding in Risch.
Northwestern Switzerland
1,070 businesses with 5,044 employees, the smallest on average (4.7 per business).
Eastern Switzerland
955 businesses with 5,845 employees; Inventx is registered in Chur.
Bern and Solothurn
919 businesses with 5,896 employees; Axians Schweiz (Ittigen) and IT-Logix (Bern) are registered here.
Ticino
472 businesses with 2,576 employees.
Sources
9.0Frequently Asked Questions
▶How much is an IT services company worth in Switzerland?
ValIndex's multiples table puts Swiss IT services at 6.5–9.5× EBITDA in transactions and 5.0–7.0× EBITDA on statutory valuations. Firms with a high share of recurring managed-service revenue sit at the upper end; project and staffing businesses dependent on the owner at the lower end.
▶What drives the value of a Swiss IT service provider?
Buyers price: (1) recurring managed-service and maintenance revenue; (2) client diversification and contract length; (3) vendor certifications and partner status; (4) staff retention and skills; (5) margins; (6) independence from the owner.
▶How big is the Swiss IT services sector?
BFS counted 8,691 IT consulting and service businesses with 61,216 employees in 2024 (STATENT, NOGA 62.02, 62.03 and 62.09); employment fell 2.9% in 2024. Programming firms (10,568 businesses, 68,126 employees) are counted separately. No official market size is published.
▶Who are the main Swiss IT service providers?
Leading players include SoftwareOne in Stans, Bechtle (Swiss holding in Risch), ELCA in Pully, Zühlke in Schlieren, Axians in Ittigen, Inventx in Chur, Netcloud in Seuzach and IT-Logix in Bern.
▶What are the key trends in Swiss IT services?
Five trends: (1) a dip in employment after a long boom; (2) large-scale consolidation such as SoftwareOne and Crayon; (3) buy-and-build platforms in the mid-market; (4) audit and advisory firms buying IT specialists; (5) pressure on reseller margins.
▶What are the main risks when buying a Swiss IT services company?
The main risks are: (1) loss of key staff after the sale; (2) dependence on one client or one vendor; (3) project revenue presented as recurring; (4) the IT skills shortage; (5) price pressure from offshore delivery. Due diligence should check contract terms and renewals, revenue by client, staff turnover, certifications and IT security.
▶Who is buying Swiss IT service companies?
International groups such as SoftwareOne and Bechtle, Swiss investment companies building platforms such as Arcapex, and audit and advisory firms such as BDO, which took over K-Con in October 2026.
▶Where are Swiss IT service companies located?
Using BFS figures for 2024: Zurich has the most businesses (1,989, with 20,360 employees), followed by Western Switzerland (1,696; 11,449), Central Switzerland (1,561; 10,027), Northwestern Switzerland (1,070; 5,044), Eastern Switzerland (955; 5,845), Bern and Solothurn (919; 5,896) and Ticino (472; 2,576).