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Infomaniak

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Infomaniak Network SA
TypeSA
IndustryInternet
Founded1994
FounderBoris Siegenthaler
Fabian Lucchi
Headquarters
Geneva
,
Switzerland
Area served
Worldwide
Services
Revenue
  • Increase CHF 26M (2020)
  • CHF 21M (2019)
OwnerInfomaniak Foundation
Number of employees
200
Websiteinfomaniak.com/en

Infomaniak is a Swiss technology company offering sustainable and privacy-focused online services. It is Switzerland's largest cloud computing company,[1] also offering cloud storage and webmail services, through kSuite.

Its majority of shares, 2026 onwards, was transferred into a public interest foundation,[2] with the company also signing an agreement to be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange.[3]

History

[edit]

The company started as a user group founded in 1990 by Boris Siegenthaler in the Canton of Geneva, offering a bulletin board system to its members. In 1994, Siegenthaler and fellow developer Fabian Lucchi opened the Siegenthaler & Lucchi computer store in the Genevan suburb of Châtelaine. They offered low-cost, custom-built computers – acting as an alternative to the larger distributors available at the time.[4] The same year, the pair purchased a modem and 64 kbs line, becoming the first privately owned Internet service provider in the canton (after CERN and the University of Geneva). From 1995 on and for a few months, the store offered complimentary internet access to all customers who purchased a computer with them.[5] In May 1997, Infomaniak became a fully-fledged ISP with the creation of TWS Infomaniak SA – the company developed its offer based on low-cost internet access and web-hosting services alongside its staple of computer equipment retail.[5]

On 1 January 1998, the Swiss state monopoly on telecom services came to an end and new providers were allowed onto the Swiss market.[6] Sunrise, a joint-venture between Tele Danmark and BT, started offering free internet access services, forcing the company to revise its strategy: in 1999, TWS Infomaniak was reincorporated to create Infomaniak Network. They specialised in web-hosting services for private users and small and medium-sized enterprises, including basic.ch, the first Swiss web radio.[7]

By 2003, Infomaniak was the largest web-host in Western Switzerland, and by July 2005, it was the largest web-radio broadcaster in Western Switzerland and France.[8]

In 2007, the company created and launched their sustainability charter.[9][10][11] As a result, it implemented a number of key measures including joining an ethical pension fund on behalf of its employees, a commitment to sustainable travel, and donating 1% of its annual revenue to a range of NGOs.[9][12]

In 2010, the company created a subsidiary – Infomaniak Entertainment – marking the company's expansion into the ticketing, staff, and accreditation-management.[13]

Infomaniak's main business remains as a webhost and registrar. In 2011, the company announced that they managed more than 100,000 domain names.[14] They opened their third data centre in 2014. As with all their facilities, the new data centre was fully sustainable – using 100% renewable energy and low-voltage technologies. The centre was heralded as the "greenest there is in Switzerland" with a PUE under 1.1,[15] which won the company the Geneva sustainability prize.[16]

Infomaniak fully switched to SSD technology at the end of 2015.[17] 2016 figures from the company suggest that it managed more than 200,000 domain names, 150,000 site, and 350 radio/TV stations. It also became one of the first web companies to implement the then new Let's Encrypt SSL Certificates.[18]

According to CEO Boris Siegenthaler in 2016, Infomaniak's customer base was composed of businesses (70%) and individuals (30%), small to mid-sized businesses representing a significant portion of sales. Around 30% of customers came from France and Belgium, and the company had 60 employees.[19]

Criticisms and controversies

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Infomaniak has been criticized for controversial statements made in a Linkedin post by founder Boris Siegenthaler, where they opposed online anonymity, criticized free privacy services, and argued that requiring ID to use online services and mass metadata collection is acceptable.[20] On TV and Radio, Communication Manager, Thomas Jacobsen, criticized the stance of privacy companies who publicly opposed a Swiss surveillance law, stating that their advocacy for online anonymity would "prevent justice from doing its work".[21]

References

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  1. ↑ Seydtaghia, Anouch (11 February 2016). "Infomaniak accélère sa diversification". Le Temps. Archived from the original on 26 October 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  2. ↑ Barbey, Grégoire (20 May 2026). "Infomaniak passe sous le contrôle d'une fondation d'utilité publique pour sécuriser son avenir". Le Temps (in French). Retrieved 13 September 2026.
  3. ↑ "Infomaniak announces its plan to go public". Startupticker.ch. 12 August 2026. Retrieved 13 September 2026.
  4. ↑ Praz, Nathalie (March 2014). "Dans l'antre romand des geeks". Focus PME. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  5. 1 2 Boris, Siegenthaler (2013). "Historique d'Infomaniak" (PDF). Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  6. ↑ "Swisscom et Sunrise concluent un premier accord tarifaire". Le Temps. 6 November 1997. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  7. ↑ "Basic diffuse sur le net le meilleur des musiques électroniques". Le Temps. 22 May 1998. Archived from the original on 26 October 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  8. ↑ "Infomaniak Network". Remix Jobs. 2015. Archived from the original on 10 September 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  9. 1 2 RTS.ch (19 January 2015). "T.T.C. (Toutes taxes comprises)". rts.ch. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  10. ↑ "Des Geeks et des lettres". desgeeksetdeslettres.com. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  11. ↑ "Charte écologique infomaniak". infomaniak.com. Infomaniak Network. 2007. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  12. ↑ "Russie.fr s'engage dans le green IT". Green IT. 26 June 2012. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  13. ↑ "Infomaniak Entertainment SA Carouge GE – Moneyhouse". moneyhouse.ch. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  14. ↑ Praz, Nathalie (2014). "La success-story d'un geek romand". Focus PME. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  15. ↑ "Infomaniak : 14% d'augmentation du chiffre d'affaires en 2014". Cominmag. 14 April 2015. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  16. ↑ "Bourse, prix et distinction : lauréats 2015 | Agenda 21 – République et canton de Genève (Suisse) – ge.ch". ge.ch. Canton of Geneva. 2015. Archived from the original on 4 November 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  17. ↑ "Première suisse: Infomaniak équipe ses Datacenters avec des disques durs SSD / Amélioration significative des performances". presseportal.ch. 23 November 2015. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  18. ↑ Legrand, David (1 February 2016). "Let's Encrypt disponible chez Infomaniak : comment activer un certificat SSL/TLS gratuit". Next INpact. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  19. ↑ "Infomaniak is top of mind in Switzerland, emerged from unconventional roots – Interview with Boris Siegenthaler, CEO of Infomaniak". HostAdvice. 28 March 2016.
  20. ↑ Phillips, George (4 June 2025). "Privacy providers clash over controversial proposals to change Swiss encryption law". Tom's Guide. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  21. ↑ Castro, Chiara (6 June 2025). "Cloud service Infomaniak steps up fight with Proton over controversial Swiss surveillance law". TechRadar. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
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