Axetris in Spotlight: How Swiss Innovation Powers AI

Author: Helena Jelinek, Marketing Manager, Axetris AG

SRF Visits Axetris Headquarters in Kägiswil

Yesterday, Axetris was featured at Swiss national broadcaster SRF in a story focused on one of the most talked-about topics: the development of infrastructure for artificial intelligence and its impact on Swiss industry.

The feature, broadcast as part of the 10vor10 news program, explored how Swiss companies are benefiting from the global AI boom and contributing to the rapidly expanding digital infrastructure that supports AI applications around the world.

Representing Leister Group, the Group CEO Nicolas Niedhart explained how the company has established itself as a key player in the optical communication value chain through the development and manufacturing of highly customized micro-optics.

Enabling the Infrastructure Behind AI

While artificial intelligence often captures attention through software applications and breakthroughs in machine learning, its growth depends heavily on the physical infrastructure operating behind the scenes.

The rapid expansion of AI data centers worldwide is driving a high demand for faster, more reliable, and energy-efficient data transmission. Optical communication technologies play a critical role in meeting these requirements, enabling massive volumes of data to move quickly and efficiently between servers, processors, and networks.

Axetris contributes to this ecosystem by manufacturing customized micro-optical components that help guide, focus, and manage light signals within advanced optical communication systems.

"Our products may be small, but they play an essential role in helping data move through the infrastructure that powers today's digital world," explained Nicolas Niedhart during the interview.

Precision Micro-Optics for Optical Communication

Axetris designs and manufactures customized lenses and lens arrays used in a wide range of optical communication applications. These components are engineered to meet demanding performance requirements and are integrated into critical systems across modern data center networks.

Key applications include:

• Optical circuit switches (OCS)
• Optical transceivers
• Wavelength selective switches (WSS)
• Additional advanced photonics and optical networking solutions

These technologies support the increasing demand for bandwidth and connectivity generated by cloud computing, AI workloads, and high-performance computing environments.

As AI adoption continues to accelerate globally, the need for robust optical communication infrastructure creates long-term growth opportunities across the entire supply chain, including specialized photonics manufacturers such as Axetris.

Competing in a Dynamic Global Market

During the interview, Nicolas Niedhart also addressed the rapidly evolving competitive landscape.

As global demand for optical communication components increases, manufacturers worldwide are expanding their capabilities and accelerating innovation. In particular, competitors in Asia have significantly strengthened their technological expertise and manufacturing capacities in recent years.

At the same time, geopolitical developments continue to influence international markets and global supply chains, creating both challenges and opportunities for export-oriented technology companies like Axetris.

Today, approximately 99% of Axetris' micro-optics production is exported, underscoring the company's strong international presence and the global relevance of its Swiss-made technology.

In this environment, Axetris as 100% Swiss-owned company remains committed to technological excellence, innovation, and close collaboration with customers around the world.

Swiss Innovation with Global Impact

The SRF feature highlighted an important reality: Switzerland's contribution to the AI revolution extends far beyond software development.

Companies such as Axetris provide the precision technologies that make modern digital infrastructure possible. From customized micro-optics to advanced photonic solutions, Swiss engineering expertise continues to enable innovation on a global scale.

We thank SRF for visiting our headquarters and showcasing how Swiss technology companies are contributing to one of the fastest-growing markets of our time.