Nano community in Northwestern Switzerland Partners in the network Interdisciplinary and interinstitutional collaboration is a top priority in the SNI network. The partner institutions belonging to the network include the University of Basel, with its Nano Technology Center, Departments of Biomedicine, Biomedical Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, Pharmaceutical Sciences and Environmental Sciences, and the Biozentrum; the FHNW School of Life Sciences in Muttenz and FHNW School of Engineering and Environment in Windisch; the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI; the Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering of ETH Zurich in Basel; the Centre Suisse d’Electronique et de Micro- technique (CSEM) in Allschwil ; and the technology transfer cen- ters ANAXAM and Swiss PIC. The broader network also includes the Hightech Zentrum Aargau (HTZ) in Brugg and Basel Area Business & Innovation, through which the SNI team jointly pro- motes knowledge and technology transfer. The appointment of the new outreach manager, Dr. Battist Utinger, who joined the SNI management team in mid-2024 and acts as industry contact, brought new momentum to the col- laboration with HTZ in 2025. Various projects, such as feasibil- ity studies and fellowships for doctoral students in industry, are being discussed. Over the course of 2026, the relevant legal aspects will need to be clarified so that we can further support collaboration and dialog with industrial companies in North- western Switzerland through new platforms. Information and networks Events for specific target groups In spring, the Nano Imaging Lab’s User Event marked the first networking event within the SNI in 2025. The program show- cased the wide variety of research questions that the Nano Im- aging Lab (NI Lab) helps to address through images and analyses. Around 60 participants gained insights into various aspects of the preparation and analysis of tiny structures in different areas of application. Researchers also presented industrial perspec- tives based on the example of Delta Mem AG and the technology transfer center ANAXAM — because analyses with high-resolu- tion electron microscopy also provide a valuable basis for prod- uct optimization at companies when it comes to issues of du- rability, stability and resilience. In September 2025, the third installment of the SNI Annual Meeting was held in Meisterschwanden on Lake Hallwil — with two days full of science, networking, exchanging ideas and get- ting to know one another. Numerous fascinating talks gave the over 80 participants a chance to learn about current research findings from ongoing Nano-Argovia and doctoral dissertation projects. At social activities and as part of a lively poster session, there were also ample opportunities to discuss the latest devel- opments in nanoresearch. While both basic science and applied topics are presented and discussed at the Annual Meeting, the NanoTec Apéro focuses on the Nano-Argovia program, with its applied research projects in collaboration with industry. In October 2025, the event was Several times a year, events are held that bring together members of the SNI network to discuss the various lines of research. Here are some pic- tures from the Nano Imaging Lab’s User Event, the Annual Meeting and the NanoTec Apéro. 63 SNI Annual Report 2025