SCNAT Newsletter 08/2025

Ilmac Basel 2025: 12'800 participants confirm leading platform for chemistry and life sciences

With 12,800 participants and 400 exhibitors, Ilmac Basel 2025 came to an outstanding close after three days. The trade fair confirmed its role as Switzerland's most important platform for chemistry and life sciences and provided new impetus through innovation, knowledge transfer, and networking. The fair set new standards and impressively demonstrated how an established trade event can successfully evolve and position itself for the future with fresh, innovative formats.

Strong participation and keen interest
This year's Ilmac attracted a high level of participation and widespread interest. 400 renowned exhibitors presented their latest products, services, and developments across the entire value chain. The strong interest shown by international trade visitors from Europe, Asia, America, and the Middle East in highlights such as the Startup Area, the new Future of Life Sciences Area, the inspiring Talks Corner, the Women in Life Sciences initiative, and the already established Pharma Logistics Days impressively demonstrates how Ilmac highlights key topics for the future and brings them into focus. Formats such as the Speakers Corner, the Coffee Talks Corner, and Job Connect further strengthened the trade fair's role as a unique meeting place for knowledge transfer, cooperation, and the promotion of young talent. Top international speakers from science, industry, and startups shared their expertise and provided exciting insights into current developments and future trends. With over 150 high-quality presentations and pitches, Ilmac offered a variety of topics that provided both inspiration and concrete solutions for the life sciences community.

This year's edition has impressively confirmed that Ilmac is much more than just a trade fair—it is an indispensable platform for progress in the chemical and life sciences industries. Looking ahead to future editions, it will continue to expand its role as a driver of innovation and a source of inspiration, playing a decisive role in shaping the dialogue on the future of the industry.

Focus on women
With the premiere of Women in Life Sciences, Ilmac sent a strong signal for diversity and equal opportunities. On September 17, the format offered an exclusive program and a networking aperitif, which was intensively used by the participants.
"Women in Life Sciences at Ilmac was more than a networking event—it sent an important signal for the future of the industry to counteract the gender health gap and strengthen women in
Ilmac | September 16–18, 2025 | Messe Basel | Inspiring the Future of Chemistry and Life Sciences.
Especially in times when diversity and equal opportunities are drivers of innovation, the event showed how much power is generated when women share their experiences, network, and set new impulses together," said Karin Sartorius-Brüschweiler of Aleris Partners GmbH.

Future of Life Sciences impresses
With the new Future of Life Sciences area, Ilmac Basel 2025 sent a strong signal about the future of the industry. Key topics such as digitalization in research, AI-supported diagnostics, innovative therapies, and sustainable production were discussed on stage. The format met with great interest among visitors, speakers, and exhibitors and has the potential to become a permanent fixture in the program.
"The first edition of the Future of Life Sciences area at Ilmac Basel 2025 clearly demonstrated how important it is for players in the life sciences sector to actively engage with new trends and technologies. This forward-thinking approach enables the industry to anticipate upheavals, adapt flexibly, and jointly develop solutions that meet the complex challenges of our time—while opening up new opportunities," said Frank Kumli of The Futuring Alliance.

Anniversary party and partner network
Another highlight was the anniversary party at Bambusnest, where Ilmac celebrated its 66th anniversary. In a summery atmosphere, industry experts and decision-makers took the opportunity to network and collaborate.
The success of the trade fair was made possible in large part by the support of numerous partners. Special mention should be made of Anton Paar (ticketing partner), Roche, Siemens, Waldner, Artidis, and SwissCCS (highlight partners), Bruker (sustainability partner), Apin (networking partner), and Mettler Toledo and IGZ (official partners). For Women in Life Sciences Luminance and Women on Stage. A big thank you also goes to the Swiss Chemical Society (SCS) for co-organizing the Ilmac Conference. A complete overview of all partners can be found at: www.ilmac.ch/basel/partner .

The Ilmac 365 digital platform provided a continuous exchange of information and knowledge around the clock with live streams, interactive tools, and app offerings. Over 10,000 users contributed numerous interactions on the platform, impressively confirming the increased interest and growing importance of the digital extension of the trade fair.

Outlook: Ilmac 2026 in Lausanne – Ilmac Basel 2027 to follow
Following the successful conclusion of this year's edition, the trade fair organizers are looking to the future with confidence.
"In a time of constant change, Ilmac 2025 has impressively demonstrated how important genuine personal exchange is for orientation and innovation in the life sciences and chemical industries. For 2026 in Lausanne, we want to carry this spirit forward and make the exhibition even more of an interactive space for ideas about the future – in the heart of French-speaking Switzerland," says Céline Futterknecht, Exhibition Director Ilmac.
The next Ilmac will take place on September 23 and 24, 2026, in Lausanne, with a focus on the French-speaking Swiss market. From September 21 to 24, 2027, Ilmac will return to Basel and continue the ongoing exchange within the chemical and life sciences industries.
All information: www.ilmac.ch

MCH Exhibitions & Events GmbH 

MCH Exhibitions & Events GmbH ist eine Tochtergesellschaft der international tätigen MCH Group mit Sitz in Basel. Das Unternehmen entwickelt und organisiert 16 Eigenmessen und Events in der Schweiz – darunter etablierte Plattformen wie Swissbau, Igeho und Giardina. Darüber hinaus richtet MCH Exhibitions & Events GmbH jährlich rund 170 Gastveranstaltungen an den Standorten Basel und Zürich aus. Mit dem Messe & Congress Center Basel und der Messe Zürich betreibt das Unternehmen die grössten und flexibelsten Eventlocations der Schweiz. Die MCH Group beschäftigt über 800 Mitarbeitende – rund die Hälfte davon in der Schweiz und in den USA. www.mch-group.com / www.messe-basel.ch / www.messe-zuerich.ch 

Media contacts:
Céline Futterknecht
Exhibition Director
Tel.: +41 58 206 23 70
 

Anne Klipfel
Brand & Communications Manager
Tel.: +41 58 206 31 06

New office location for the SCS and the SCS Foundation

As of September 26, 2025, the Head Office of the society relocate to the Old Town in Bern.

The new address is:

Swiss Chemical Society
Marktgasse 32
3011 Bern
Switzerland

T+ 41 31 506 01 08

http://scg.ch

David Spichiger, SCS
27.09.2025

Review Swiss Chemistry Science Night 2025 - A Celebration of Chemical Research

On September 19, 2025 the fifth Swiss Chemistry Science Night took place at Casino Bern! More than 120 award winners and invited guests followed the invitation and enjoyed the evening to celebrate excellence in chemistry. Maud Reiter, dsm-firmenich and Karl Gademann, University of Zurich, guided through the evening as moderators and presented the guests and awardees in dialogue with the SCS president, Christian Bochet, in a competent and highly entertaining manner. Gerhard Andrey, Nationalrat GRÜNE Fribourg, and Annette Luther, president scienceindustries, opened the evening with their welcome messages before no less than 20 winners for 10 prizes and 2 honorary members of the Swiss Chemical Society were awarded.

The event honored the winners of the 2025 Swiss Chemical Society Awards in front of distinguished leaders from industry and academia as well as representatives from politics and was a celebration of discovery and innovation in the chemical sciences. The gala was very much appreciated by the community and provided a networking platform for industry and academic members. 

Some of the award winners gave their award lecture at the  SCS Fall Meeting on September 4, 2025. 

Links

• News message SCS Award Winners 2025 
• SCS Partnership Program
• SCS Fall Meeting 2025

Céline Wittwer, SCS
24.09.2025