The largest companies with in-house R&D in Vaud include a mix of established global players and specialized firms. Among them are Nestlé, a global food and beverage company, Philip Morris International, focused on smoke-free products, and Tetra Pak, which provides advanced food production systems. Also present are Ferring Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical group, and Audemars Piguet, a fine watchmaking manufacturer.
This list highlights a concentration of companies in the food and beverage sector, alongside strong representation from manufacturing, particularly in packaging and pharmaceuticals. There is also a significant presence of academic and healthcare institutions, such as CHUV, EPFL, and the University of Lausanne, all headquartered in Lausanne.
| # | Company | Employees | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Nestlénestle.com
Global food and beverage company, offering products and services for all stages of life, enhancing quality of life for everyone. |
244,600 | |||
| 2 |
Philip Morris Internationalpmi.com
A leading international tobacco company focused on delivering a smoke-free future through innovative smoke-free products and expansion into wellness and healthcare areas |
67,116 | |||
| 3 |
Tetra Paktetrapak.com
Provides advanced food production systems, from creation to logistics, ensuring safe and available food for people worldwide, protecting food, people, and planet. |
26,191 | |||
| 4 |
CHUV | Lausanne university hospitallinktr.ee
A teaching hospital in Switzerland's Canton of Vaud providing care in all branches of medicine, surgery, and psychiatry, in partnership with the University of Lausanne |
8,763 | |||
| 5 | 7,716 | ||||
| 6 |
Thermo Fisher Scientificthermofisher.com
The company is a global leader in advancing science and technology to help customers make the world healthier, cleaner, and safer |
7,431 | |||
| 7 |
L'OCCITANE Group (B Corp)group.loccitane.com
Leading international manufacturer and retailer of premium, sustainable beauty and wellness products across 90 countries with 3,000 retail outlets. Committed to communities, biodiversity, waste reduction, and sustainable solutions. |
6,765 | |||
| 8 |
Ferring Pharmaceuticalsferring.com
A research-driven biopharmaceutical group based in Switzerland, specializing in innovative products for reproductive medicine, maternal health, urology, and gastroenterology worldwide |
6,297 | |||
| 9 | 5,300 | ||||
| 10 |
University of Lausanne - UNILunil.ch
Cutting-edge facilities and technology, unique faculties in law, biology, and geosciences Collaborates with CHUV for medical advancements Offers diverse educational and cultural activities |
4,279 | |||
| 11 |
Garrett - Advancing Motiongarrettmotion.com
Design, manufacture, sell advanced turbocharging, air/fluid compression, high-speed electric motor technologies for emission reduction, energy efficiency in mobility and industrial fields. |
3,491 | |||
| 12 |
Nestlé Purina PetCare Europepurina.eu
The company creates nutritious foods for cats and dogs to keep them happy, healthy, and content, while promoting the benefits of pets in people's lives |
3,048 | |||
| 13 |
Audemars Piguetaudemarspiguet.com
Oldest fine watchmaking manufacturer with ancestral savoir-faire, setting rule-breaking trends through talented craftspeople, creating masterpieces in Switzerland Sharing passion worldwide Seek Beyond |
2,571 | |||
| 14 | 2,548 | ||||
| 15 | 2,293 | ||||
| 16 |
Kudelski Groupnagra.com
Leading provider integrated content protection, multi-device user experience solutions for digital television, interactive applications, cybersecurity, and Internet of Things innovations. |
2,152 | |||
| 17 |
Swiss Medical Networkswissmedical.net
Leader in Swiss healthcare with 21 clinics, 60+ outpatient centers across 15 cantons Focus on patient-centered care and innovative integrated care system |
2,049 | |||
| 18 |
ELCA Groupelca.ch
Leading Swiss provider of IT services and solutions, specializing in cybersecurity, data & AI, cloud, software development, and digital experience across industries |
2,026 | |||
| 19 |
Swissquoteswq.ch
A leading bank in online financial services offering innovative solutions for investments, trading, Forex, Robo-Advisory, and Mortgages with global reach |
1,530 | |||
| 20 |
Sunstarsunstar.com
Global company specializing in oral care products and industrial solutions, dedicated to promoting longer, healthier lives worldwide. |
1,382 | |||
| 21 |
NAGRAnagra.vision
Provider of security and multiscreen user experience solutions for digital media monetization, offering secure, integrated platforms and applications for DTV operators globally |
1,309 | |||
| 22 | 1,240 | ||||
| 23 |
BMCbmc-switzerland.com
A premium Swiss bike brand known for high-quality, design, and performance, supplying bikes to top athletes and winning prestigious races worldwide |
1,171 | |||
| 24 |
Nexthinknexthink.com
A leader in digital employee experience management software, providing IT leaders with insight into employees' technology experiences to enable proactive optimization |
1,169 | |||
| 25 |
Jaeger-LeCoultrejaeger-lecoultre.com
Swiss watchmaker crafting precise, innovative timepieces with advanced mechanisms, combining technical skill, creativity, and aesthetic elegance since 1833. |
1,075 | |||
Want more companies than this list?This page shows the largest ones only. Connect to Tamtam to see every company that matches, filter by size, industry or growth, and reach their decision-makers. | |||||
| 26 |
IMI Climate Controlimiplc.com
Designs intelligent hydronic solutions optimizing comfort, energy use, and system reliability for smarter, greener, more sustainable residential and commercial buildings and data centers. |
918 | |||
| 27 |
Hublothublot.com
Swiss luxury watchmaker blending traditional craftsmanship with innovative materials and designs, specializing in high-end timepieces and global partnerships. |
869 | |||
| 28 |
HEIG-VDheig-vd.ch
Offering Bachelor and Master degree programs in engineering and business economics, as well as postgraduate training Leading research and development activities with 13 institutes |
819 | |||
| 29 |
EMS - Electro Medical Systemsems-company.com
A market leader in designing, manufacturing, and selling medical and dental devices, focusing on dental prevention, urology, and shock wave therapy innovations |
785 | |||
| 30 |
LEMO GROUPlemo.com
Design and manufacture high-performance interconnection solutions for diverse industries including medical, aerospace, robotics, communication, transport, and energy sectors worldwide. |
764 | |||
| 31 |
Unisantéunisante.ch
A Swiss organization with 930 employees focusing on research, training, prevention, and care in primary healthcare and public health Promotes interdisciplinary collaboration |
605 | |||
| 32 |
AZQORE SAazqore.com
Leader in digital transformation for wealth managers, offering innovative technology solutions, operational services, and consultancy to adapt in a fast-changing world |
586 | |||
| 33 |
Montres Breguetbreguet.com
Crafting innovative luxury watches blending historical heritage, technical complications, and refined aesthetics, continuing founder's legacy in fine watchmaking. |
556 | |||
| 34 |
University of Lausanneunil.ch
Higher education institution with seven faculties, focusing on Medicine, Life Sciences, Business, Humanities, and interdisciplinary research and teaching. |
502 | |||
| 35 |
Rosenxt Grouprosen-nxt.com
Explores disruptive opportunities, building ventures serving critical infrastructure customers in harsh environments, focusing on process optimization and advanced integrity solutions. |
476 | |||
| 36 |
Debiopharmdebiopharm.com
Identifying and developing high-potential compounds in oncology and bacterial infections for licensing to pharmaceutical partners to maximize patient access globally |
471 | |||
| 37 |
Actelion (now Janssen Pulmonary Hypertension)jnj.com
Now operating under Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, focusing on pulmonary hypertension with a dedicated LinkedIn channel for updates. |
458 | |||
| 38 |
KLK OLEO Surfactantskolb.ch
A global leader in oleo-based products and solutions, specializing in surfactants, paper process chemicals, and chemical specialties for various applications worldwide |
444 | |||
| 39 |
Blancpainblancpain.com
Specializing in luxury watchmaking since 1735, we combine aesthetic and technological expertise to achieve excellence in traditional craftsmanship |
441 | |||
| 40 |
HEC Lausanne - The Faculty of Business and Economics of the University of Lausanneunil.ch
Leading management and economics school providing top-class education and research to train executives, entrepreneurs, and future academic professionals for over a century |
431 | |||
| 41 |
AliveDxalivedx.com
Develops advanced diagnostic reagents and automated microarray systems to improve laboratory workflows and accelerate accurate patient diagnosis worldwide. |
429 | |||
| 42 | 426 | ||||
| 43 |
Fischer Connectorsfischerconnectors.com
A global provider of tailored electronic solutions and connectors for demanding environments, offering high-performance connectivity solutions for data transfer and management |
390 | |||
| 44 |
MATISA Matériel Industriel S.A.matisa.ch
Supplier of high-quality, reliable, and safe track maintenance machines for the rail industry, focusing on Swiss quality and customer satisfaction through close collaboration |
370 | |||
| 45 |
HESAV / Haute Ecole de Santé - Vaudhesav.ch
A leading institution providing education and training in nursing, radiology, physiotherapy, and midwifery, located in the heart of a hospital center |
348 | |||
| 46 | 315 | ||||
| 47 |
ADC Therapeuticsadctherapeutics.com
Commercial-stage biotech company developing next-generation targeted antibody drug conjugates to improve outcomes for cancer patients with hematological and solid tumors |
315 | |||
| 48 | 292 | ||||
| 49 |
Ecorobotixecorobotix.com
The company aims to revolutionize agriculture by offering robotic solutions that reduce chemical, water, energy use, and soil impact while increasing crop yield |
290 | |||
| 50 |
Scheuchzer SAscheuchzer.ch
With over 100 years of experience, we provide high-quality railway maintenance services and develop innovative machines tailored to the Swiss rail network |
281 | |||
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How this list is built
Every company on this list has a Tamtam company profile. The industry is the one the company gives on LinkedIn; categories such as SaaS or fintech are classified by Tamtam's AI from the company's website and LinkedIn page; and the headquarters city must match the company's own address. Companies are ranked by the number of employees on LinkedIn, and the list is refreshed every night. Classifications can be wrong, so treat the list as a starting point rather than an official ranking. Last updated Nov 11, 2026.
More company lists in Vaud
- The largest companies in Vaud 1,076
- Multinational companies in Vaud 261
- Real Estate companies in Vaud 221
- Manufacturers in Vaud 101
- Financial services firms in Vaud 98
- Property management companies in Vaud 95
- SaaS companies in Vaud 85
- Retail chains in Vaud 83
- IT Services and IT Consulting companies in Vaud 83
- Hardware manufacturers in Vaud 79
- Critical infrastructure operators in Vaud 74
- Professional services firms in Vaud 68
- IT services companies in Vaud 62
- Software Development companies in Vaud 61
- Consulting firms in Vaud 53
- Financial Services companies in Vaud 48
- Family-owned companies in Vaud 48
- Companies with a mobile app in Vaud 42
- AI companies in Vaud 39
- Medical Equipment Manufacturing companies in Vaud 39
- Medical device companies in Vaud 39
- Property developers in Vaud 39
- Public sector organisations in Vaud 38
- Pharmaceutical companies in Vaud 38
The same list elsewhere in Switzerland
- Companies with in-house R&D in Switzerland 916
- Companies with in-house R&D in Canton of Zurich 183
- Companies with in-house R&D in Canton of Geneva 82
- Companies with in-house R&D in Canton of Bern 64
- Companies with in-house R&D in St. Gallen 43
- Companies with in-house R&D in Aargau 40
- Companies with in-house R&D in Canton of Neuchâtel 36
- Companies with in-house R&D in Ticino 31
- Companies with in-house R&D in Canton of Zug 30
- Companies with in-house R&D in Basel-Stadt 28
- Companies with in-house R&D in Basel-Landschaft 27
- Companies with in-house R&D in Schaffhausen 25
- Companies with in-house R&D in Zurich 91
- Companies with in-house R&D in Lausanne 49
- Companies with in-house R&D in Geneva 37
- Companies with in-house R&D in Basel 26