Digital sovereignty: a key priority for Switzerland
In Switzerland, digital sovereignty has become a major strategic priority. In a hyperconnected and geopolitically unstable world, mastering one’s information systems is a necessity. This includes choosing the right technologies, hosting data within Swiss territory, complying with local regulations (such as the LPD), and reducing dependence on non-European providers.
As Marc Palazon (President of Smile Group) explains in an interview for Journal du Net, it is imperative for European countries — and for Switzerland in particular — to regain control over their digital infrastructure. This means adopting solutions that are transparent, auditable, and interoperable — all fundamental characteristics of open source software.
Why open source is a powerful lever for digital sovereignty
Open source lies at the heart of digital sovereignty strategies. It’s not just a cost-effective alternative: open source provides complete transparency of the code, control over the technology stack, and — above all — the ability to host data sovereignly, in Switzerland or in a trusted cloud.
Benefits of open source for Swiss companies:
- Transparency: open, auditable, and secure code
- Independence: no lock-in to foreign software vendors
- Flexibility: custom integration into existing IT architectures
- Data Sovereignty: local hosting, regulatory compliance
- Interoperability: compatible with a wide range of standards
Jean-Philippe Balança, co-founder of the European Open Source Consortium, defends this model as the only viable path toward real technological autonomy, at both national and European levels.
Denodo: a powerful solution for sovereign data virtualization
Among the strategic solutions aligned with this vision, Denodo plays a key role. This data virtualization platform enables unified access to data without moving it, while ensuring security, compliance, and performance.
How Denodo Supports Digital Sovereignty:
- Technology-agnostic: compatible with all data systems (ERP, CRM, files, data lakes…)
- No data replication: centralized access without duplication, reducing data leakage risks
- Controlled hosting: deployable on sovereign clouds or on-premises
- Advanced governance: fine-grained access management, full traceability
- Real-time performance: optimized queries without large-scale data transfer
In Switzerland, this approach allows companies to address growing challenges related to data protection, real-time analytics, and integration cost reduction. Denodo integrates seamlessly into sovereign, open source architectures.
Strategic consulting in Switzerland: Synotis & Smile, your digital sovereignty partners
Achieving a sovereign digital transformation requires more than just choosing the right tools. It takes a holistic vision, strategic and operational support, and deep expertise in open source technologies. That’s what we offer at Synotis, in partnership with Smile, the European leader in open source.
Synotis’ Key Services:
- Digital sovereignty audit: assessment of technological dependencies
- Open source solution selection: open, interoperable, secure architectures
- Denodo integration in controlled environments
- Data governance: LPD / GDPR compliance, secure data flows
- Skills transfer: empowering internal teams for long-term autonomy
Our recent projects include integrating Denodo in multi-source information systems, building sovereign data lakes, and implementing robust governance policies using open source tools.
Switzerland and Europe: a shared vision for digital sovereignty
While Switzerland is not an EU member, it shares Europe’s concerns about digital sovereignty. Open source acts as a bridge between performance and independence. As Marc Palazon put it:
"We need a Europe (and a Switzerland) that controls its own infrastructure.Open source is our best chance to make that happen."
Toward an Open, Sovereign, and High-Performance Swiss Digital Ecosystem
Digital sovereignty is not a technocratic utopia — it’s a concrete, vital, and achievable goal. Thanks to open source and solutions like Denodo, Swiss companies and institutions can build secure, agile, and independent information systems.
With Synotis by your side, that ambition becomes a reality.
Together, let’s build a digital world that reflects Swiss values: transparency, responsibility, and control.
Have a question? A project in mind? Contact us!
