Dr. Emile de Rijk is the CEO and co-founder of SWISSto12. He established the company in 2011 as a spin‑off from EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne). Under his leadership, SWISSto12 has grown into one of the world’s fastest-growing aerospace companies and leading manufacturer of advanced space and telecommunication systems including its flagship product lines: HummingSat and advanced satellite payloads.
In recognition of this achievement and his contribution to the industry, he was named 2024 Satellite Executive of the Year.
Emile holds a PhD in Physics from EPFL. He has closed over 1bUSD in commercial contracts with SWISSto12, and is the co‑inventor of more than 20+ patent families related to advanced radio-frequency and space technologies.
