Today, we would like to introduce to you, Beat Bruehwiler, our Chief Executive Officer

Beat Bruehwiler

Chief Executive Officer

Beat, can you introduce yourself?

I am one of the co-founders of Atracsys, which started as a spin-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) back in 2004.

After completing my studies of Microenginnering/Robotics at EPFL, I went abroad for a year in order to learn a new language and make some first professional experiences in an international environment.

Upon my return to Switzerland, the Atracsys journey began with the development of high-end optical tracking devices for medical applications. Atracsys then spun off into Atracsys Interactive, which has since been rebranded as Immensive.

As one of the co-founders, can you tell us the story of Immensive?

The story began when Atracsys Sàrl was founded in 2004, dedicated to the development of optical tracking devices for the medical industry. In 2006 we took on the challenge to build a revolutionary (at that time) human-machine interface, based on the ideas put forward in the 2002 movie Minority Report – you know, the one where Tom Cruise tries to prove his innocence. With one single project of big impact  a new business segment was born: Immensive.

Years later, after steadily growing the interactive team, Atracsys Interactive SA was spun off from Atracsys Sàrl at the end of 2016 to become an independent company. In early 2020, the company was rebranded as Immensive.

Today, Immensive has become a trusted partner for numerous national and international companies. We provide custom software development services, packaged applications, cloud-based services, as well as high-end multitouch hardware.

So, what’s it like being the CEO of a company like Immensive?

Being the CEO means that you are involved in every little aspect of the business, from strategy to product development to marketing, sales, accounting, HR, … this is both interesting and rewarding, but it also means that you don’t have time to focus on a specific thing for long. I’m very happy and proud to be surrounded by an extraordinary team of highly skilled individuals I can rely on.

My main goal is to create the best possible environment for our employees, such that they can fulfill their tasks in an efficient and enjoyable manner.

According to you, what are the assets of the company?

Our employees and our core values!

Naturally the composition of our team changes little by little through the years, but what seems to be a consistent and defining characteristic is the appreciation of a high quality of life, or life-work balance. This directly translates to a great team spirit where people respect each other and enjoy spending time together, even away from the office

Second, the Immensive brand stands for reliable, high quality products and services. Personally I think this is one of the most important core values for any business to embrace, because it will result in long-term customer satisfaction.

What have you learned from your experience?

Well, with a little bit of luck, everything will work out fine in the end. We have been faced with a couple of difficult situations, the most recent one being the COVID-19 pandemic (of which we can’t possibly fathom the long-term consequences as of this moment / May 2020).

The biggest lesson I learned throughout the years – and that applies to my professional as well as my private life – is that “rocking the boat” once in a while is quite a positive thing; it forces you to actively adjust to an ever-changing environment – as opposed to being too comfortable for too long.

What do you particularly like in your line of work?

As mentioned above, in my specific job there’s not really a precise “line of work”, it’s more a 3-dimensional playground. I love working with my colleagues to put ideas forward and resolving problems together, as much as presenting our products to new clients and witness their fascination first hand. But at the end of the day, receiving positive feedback from satisfied clients is certainly what motivates me the most; it’s the most direct and honest reward there is, and it is what moves the light of the tunnel a little bit closer in difficult times.

What project was the most significant for you?

There is no single project I could point out. Every project – big or small – is most significant at the time we are working on it. Because behind every project is a paying customer who deserves to get the best possible result for his investment. And from a higher perspective, as co-founder and owner of Immensive, the company’s journey itself and ultimately our economic success is what I define my most significant “project”.