From Switzerland to the World: Open Systems Marks 35 Years of Secure Connectivity

Zurich, Switzerland - October 1, 2025 - Open Systems, a global leader in Managed SASE, is proud to mark its 35th anniversary. Founded in Basel on October 25, 1990, the company has grown from an early Internet networking pioneer into a trusted partner for enterprises worldwide. Open Systems today is supporting customers in more than 180 countries as they navigate network and security transformations.

The company’s story began in Basel when a small team, inspired by experiences at ETH Zurich’s leading-edge computing labs, recognized the potential of secure connectivity long before the Internet became mainstream. Early projects with major Swiss banks helped shape the company’s reputation as one of the country’s first Internet security specialists, laying the groundwork for decades of innovation.

“In the beginning, it was just me, a few Sun workstations, and a lot of late nights,” recalls Florian Gutzwiller, founder of Open Systems. “What I learned at ETH - the importance of smart people, good tools, and open collaboration - became the foundation of Open Systems.”

In 1990, the Internet was still a buzzword. Google had not yet been founded. The term “cybersecurity” did not exist. What did exist was a bold idea: that open systems would radically change the way people and organizations securely connect. Guided by that conviction, Open Systems set out from Switzerland to make secure networking simple, reliable, and accessible.

Since then, the company has supported customers through every era of digital transformation:

• 1990s- When enterprises first connected to the Internet, Open Systems secured some of Switzerland’s earliest banking networks.
• 2000s- As email, VPNs, and e-commerce reshaped business, Open Systems built managed firewall and proxy services that made security scalable.
• 2010s- Anticipating the cloud adoption, Open Systems offered public-cloud deployments, introduced early AI-powered threat-detection techniques, and launched its pioneering Mission Control model for 24×7 managed operations.
• 2020s- Today, Open Systems provides observability-driven, AI-enhanced services on three continents, integrating ZTNA, cloud-based Secure Web Gateway (SWG) and Firewall-as-a-Service (FWaaS) to realize zero-trust principles and the broader Security Service Edge (SSE) framework, keeping enterprises protected amid remote work, AI, and relentless digital change.

As Open Systems looks back on its 35-year journey, three themes define both its history and its vision for the future:

1. Pioneering the Future

From securing the first banking connections to the Internet in the 1990s to delivering today’s AI-driven managed SASE services, Open Systems has consistently anticipated change. Reinvention is part of the company’s DNA. As threats become increasingly sophisticated and digital ecosystems grow ever more essential, Open Systems is dedicated to delivering intelligent, adaptive, and easy to use solutions that empower organizations to innovate with confidence.

2. Evolution of Experience

What began as system integration projects in Basel has evolved into a fully integrated service experience. Mission Control, advanced operations teams, a modern customer portal, and dedicated Customer Success Managers provide customers with more than technology - they deliver trusted outcomes as an extended team, handling both migrations and everyday operations This evolution reflects one enduring promise: to make enterprise security seamless, reliable, and effective.

3. People & Partnerships

From its founders and first employees to today’s global team, people have always been the driving force of Open Systems. Customers and partners - including Swiss Post, its parent company - have shaped the journey through trust, collaboration, and shared ambition. The company’s culture of partnership and commitment to people has powered 35 years of growth and will continue to guide its future. This has also been recognized externally, with Open Systems being named a Great Place to Work for 3 consecutive years.

Today and Beyond

Now operating in over 180 countries, Open Systems delivers intelligent, adaptive security and connectivity services to global enterprises, enabling them to operate securely in an increasingly complex digital world. The company continues to build on its 35-year legacy, anticipating future challenges and helping customers navigate the evolving cybersecurity landscape.

“Thirty-five years later, our mission is the same as it was in 1990: make connectivity and security simple, reliable, and future-ready,” says Dennis Monner, CEO of Open Systems. “We’re proud of our history, but we’re even more excited about the future.”

About Open Systems

Open Systems is an AI-first SASE platform company delivering secure access and networking to help enterprises connect users, applications and infrastructure across complex hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Its proprietary platform combines SSE capabilities, including ZTNA, SWG, CASB and FWaaS, with SD-WAN, end-to-end connectivity, unified policy management, and advanced analytics in a single architecture.

While many cybersecurity providers focus primarily on advancing technology capabilities, Open Systems combines its AI-first SASE platform with an execution model designed for real-world operability, ensuring services are not only deployed, but continuously run, adapted and improved through a combination of AI-enabled operations and NOC-based expertise (Mission Control), built on decades of operational experience, helping organizations reduce complexity, increase visibility and strengthen security outcomes at global scale.

Founded in Switzerland in 1990, Open Systems generates more than USD 100 million in annual revenue and supports global enterprise customers operating in more than 180 countries. Since 2024, the company has been part of Swiss Post, combining Swiss trust and stability with global reach. As a European alternative to US- and Israel-based cybersecurity providers, Open Systems is guided by strong principles around sovereignty requirements, regulatory alignment, transparency and shared responsibility - taking clear ownership for security, performance and operational outcomes, helping organizations maintain control in an increasingly complex digital landscape.