The Institute's origins can be traced back to the institution by the Swiss Confederation of the CIM centers in 1991. The seat in Ticino, initially located in Breganzona and later in the industrial area of Biasca, were integrated into SUPSI in Manno in 1999.

The core competencies of the original Institute named Institute CIM for Sustainable Innovation, linked to the acronym CIM (Computer Integrated Manufacturing) and therefore to the approach of using the computer for classical CNC control, Computer Aided Design (CAD) and enterprise resource planning (ERP), have increasingly expanded to other disciplines related to the technologies of industrial processes, such as the analysis of thermo- fluid dynamics, the study of materials and, more recently, environmental, medical and pharmaceutical technologies. The development of disciplines related to Life Sciences represents a new challenge and another opportunity for the Institute to become a reference point as an academic partner in the key areas of industrial development in Ticino, to promote a qualitative and sustainable innovation.

In 2016, with the change of name to Institute of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Technology (MEMTI), the Institute has sought to strengthen its position in the Swiss landscape of academic research institutions. At the same time this novelty represents an opportunity to communicate clearly to present and future partners the Institute's expertise and capacity. This way a virtuous parabola that has seen the Institute evolve from “Swiss Italian CIM Competence Center” to a well-established and renowned research Institute both in Ticino and at a national level, is brought to completion.