Our story
Recreational swimming is attracting more and more people seeking freedom, sensations, and well-being. With climate change and improved access to natural waters, rivers, lakes, and seas are becoming new spaces for adventure.
Unfortunately, drownings are increasing every year. In Switzerland alone, more than 500 drownings have been recorded over the past ten years.
«The accidental death of a friend in Greece confronted my son and me with the reality of drowning. That day, the weather was beautiful, and the sea was warm and calm. Our friend, who knew the coastline well and swam there daily, drowned. He was surrounded by his wife and other swimmers. No one noticed.» Vincent Gonet, co-founder of SwimTech.
The question born from this tragedy lies at the heart of our project: how can we prevent drowning without hindering swimming? What remained was to invent an ergonomic, lightweight, and high-performance swimsuit that can be inflated in case of distress.
A unique technology and a local project!
Airbag technology has already proven itself in various high-risk sports. SwimTech is the first to apply it to swimming.
By combining a triggering system equipped with a CO₂ cartridge and an inflatable chamber inspired by mountain harnesses, the swimsuit, once inflated, keeps the swimmer on their back, with their head above water, in a stable floating position. The swimmer can then make their way back to shore by adjusting the air volume.
SwimTech has built on the expertise of engineers from AQ-Tech, pioneers in airbag technology. A patent application has been filed, and numerous prototypes have been developed to enable us to offer today the first commercially available model.
Doing things right, with purpose, and surrounded by the right people.
We believe this project has significant potential. We have moved forward step by step with the conviction that an innovative, high-quality product will find its audience.
After five years, we have completed the research and development phase and carried out extensive testing. Major supporters such as Genilem and Vaudoise Assurance have recognized our project and continue to support us.
Swimming champions Jérémy Desplanches and Julien Baillod endorse the project and contribute their expertise.
We are now launching the production of a first series and look forward to hearing your feedback, suggestions, and insights, and to opening a dialogue with our very first community: YOU.
In line with our values, we have chosen short supply chains, prioritized quality in every decision, and surrounded ourselves with talent from our region. Our social and environmental commitments, as well as our responsibility to you and our future customers, require us to develop a flawless product. Bringing together all key functions within a 50 km radius allows for efficient quality control.
This campaign is a key milestone in our growth journey. Until now, all investments have been self-funded. We now need your support to reach the next stage.
Now, it’s your turn to act.
What will your support be used for?
Your support will help us launch production of the first swimsuit available to the public. Thanks to you, we will bring to life an innovation that, tomorrow, can help reduce the risk of drowning.
More specifically, the campaign will:
- Pre-finance the first production run and allow us to connect with our first customers;
- Contribute to the development of a women’s line equipped with the same safety system;
- Support the development of an app enabling swimmer geolocation.
We will not make a profit from the sale of the first model, but that is not the most important part. We will have gained our first users, who will become key partners and our very first ambassadors.
