Mantis Ropeway Technologies expands product portfolio and enters new markets

Mantis Ropeway Technologies (“Mantis”), a former ETH spin-off, develops intelligent safety systems for chairlifts. Since 2018, the team has been working on AI-based solutions that make ropeway operations safer and more efficient. The company’s first product, Mantis Autonomy, was successfully commissioned at several installations in Switzerland and Austria in 2023 after receiving regulatory approval.

Mantis Autonomy uses an AI-driven camera system to monitor the unloading area at top stations and detects dangerous situations such as falls in real time. The software automatically slows down or stops the lift and enables the safe operation of unmanned top stations — a crucial advantage considering staff shortages and rising safety requirements. Most of the installations currently in operation run autonomously.

In 2025, Mantis is launching a second product to meet the growing demand for assistance systems at bottom stations: Mantis Assistance.

The system is based on the same technology as Mantis Autonomy but focuses on the area immediately after passengers board the chairlift. In the first seconds of the ride, the software analyzes passengers’ seating position and detects dangerous situations. Due to limited visibility, this area is challenging for staff to monitor.

When a poorly seated passenger is detected, the system stops the lift in time before the person reaches a dangerous height. This effectively reduces the risk of accidents caused by falls from significant heights.

After successful installations in Austria and Switzerland, Mantis continued its international expansion in 2025. The company’s systems have now also been installed in Italy, Germany, Canada, and the United States.

Additional market entries are already underway as Mantis awaits operating approvals in several new countries. Demand for AI-driven safety solutions in the ropeway industry continues to rise.

In October 2025, Mantis was also honored with the Swiss Mountain Award. The jury recognized the startup for its innovative, technologically leading solution that makes a significant contribution to safety and efficiency in alpine tourism.

Mantis Ropeway Technologies is a Zurich-based startup in the field of computer vision that develops AI-supported safety systems for chairlifts. Mantis' solutions use intelligent camera technology to automatically detect dangerous situations when passengers are getting on and off the lifts and stop the lifts if necessary. This allows top and bottom stations to be operated more efficiently, more safely, and, in some cases, autonomously—a decisive advantage in light of the shortage of skilled workers and increasing safety requirements. Mantis' goal is to establish its technology in the international winter sports industry and make the operation of chairlifts for ski resorts safer and more economical in the long term.