Volker Bartenbach: Insights into the story of Auxivo
German-born engineer Volker Bartenbach once studied how to build prosthetic limbs and medical exoskeletons — until one question changed everything: What if the same technology could make everyday jobs less painful? That question became the spark for Auxivo AG, a ETH Zurich spin-off whose lightweight exoskeletons help workers lift and carry without constant strain.
This founder story traces Bartenbach’s journey—from his university days and early airport field tests to leading one of the most prolific exoskeleton startups—always with a focus on real users and rigorous engineering.
Early Years & Education
What began as a technical curiosity soon grew into a mission to make technology serve people, not the other way around. He earned his engineering diploma in 2010 from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), writing his thesis on adaptive knee prostheses—technology that adjusts to how people move. Even then, Bartenbach wasn’t driven only by curiosity about machines, but by how technology could support the human body. That hands-on project first introduced him to wearable robotics and laid the foundation for his later work. After working for two years at KIT on several robotic Projects, including the humanoid Robot ARMAR and developing technologies for human-robot interaction, [VB1] , he moved to Switzerland to join ETH Zurich, where he began researching lower-limb exoskeletons—robotic supports that help people walk again after injury. During those years, Bartenbach witnessed how robotic suits helped stroke and spinal cord injury patients regain their mobility. Seeing patients take their first independent steps after months of therapy left a lasting impression—and made him wonder whether similar technology could also prevent injuries among healthy workers.
From PhD to Product
Although Bartenbach enjoyed research as an opportunity to work on technologies that are not yet fully ready for real-world deployment, he felt a growing urge to build something tangible. After completing his doctorate, Volker Bartenbach realized that the technology he had been developing could help prevent musculoskeletal injuries among workers. “The idea of doing something on my own had been there for a long time,” he later told ETH Zurich’s Rehabilitation Engineering Lab, “but I only acted once I identified a real need and an opportunity.”
In 2017, he secured an ETH Pioneer Fellowship — a grant by ETH Zurich that supports researchers in transforming academic results into market-ready products and fosters entrepreneurial spin-offs. As part of this program, ETH Business Coach Michael Stucky was assigned to the project, helping to translate the technology into a viable business case. Together with Roger Gassert, they launched a technology-transfer initiative at ETH Zurich, refining early exoskeleton prototypes and involving potential users from industry — as documented on Auxivo’s website. One of their first field tests took place at Zurich Airport. [VB2] In a hangar, baggage handlers tried on a early prototype—and gave candid feedback. The idea impressed them, but the prototype was uncomfortable—and got far too hot to wear. Bartenbach still recalls their reaction with humor: “If it slides up into your private area… you will hear about it,” he said in an interview [VB3] .
Those gritty field trials helped the team improve fit and ventilation. The collaboration soon paid off: in May 2019, the prototype earned the group the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Innovator Award. Encouraged by the recognition, Bartenbach, Gassert, and Stucky incorporated Auxivo AG as an ETH Zurich spin-off in August 2019. Just a month later, they won the final stage of the Venture Kick competition, securing CHF 150,000 in seed funding—a milestone later featured by both Auxivo and Venture Kick.
Technology & Product Philosophy
What emerged from those experiments was not a robot, but a tool designed to work with the human body. Auxivo’s products look nothing like the heavy, motorized suits familiar from science fiction. From the outset, Volker Bartenbach insisted on developing passive exoskeletons—wearable devices with no motors or electronics. As described on the company’s website, the suits consist of textile harnesses, lightweight frames, and elastic elements that store energy when the wearer bends and release it as they straighten. This minimalist design keeps them light—around 0.9 kilograms—and affordable. The first LiftSuit, launched in 2020, retailed for about CHF 950, making industrial exoskeletons accessible to factories and logistics firms.
In laboratory evaluations reported by Auxivo, the LiftSuit reduced back muscle activity by up to 30 percent, cut fatigue in the back and hips, and lowered cardiac strain. The data confirmed what many users had already felt: less strain, more endurance, and a noticeable drop in fatigue at the end of a shift. By avoiding costly motors, the company managed to combine ergonomic impact with scalability.
Auxivo’s engineering process reflects Bartenbach’s lean startup philosophy. Instead of perfecting prototypes in isolation, the team tests them early with real users and iterates quickly. “Go to the market as quickly as possible—the customer will give you much better feedback than any presentation,” Bartenbach said in an interview. The engineers maintain a spreadsheet logging every pain point reported by workers. “Every pain point we collect—the bigger number wins,” he adds, meaning that the most common complaints drive each design revision. This feedback loop led to the LiftSuit 2 and subsequent models becoming increasingly comfortable and effective.
Following the LiftSuit’s success, Auxivo steadily expanded its product line. The CarrySuit arrived in 2021, easing load on the arms and shoulders. Two years later came the DeltaSuit for overhead work and the OmniSuit, designed for all-around support—together giving Auxivo one of the broadest portfolios in the industry. That same year, the company integrated the educational EduExo Kit into its offerings. Originally developed by Bartenbach in 2016 and commercialized after a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2017, the kit—now featured in Auxivo’s range—introduces students to exoskeleton technology through hands-on learning.
Business Model & Market Growth
While many startups chase subscription models, Auxivo has kept things simple and practical.“Our business model is extremely simple: develop, produce, and sell hardware,” Volker Bartenbach told the company’s website. Leasing or service packages may follow in the future, but the core focus remains firmly on hardware sales.
To grow beyond Switzerland, Auxivo established a European subsidiary in Germany and works with distribution partners in Europe, Asia, and the Americas[VB4] instead of building its own sales teams everywhere. This approach enables rapid international expansion while keeping overhead low—a strategic choice that reflects the team’s engineering mindset.
Creating the market, however, has been as demanding as building the technology itself. When Auxivo launched, industrial exoskeletons were virtually unknown. Convincing companies to invest in something they’d never heard of required patience—and countless conversations on noisy factory floors. The company had to educate customers from scratch—visiting factories and warehouses, letting workers test the suits for weeks, and collecting detailed feedback. Direct engagement, Bartenbach stresses, is crucial: “If you have something that you think has value, go down and talk to them,” he told interviewers. To accelerate adoption, Auxivo also maintains a strong presence at trade fairs and industry conferences, offering demonstrations and supporting pilot projects.
The company’s steady progress has not gone unnoticed. Step by step, Auxivo turned from a research spin-off into a serious industrial partner—trusted by both customers and investors. After its pre-seed round in 2020, Auxivo raised further capital in 2022, attracting both investors and institutional partners. The Swiss Innovation Agency Innosuisse selected the company for its Scale-up Coaching Programme, recognizing its potential to move beyond the startup stage. In 2023, Auxivo was featured among the Top 100 Swiss Startups, according to Greater Zurich Area. By 2024, the firm even secured a growth loan from a major Swiss bank—a rare achievement for a young hardware company and a clear signal of investor confidence in its financial stability.
Vision & Leadership
Bartenbach combines scientific rigor with entrepreneurial pragmatism. Former colleagues describe him as a hands-on CEO—just as comfortable adjusting a strap on a warehouse floor as presenting in a boardroom. His vision isn’t to replace people with robots—but to help them work better, longer, and with less pain. In his view, technology should lighten the load, not take over the task. By making physical work less taxing, he believes companies can help employees stay healthier and extend their careers.
That mission also extends into education. Through Auxivo’s EduExo kits, students can assemble simple exoskeletons and, in the process, demystify wearable robotics, as described on EduExo.com. Bartenbach hopes these kits will inspire the next generation of engineers—and help people see exoskeletons not as science fiction, but as everyday tools for real work.
The Human Behind the Harness
From a curious engineering student building adaptive knee prostheses to the CEO of a pioneering exoskeleton company, Volker Bartenbach’s journey shows how academic research can evolve into real-world impact. He has kept Auxivo agile by embracing a lean, user-centered mindset—testing prototypes in the field, listening to blunt feedback, and iterating without hesitation. Under his leadership, the company has built a family of passive exoskeletons that are lightweight, affordable, and supported by solid data.
Awards and funding are milestones—but for Bartenbach, real success is measured in something simpler: workers finishing their shifts with less pain. That unwavering focus on human well-being ensures that Auxivo’s story is not just about technology—it’s about empowering people. Bartenbach’s story is less about machines than about meaning—how thoughtful engineering can make life a little easier for those who keep our world moving.