Our Journey
From our roots to our sensors, we follow our belief in empowering freedom of movement. Follow our story, from the start with steadfast principles to transformative technology and our worldwide now.
Rethinking people flow is all about innovation. And innovation comes from people. So let us tell you about our people then and now, since our skilled and diverse team includes our leaders, who keep us moving forward.
Xovis is the brainchild of brothers David and Christian Studer, and Markus Herrli. Founded in 2008, the start-up has since grown into a global market leader for intelligent people flow. What hasn’t changed is our commitment to innovation, exceptional customer service and rigorous data protection.
We cultivate a culture that attracts the brightest minds in tech. As technical pioneers, we’re always one step ahead of the market. It’s part of our drive to always do things better than they've ever been done before. Our diverse teams are united by an innovative mindset, passion for progress and desire to make a difference. Together, we create innovative, intuitive and sustainable solutions that address challenges wherever people go.
Xovis Milestones
2008
Bright idea becoming Xovis
At a family gathering, video analytics expert Christian Studer had a life-changing discussion with his brother, electrical engineer David: Could they come up with a more efficient and accurate way to count passengers and measure traffic flow at airports - one that also protected privacy? The idea for Xovis was born. Christian and David Studer teamed up with David's colleague Markus Herrli to found Xovis.
2008-2011
The early years
Xovis breaks the mold for traditional people flow solutions by developing the first Xovis optical sensor. Inspired by the compelling concept and innovative products, developers joined the start-up in the Swiss capital, Bern. It was an intense time, full of experiments, discovery and learning.
2012
3D Vision
By 2012, the dream team had grown to eight and the sensors successfully tested at major airports, including Zurich, Frankfurt and Stuttgart. The ambitious Xovis team was already pushing boundaries, addressing the shortcomings of monovision sensors to develop PT2, the company’s first 3D people tracking sensor. In combination with powerful Xovis software, the Xovis PT2 paved the way for unprecedented applications in people flow measurement within very large areas.
The airport industry was impressed – and so were others. Xovis received the W.A. De Vigier Award 2012 for the original character of the product, its social dimension, technical and financial feasibility, and commercial potential.
2013
Breakthrough
Now an established player in 3D technology, Xovis saw demand for the Xovis Passenger Tracking Solution soar. Building on the success of the product’s unmatched accuracy and reliability,
Xovis added a new 3D sensor to its portfolio to accommodate the architectural requirements of any airport.
The company’s much-loved small office and manufacturing facility was no longer able to cope with the company’s growth. Xovis moved to Zollikofen just outside Bern, which is still the company’s headquarters today.
2014-2015
More than airports
By the end of 2014, 14 major airports around the globe had embraced the Xovis Passenger Tracking Solution to measure waiting times and other KPIs. But other sectors also wanted to harness data to optimize operations and improve customer experience. Xovis – always responsive – developed the PC2 (2014) and the PC3 (2015), successors to the PT2 and PT3. They included new features for deployment in both airports and other crowded areas, such as shopping malls, outlet centers and museums.
Airports use the 3D people counting sensors in combination with the Xovis airport software, while system integrators in industries such as retail and building management integrate the Xovis 3D sensors into their existing software environment.
2016
Welcome on board, EMERAM
EMERAM Capital Partners joined the Xovis journey. The broad experience, expertise and network of the German investment company empowered Xovis to set course to scale up the company.
With numerous new product developments and more than 35 airports, 100 system integrators and 50 dedicated employees on board, Xovis was ready to take not only its technology but the whole company further.
2017
Exploring new spaces
Some Xovis customers had started to deploy the 3D people counting sensors in outdoor applications in 2015. Since there is no reason for people counting and people flow measurement to stop on the doorstep, Xovis released its first all-in-one 3D sensor for outdoor applications in 2017. The PC3 Outdoor complemented the broad Xovis product portfolio along with the PC2R, which includes a WiFi/Low Power Device Monitoring monitoring module.
In June 2017, the first Xovis office outside Switzerland opened in Boston, US. The Swiss business newspaper Handelszeitung ranked Xovis second among Switzerland’s 55 fastest growing companies, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 202% between 2012 and 2015.
2018
Xovis meets AI
The introduction of the AI-powered Xovis 3D Sensor, the PC2S, in January 2018 set the next benchmark at the intersection of people counting and in-store analytics. The PC2S complements the broad Xovis product portfolio along with the Xovis SPIDER processing unit and the PC2 Outdoor.
2019
Capvis: A shared vision
Capvis, a leading mid-market investor, takes Xovis to the next level. Awarded several honors as an excellent private equity firm, with its philosophy that greatly values entrepreneurship, Capvis is the right partner to turn the growth ambition and global expansion of Xovis into a reality. Our shared innovative mindset, eye for excellence, and a clear vision make this a perfect match.
2020
Innovation during pandemics
In a year likely to be most remembered for its global pandemic, Xovis rose to the challenge of developing solutions as demands for occupancy management appeared like never before: from the Physical Distancing Indicator to Face Mask Detection, Xovis R&D and production teams ramped up efforts to support customers in all industries.
Planned prior to the pandemic, PCT1 joins the sensor series in the realm of public transportation.
At just over a decade old, Xovis is a well-established high-tech company with more than 130 employees in Switzerland and the US. Around 100 airports and nearly 300 system integrators count on Xovis as a powerful tool to optimize customer experience and increase revenue. Today, Xovis stands for accuracy, reliability, exceptional customer support and inspiring innovation – made in Switzerland.
What’s next for Xovis? We embrace new challenges and always have exciting projects and products in our pipeline. Wherever our journey takes us, we’ll be rethinking people flow.