ikara GmbH develops fitness and therapy equipment to combat pain. Founder Peter Leisi is following his own path. The first product is now entering the critical phase.
Peter and Desiree Leisi and with their company ikara GmbH have been tenants at TECHNOPARK Winterthur since September 2023. The fitness equipment is intended as an alternative to warm-up machines such as treadmills and steppers. Specialists can use the therapy device to treat their patients and, for example, enable them to continuously put weight on their knees after operations.
Change of scenery after 20 years
Founder Peter Leisi has been developing the fitness device for some time and has been fully committed to it since March 2022. He previously worked in the engineering sector. After more than 20 years in this industry, it was time for a change, according to the inventor. The product idea began in his hobby workshop in Dinhard. It was there that he began to develop his first full-body fitness machine out of his own interest. When he trained on the first prototype himself, he noticed that the knee and shoulder pain he had been suffering from for many years was getting better. After various investigations and discussions with specialists, he realised the reason for the positive effect of his new fitness equipment.
The pain-relieving effect
Special exercises are required for the fitness equipment to realise its full potential. According to inventor Peter Leisi, this should improve the fluid absorption of the joints. In addition, the body’s fasciae benefit from the fact that the entire body is stretched during the exercises. All of this leads to less pain and better mobility.
Testing in the critical phase
Peter Leisi has theoretically analysed the effect of the fitness and therapy device with specialists and therapists. Now the effect is to be tested in practice with the first ten devices. Then it will become clear in which direction Peter Leisi will continue to develop the equipment. The project is a matter close to Peter Leisi’s heart, which is why he spares no effort to move it forward.
Creative development
Peter Leisi tried out a number of things before arriving at the current device. One of the prototypes even had a hydraulic system for adjusting the resistance. In the end, however, a friend’s home trainer gave him the decisive idea. The band brakes, which are often used in fitness equipment, make the machine cost-effective and reliable at the same time. When it comes to components, Peter Leisi favours Swissness. The “ikara fitness device IP1” is currently in the starting blocks and the “ikara therapy device IPT1” is just around the corner.
