About Glice
The Swiss Company Revolutionizing Ice Skating.
Founded in 2012. Installed in 100+ countries. Zero refrigeration. Zero limits.
Glice is a Swiss-engineered synthetic ice rink system — solid polymer panels that deliver a real skating experience using regular ice skates, with no refrigeration, no water, and no electricity. Installed in over 3,000 rinks across 100+ countries, with performance independently validated by Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute.
Reviewed by Viktor Meier, Co-Founder & CEO, Glice AG · Last reviewed: June 2026
Why We Exist
Ice Skating for Everyone. Lower Operating Footprint.
Glice exists to bring ice skating to everyone while caring for the planet. We design and build synthetic ice rinks that skate, look, and feel close to real ice - without a refrigeration plant, resurfacing water, or the operating footprint of conventional refrigerated ice. What began as a conviction that synthetic ice could be more than a poor substitute has become a product used by municipalities, hotels, shopping centers, hockey clubs, private owners, and the automotive industry in over one hundred countries.
The Proof
Numbers, Not Claims.
These aren't marketing numbers. The friction and indentation figures come from independent laboratory testing conducted by the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials (Fraunhofer IWM) - one of Europe's most respected research bodies. Fraunhofer measured Glice against the next best synthetic ice on the market and found that Glice reaches the same coefficient of friction as real ice at lower skating speeds. It is the only lab-validated evidence of its kind in the category, and it is why we lead with data rather than claims.
Our Journey
From Lucerne to Five Continents.
Glice was founded in 2012 in Lucerne, Switzerland, where the company remains headquartered today. Over fourteen years it has grown from a small Swiss startup into a global operation serving customers on five continents - from winter rinks in European city squares to private estates, from pro hockey training centers to seasonal attractions at shopping destinations. Growth has been steady, partner-led, and anchored in the same technical promise that defined the first installation: a better synthetic ice.
Founding note: Glice was co-founded by Viktor Meier and Toni Vera. Toni is no longer part of the company; Viktor remains Co-Founder and CEO.
“Since the beginning of Glice our ambition was to develop a product as close to ice as possible. It took many years of research and hundreds of prototypes before we finally had a breakthrough we could be really proud of.”
- Viktor Meier, Co-Founder and CEOLeadership
The People Behind Glice.
Viktor Meier
Co-Founder, CEO, Board Member
A nature and sport lover since childhood, Viktor became Swiss Karate Champion before training as a diplomat. He backpacked the world, then built a career across two continents - becoming fluent in five languages and earning a US MBA along the way. In 2012 he channelled that global perspective and entrepreneurial drive into co-founding Glice. Today he leads the company's strategic direction, product vision, and commercial growth from its Swiss headquarters, pushing Glice into new markets and customer segments worldwide.
Kurt Schär
Chairman of the Board
Kurt is one of Switzerland's best-known product and growth leaders in sustainable mobility. As co-founder and long-serving CEO of Biketec AG - the Swiss manufacturer of the FLYER e-bike - he led the company from a bankruptcy turnaround in 2001 to over CHF 100 million in annual revenue and roughly 200 employees, building what became one of Europe's defining e-mobility brands. He brings that same combination of product conviction, commercial discipline, and market-building experience to Glice's board, where he chairs strategic direction and governance.
“There is nothing more fulfilling than setting up a Glice rink with your own hands and then seeing the smile on people's faces when they skate on it for the first time.”
- Viktor Meier, Co-Founder and CEO
Nora Werer
Head of Operations & Sustainability
Master in Circular Economy and International Business. Leads global project management and operational support.
Iris Morales
Head of Production
Higher education in administration and finance. Over 18 years of experience in operations and financial management.
Laura Moya
Head of Finance
Degree in Business Administration and Management. Over 20 years of experience in financial controlling and accounting.
Luka Lidecke
Head of Marketing
Master in International Tourism Management and Sustainability. Creative marketing strategist driving brand growth.
Mark Winter
CEO, Glice Inc. (USA), Co-Founder
MBA with over 30 years in high-tech management and sales. Leads Glice operations across North America.
Michael Vettiger
Sales Director, Co-Founder
Master in International Relations and Economics. Background in Swiss Foreign Ministry and ICRC diplomacy.
Tassilo Schwarz
Sales Director
BSc in Business Administration. Former professional ice hockey player with over 10 years in international sales.
Lorenz Trüb
Head of Hockey Center Business
Drives the global expansion of the Glice Hockey Center concept. Focused on partnerships and operator success.
Where We Operate
Global Reach, Swiss Roots.
Glice AG is headquartered in Lucerne, Switzerland, and operates in North America through its subsidiary Glice Inc., which serves the US and Canadian markets directly. Our synthetic ice panels are manufactured in Germany under long-standing exclusive supply relationships. Direct sales teams cover Switzerland, the United States, and Canada; the rest of the world is served through a curated network of licensed partners, trained to Glice standards and supported by the Swiss head office.
The company employs roughly fifty people across its headquarters and US subsidiary, supported by a comparable number of freelance agents and distribution partners worldwide. Marketing operates in twenty-one languages.
What We Stand For
Three Values. Every Decision.
We hire and operate against three values - every member of the Glice team is expected to embody all three.
Hard Work
Glice is built by people who go the extra mile, consistently.
An Open, Innovative Mind
Curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to challenge the status quo - including our own assumptions.
Team Spirit
The mission is shared. We win together, or not at all.
These aren't posters on a wall. They are how hiring, promotion, and partnership decisions get made.
Skate for the Planet
A Rink That Plants a Forest
170,000+
Trees Planted and Counting
Skate for the Planet is Glice's reforestation program. For every panel we produce, a tree gets planted. To date, 170,000+ trees have been contributed to verified reforestation - currently in partnership with Trees for the Future, a UN World Restoration Flagship. Sustainability is not an add-on. It is built into every rink we deliver.
Talk to Us
Let's Build Your Rink.
Whether you're a municipality planning a winter rink, a hotel group exploring a year-round amenity, a hockey club building a training facility, or a private owner considering an installation, Glice has likely already done something close to what you need - somewhere in the world.
Working with Glice was different from any supplier relationship we had. They guided us through every step and made a complex project feel completely manageable.
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Key facts
- Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Lucerne, Switzerland
- Operating in 100+ countries with 3,000+ installations
- Friction coefficient matching freshly resurfaced real ice at lower speed (Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials, IWM, May 2024)
- 52% less friction and 45% less indentation than the next-best synthetic ice competitor
- Panels manufactured in Germany under exclusivity; dasher boards and rink accessories manufactured in the EU
- About 100 employees worldwide
Last updated: June 2026