Robert Button

Robert Button is the founder of ZOA Engineering, a Vancouver-based company that designs and builds products to help people move through the backcountry. The company's flagship product, the PL1, is a portable rope tow system that lets backcountry skiers tow themselves back up the mountain after a run, essentially creating a personal ski lift that fits in a backpack.

Button, a mechanical engineer, conceived the PL1 after recognizing that backcountry skiing's biggest limitation is the stamina required to climb back up after each descent. The system uses a self-tailing winch mechanism with a thousand feet of rope, allowing skiers to ski down and then pull themselves back up without the effort of skinning. At $1,700 for the complete package, it sits at an accessible price point for serious backcountry enthusiasts who might otherwise hire helicopters or use cat tracks.

ZOA Engineering is exploring ways to broaden its market beyond hardcore backcountry skiers. Potential applications include private property lifts, ski patrol, search and rescue, military use, and general outdoor recreation. With about $200,000 in annual revenue and roughly 20,000 Instagram followers, Button is focused on building trust in the product, partnering with ski instructors and guides, and telling visual stories that showcase the PL1 in action.