Sports Tech

3RD YEAR ON THE LIST

AxGen’s DNA test identifies genes it has linked to sports injuries to create a personalized injury risk profile.

Photo Credit: AxGen

KEY INSIGHT

In a world where differences in performance are measured in tiny increments, athletes and teams are looking to technology to gain a competitive edge. The emergence of new sensors and advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning seek to quantify every aspect of sports. This technology is shifting into colleges and academy feeder programs as players and teams compete to stand out.

EXAMPLES

Dutch startup SportsTalentVision created Jogo, a sensor-enabled insole used in soccer cleats to capture metrics such as speed, acceleration/deceleration, time on ball, shot power, and right/left leg asymmetries. Jogo is similar to the Adidas GMR insoles launched in 2020 and the more recent Playermaker, which was adopted by FIFA’s Innovation Programme. VERT, a wearable designed to prevent knee injuries by tracking jumps and training volume for volleyball players, also prevents shoulder injuries in swimmers by monitoring body roll and stroke count. In the weight room, Perch uses computer vision to provide detailed feedback on form and load and was adopted by the New Orleans Saints. Strive integrates electromyography sensors integrated with clothing to assess muscle performance, fatigue level, and injury risk, helping teams proactively adjust training. Controversially, startup AxGen offers a DNA test that looks for key genomic markers of specific injury risk that can sideline a prospect.

DISRUPTIVE IMPACT

Investment in sports tech is increasing, and the technology is becoming more mainstream. Berlin-based investment firm leAD funds early-stage sports tech startups with a portfolio valued at $135 million. Sports drink Gatorade entered the market with the launch of its first wearable Gx Sweat Patch, meant to inform hydration strategies. As professional teams and leagues continue to adopt technology, expect to see greater investment in holistic performance measurement platforms that incorporate biometric and genetic marker data on top of increased granularity in functional data. Sports performance company Orreco already uses AI/ML models to develop athlete profiles based on clinical biomarkers and can combine them with game statistics. Athletic performance is being broken down into a science of data, and these models are leading the way.

EMERGING PLAYERS

• Orreco • Scarlet Health • AxGen • Playermaker • Sharper Sense • ShotTracker