Today we have the honor of interviewing Tony Verutti, CEO of Betterguards Technology, a leading injury prevention and recovery technology company.
Betterguards Technology was born from the idea of giving athletes all of their performance and mobility while also offering them protection. Traditional braces have been the same for decades—rigid, uncomfortable, and often weakening the ankle over time. They reverse-engineered the concept to create a product that protects against split-second injuries but still gives athletes full freedom of movement.
Their core technology, the BG Power hydraulic piston, is integrated into a lightweight compression sleeve. It feels like a compression sock during regular activity but activates instantly to protect the ankle during dangerous movements. This innovation fills a critical gap that traditional braces or other products haven’t addressed.
Picture: Betterguards Technology
Here is a video showcasing the Betterguards ankle brace in action:
Picture: Betterguards Technology
Here is a video testimonial of a customer using Betterguards ankle brace:
📝Show Notes: Through this interview, we touched on his background, his company and product, the benefits for sports organizations and teams to use his product. We also talked about his competitive advantage, business model, and his plans for the next 12 months.
You can read the full transcript of the podcast interview with Tony located at the top of this blog post.
Here are the quotes from the interview with Tony:
Q1. Tell me about your background.
"I have been an athlete my entire life, throughout high school and college, and during that time had many injuries. I had four ACL tears and injured my ankle as well. My dad's a physical therapist, so I spent a lot of time in rehabilitation. That experience, combined with my passion for helping others recover, drove me to look for innovative solutions in injury prevention and recovery."
Q3. Tell me about your company and product.
"Betterguards Technology was born from the idea of giving athletes all of their performance and mobility while also offering them protection. Traditional braces have been the same for decades—rigid, uncomfortable, and often weakening the ankle over time. We reverse-engineered the concept to create a product that protects against split-second injuries but still gives athletes full freedom of movement."
"Our core technology, the BG Power hydraulic piston, is integrated into a lightweight compression sleeve. It feels like a compression sock during regular activity but activates instantly to protect the ankle during dangerous movements. This innovation fills a critical gap that traditional braces or other products haven’t addressed."
Q4. What are the benefits for your customers to use your product?
"Our product focuses on three core pillars: performance, protection, and recovery. For performance, athletes can move freely without feeling restricted, as our product maintains full mobility and range of motion. For protection, our hydraulic piston reacts in 30 milliseconds—three times faster than your body’s natural reflexes—to stop the ankle from rolling. And for recovery, we help athletes return to play 54% faster compared to traditional taping because our product allows controlled movement, which strengthens the ankle instead of immobilizing it."
"Traditional rigid braces make your ankle weaker over time, and 70% of athletes experience residual effects 18 months after an injury. Our technology counters this by allowing movement that strengthens ancillary ligaments and tendons during the recovery process while preventing re-injury."
Q5. What do your customers like the most about your product?
"The biggest feedback we get from trainers and athletes—whether in the NBA, NFL, or collegiate teams—is how much more comfortable our product is compared to others. Athletes also appreciate that our brace provides protection only when they need it, unlike rigid braces that restrict movement all the time."
"Another unique feature that resonates with our customers is the combination of comfort and action. There are some soft, compression-based products out there, but they don’t offer the protection that ours does. We’ve filled this white space in the market with a product that’s both highly effective and easy to wear."
Q6. What are the sports and leagues (NBA, NFL, MLS, European soccer..) where Betterguards sees the most traction right now?
"We’ve been seeing adoption throughout the NBA. About half the teams have been using it in some capacity, and players from some of the best teams in the league are wearing it. NBA players like Franz and Moritz Wagner (Orlando Magic) have been some of our early adopters”.
“We’ve also gotten connected into a lot of different programs throughout the NFL. (..) We’ve seen adoption from different players throughout Major League Soccer and professional teams in Europe. (..) We’ve had a lot of NCAA teams wearing it, and last year we had a few top NBA draft picks who brought it into the league after using it in college."
"We’ve had adoption from national teams in the Olympics, which has been exciting to see at such an elite level. (..) "We’re also seeing more adoption in sports like volleyball, soccer, and even baseball."
Q7. Tell me about competitive advantage and business model.
"We hold over 100 patents worldwide, making our technology highly defensible. Our core innovation, the hydraulic piston, combined with the high-quality, durable, and comfortable materials, sets us apart. It’s a game-changer in the bracing space, which hasn’t seen much innovation over the years."
"Our business model is omni-channel. Teams and individual customers can buy directly from our website at betterguards.com. We also work with teams directly, offering special discounts, and with small bespoke retailers. While we primarily focus on direct-to-team sales, our online channels provide accessibility to athletes worldwide."
Q8. What are your plans for the next 12 months?
"We are excited about the traction we’ve had so far and plan to continue growing our presence in professional leagues, collegiate sports, and international markets. We’ve recently expanded to the United Kingdom and plan to launch in Canada next year. Currently, we’re selling in over 30 countries, and we want to make this product a staple for athletes globally."
"We also have a robust innovation pipeline and plan to roll out updates to our existing product while exploring new solutions. We’re looking to raise funding next year to scale our operations, expand into new markets, and strengthen our sales and marketing efforts. At the same time, we’re fostering strategic partnerships to help us reach more athletes and teams."
Q9. What is the best way to reach out to you?
"The best way to reach me is via email at tony.verutti@betterguards.com. You can also connect with us through Instagram at Betterguards, where we showcase how our product is made and how it’s being used by elite athletes across over 30 countries. For anyone in Julian’s network, feel free to connect with me directly through his introduction as well."
"Our website, betterguards.com, is another great resource for learning more about the technology and seeing how it’s being adopted across different sports and markets. Whether you’re a team, investor, or athlete, we’re always happy to discuss how we can work together."
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