🏟️ ⚾Upside Trip Recap: 2023 MLB Meetings & Tech Expos: Key Trends & Takeaways
🏟️ ⚾Upside Trip Recap: 2023 MLB Meetings & Tech Expos: Key Trends & Takeaways
Dear colleague,
We attended the 2023 MLB Meetings and especially the Baseball Operations Technology and Sports Science Vendor Exhibitions in Nashville TN last week. As part of that we had the opportunity to catch up with MLB teams and sports tech startups. So here is our recap:
The 2023 MLB Meetings is the place to be to meet MLB teams, get up to speed on new tech trends, meet teams and vendors
In our opinion, if you are a tech startups looking to get into the MLB, the MLB meetings are the place to go to. At the 2023 MLB meetings we had a chance to catch up with a number of MLB teams, vendors to discuss the latest tech trends in pro baseball. The Tech expo were also a great opportunity to check out the latest cutting technologies in pro baseball. We also felt that everything was very well organized and there was a lot of excitement in the world of pro baseball when it comes to the upcoming MLB season. Technologies have become an important part of the game especially when it comes to injury reduction, performance training, mental health, operational efficiency, fan experience and many other areas.
Ohtani was of everyone’s mind at the 2023 MLB Meetings
At the 2023 MLB meetings, everyone was talking about Ohtani’s next destination. Will the Japanase prodigee be traded to the LA Dodgers, Blue Jays or just stay at the Angels? The people we talked to were very excited about it.
Then the news broke on Saturday that Ohtani signed a $700M contract over 10 years with the LA Dodgers. This is by far the biggest contract signed by any MLB players in the history of the MLB.
Over the past few years, Ohtani has become a key figure in the MLB. So who is Ohtani? Why is he such a phenomenon? Shohei Ohtani, nicknamed "Shotime", is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher and designated hitter. He has played in MLB for the Los Angeles Angels and for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball's (NPB) Pacific League. Widely acclaimed for his skill in both pitching and batting, he has been compared to two-way players such as Babe Ruth and Bullet Rogan, although such comparisons draw debate given the difference in era and overall ability of modern players.
Following an injury-plagued 2019 and 2020, Ohtani would go on to have a 2021 season widely considered to be historic, as he became the first in the history of MLB with 10+ home runs and 20+ stolen bases as a hitter and 100+ strikeouts and 10+ pitching appearances as a pitcher in the same season while also holding at least a share of the major league lead in home runs in 14 starts. Because of his elite contributions both offensively and as a pitcher, a rarity for two-way players, Ohtani's peak is widely considered among the greatest in baseball history, with some comparing it favorably to the early career of Babe Ruth. For his efforts, he was awarded the 2021 American League Most Valuable Player Award. He followed this in 2022 by becoming the first player in the modern era to qualify for both the hitting and pitching leaderboards in one season, reaching the thresholds of 3.1 plate appearances and one inning pitched per game with 586 at bats and 166 innings pitched.
Ohtani completed yet another historic campaign in 2023, becoming the first player in MLB history with 10 wins and 40 home runs in a season, the first Japanese-born player to win a major league home run title, leading the American League with 44 home runs, the first player in MLB history to be a unanimous MVP twice and the first Japanese playr to have the most popular Major League Baseball jersey sales.
Baseball is a traditional sport. Technologies need to fit in…Not the other way around
Baseball began around the mid-1800s by a man named Abner Doubleday in Cooperstown New York. The first official game of baseball took place in 1846 in Hoboken New Jersey but the very first professional baseball team that was established was in Cincinnati, they were called the Red Stockings.
Based on our conversations with MLB teams it became very clear that baseball is a very traditional sport. Things have been done in a certain way for a long time. The majority of MLB teams tend to be traditional in the way they operate and they do things.
Now would MLB teams adjust their training schedule if some players need to rest based on the data they see? For the majority of the MLB teams, the answer seems to be “No”. However there are some teams that do, which is good news for the MLB. Some teams adjust their training schedule to help maximize players’ recovery. But let’s face it, with 162 games in a a season, MLB teams are under a very tight schedule so teams and players have little time to recover. But the good news is that the performance and medical staff of MLB teams always try their best to find ways to adapt and adjust to help optimize the players’ performance and recovery any way they can despite their hectic schedule. That’s where technologies can play a key part. But technologies need to fit in, not the other way around.
MLB teams are looking for cutting edge technologies but it needs to fit their workflow
Like with NBA teams, MLB teams, or any top teams for that matter, are always looking for technologies that can fit into their workflow and not the other way around. If it requires for NBA performance staff members and players to disrupt their daily routine it will be a tough sell. And if the performance staff does not properly communicate to the other staff members, coaching staff, why they are using certain technologies, what the goal are with those technologies, chances are that the adoption of those technologies will also decline over time. And this is where sometimes things fall apart for some of those technologies.
Load management, Sleep Management, Injury Reduction and Recovery remain top of mind for the majority of MLB teams
Based on our meeting with MLB teams at the 2023 MLB meetings, like with NBA teams, MLB teams are looking for cutting edge technologies that can give them a competitive advantage to help their players reduce injuries, improve their sleep, recover from injuries faster, or get mentally stronger. Why? Because getting their players fit mentally or physically, fully rested or recovered could help them win the next game.
Camera based Video analysis solutions remain the prominent technology in pro baseball
At the 2023 MLB Tech expos, we saw a large number of video analysis companies exhibiting there. That should not come as a surprise as video analysis has become of the most common types of technologies used in pro baseball to analyze games or swings.
Computer Vision based camera apps are emerging
Another key trend that we saw at the 2023 MLB Tech expo was the emergence of computer vision based camera apps such as Uplift labs which are being used by MLB teams to analyze players’ biomechanics and help teams reduce players’ injury. One of the advantages of using such apps is that (1) it does not require teams to buy physical cameras (2) those solution can be used on mobile devices (iOS, Android, smartphones, tablets..) and (3) those apps tend to be lower cost compared to physical cameras.
Video: Uplift Labs
You can check out podcast interview with Masa, the CEO of Uplift Labs below.
Moving forward we expect more MLB teams to adopt such solutions as part of their players’ injury reduction program. We also expect those vendors to publish more studies and research around the validity and reliability of such solutions. This will help fuel the adoption of such apps in the MLB.
MLB is one of the few leagues allowing the use of wearables during live MLB games
Another thing to remember is that the MLB is one of the few leagues that allows the use of wearables during live MLB games which is not the case today in the NBA. So despite the fact that baseball is a traditional sport, the MLB is at a pioneer when it comes to the use of cutting edge technologies.
As shown in the table below, when it comes to the use of wearable data, the MLB currently allows 3 wearables to be used during live baseball games. Those include wearables from vendors like Zephyr, Whoop, and Motus.
Source: Upside, 2023
More precisely, the MLB allows the use of Motus Global's motusTHROW, which tracks workload and stress for pitchers.
Picture: Motus
Zephyr's BioHarness is a monitoring system that combines heart rate, respiration, and accelerometry during live games and training.
Source: Zephyr
Two bat sensor systems,Diamond Kinetics' SwingTracker and Easton's Power Sensor Motion by Blast, are also allowed for on-field use during events like batting practice, but not for use in-game. It can also be used in minor-league games.
Source: Easton's Power Sensor Motion by Blast
It is also worth pointing out in the MLB it typically takes 6 to 8 months to get new wearable approved by the MLB wearable committee.
The Major League Baseball is also allowing players to use wearable signal devices to call pitches. The league approved the use of such devices and sent a five-page memorandum to teams’ general managers, assistant GMs, managers and equipment managers outlining the rules regarding such devices. Known as the PitchCom system, the devices were tested in the minors last season and have made their way around the majors during this year’s spring training, drawing glowing reviews. Aimed at improving the pace of play and countering sign stealing — by both legal and illegal means — their adoption addresses two issues that have been hot-buttons in recent years and have resurfaced this spring.
Created by a company called ProMystic that provides modular technology to mentalists and magicians (!), the PitchCom system consists of a push-button transmitter that fits into a wristband worn by the catcher, and receivers that fit into the padding of the catcher’s helmet and the sweatbands of the caps worn by the pitcher and other fielders. In the transmitter’s nine-button grid, each button corresponds to a given pitch type as well as a location, the latter akin to the familiar three-by-three strike zone grid. From the AP report: “four seam high inside, curve hi middle, slider hi outside, change mid inside, sinker middle, cutter mid out, splitter low inside, knuckle lo middle, two seam low outside.” The other three buttons to the left of the grid are to cancel the selection and to adjust the volume up or down.
Source: Upside, 2023
MLB Teams’ Growing Interest for advanced biomarkers and wearables in the MLB to measure hydration, cortisol and other metrics
Another key trend that we saw at the MLB tech expos, and based on our conversations with MLB teams, was the growing interest for advanced biomarkers and wearable technologies.
Picture: Orreco’s advanced biomarker analytics solution
Now a few years ago hydration/electrolyte sensors were emerging and now we are seeing the emerging of next gen sensors to measure glucose, lactate, cortisol, and more in real time. For example, there are a large variety of vendors providing advanced biosensors. In the hydration assessment space, vendors like LogicInk, Flowbio, Nix Biosensors, MX3, are among the leaders in the space.
Picture: LogicInk’s hydration assessment PCR type device, measuring electrolyte level by analyzing athletes’ saliva in real time.
In the cortisol assessment space, there are a number of vendors such as Dia Sensor, SM24.ai, focusing on that emerging space.
Another popular type of biomarker is glucose. As we mentioned earlier, companies like Supersapiens developed a continuous glucose monitoring patch capable of measuring athletes’ glucose level.
There is also a lot of interest among MLB teams for solutions capable of measuring athletes’ lactate level non invasively. Vendors like Sipla are among the leaders in the space.
Pictures: Sipla’s lactate measurement devices
We believe that there is tremendous value for teams and athletes to analyze biomarkers in order to improve performance, recovery, maximize nutrition, and help reduce injuries. We expect new startups in this area to emerge in the next 24 months.
Smart fabric with sensors to analyze swings is the future of swing analysis, but it needs to be backed by solid research
Based on our conversations with MLB teams, there is also a growing amount of interest towards smart fabrics embedded with sensors in order to analyze a MLB players’ biomechanics. One of the companies focusing on that space is Nextiles, which builds smart fabric technology that can seamlessly track joints such as the ankle, knee or arm. Today, their smart fabric can measure motion mechanics, torque on the elbow, arm velocity and the intensity of every throw. Nextiles provides a mobile and web app, as well as APIs which help organizations track player data at scale. We think this is a great technology and we expect a growing number of MLB teams to adopt such solution moving forward.
Picture: Nextiles’ smart arm sleeve solution
Here is the picture of Nextiles’ arm sleeve:
Picture: Nextiles’ smart arm sleeve
You can check out our podcast interview with the CEO of Nextiles below.
In order for this type of solution to be widely adopted in the MLB, it will also be critical for these types of companies to back their product by peer reviews and studies demonstrating the validity of such products.
Nutrition is increasingly important in pro baseball, but it is hard to change player’s habits. Technologies are Emerging
Another key takeaway from our conversations at the 2023 MLB meetings was that, while there is an increasing focus from MLB teams and players on nutrition, it can sometimes be challenging for many MLB teams to impose a strict diet on their players for a large number of reasons. Pro baseball is an international sport where players come from various different backgrounds and countries where sometimes nutrition is not seen as a top priority and where players do not always have a strict diet.
But according to an article from MLB.com, that is changing year after year. For example, more than a dozen times over the past four years, MLB players such as Pirates closer Mark Melancon has meticulously scoured a color-coded dashboard, noting cortisol and nutrient intake levels with results on more than 30 biomarkers found in his blood. Now do the majority of MLB players do that and go to such extreme? No. But we expect this to change in the coming years.
Picture: Pirates closer Mark Melancon
In fact, baseball is slowly coming around to the importance of high-end nutrition. The Texas Rangers were the first team this year to hire a full-time registered dietitian, and the Dodgers -- who have the largest organization-wide food budget -- followed suit.
"The players are ratcheting up the pressure on this because they are more engaged than they were 30 years ago," said sports dietitian and longtime MLB and MLBPA advisor Dave Ellis. "Baseball is getting the message. They are getting the same message that a lot of pro sports got a lot time ago: these athletes are a hell of an investment and need to be nurtured on every front possible. And the players are taking it upon themselves."
The sport's shift, which Ellis has seen extend as far down as players in the Arizona Fall League, has made big strides among Major League clubhouses.
"Even in the last two years I'd say nutrition is making a jump," Melancon said.
This is where technologies can play an increasing part of the MLB players and teams’ nutritional strategies. For example today MLB teams have various options in order to help their players maximize their nutrition. They can use blood analysis and/or nutrition platform from vendors like Orreco.
Picture: Orreco’s new app called @thlete tailored for athletes that helps them analyze their sleep, nutrition, load and much more. They can also use nutrition platforms from companies like Notemeal (owned by Teamworks) in order to track calories, suggest meal plans, etc.
Picture: Notemeal’s nutrition platform
They can also use Continuous Glucose Monitoring systems from companies like Supersapiens in order to optimize their players’ nutritional strategies.
Here is a picture of their glucose monitoring wearable device.
At the 2023 MLB tech expos we also saw new types of technologies in this emerging space. one of them was Clarify, which created the Calorify test which uses water to measure how much oxygen MLB players turn into carbon dioxide. This process is known as cellular respiration. They measure how much work their cells perform to turn food into energy over the course of the test.
Picture: Calorify
Clarify claims that “Think of Calorify like a sensor measuring the amount of exhaust coming out of a car to gauge how much fuel it burns. Calorify accurately measures your gas mileage.
Growing interest towards mental health, meditation, and cognitive training systems
In the past 2 years mental health and how to improve the mental toughness and cognitive response of athletes, have become a hot topic among pro teams. So it was not a surprise to us to see a number of vendors in this area such as cognitive training vendor Okkulo. and human movement control assessment vendor Prism Neuro present at the NBA Tech expo. We expect to see more NBA teams gravitating towards those types of solutions in order to make their NBA players stronger mentally and with a better cognitive response.
An increasing number of MLB teams also using yoga and meditation rooms like Pittsburgh’s. This is another key component to optimize players’ health.
"It's a no-brainer [from an investment standpoint]. Guys and clubs have realized that we all need to be in it together. You are not feeding a race horse low-grade grain and cheap hay. The same analogy goes for us."
Growing appetite from MLB teams towards Vendors backed by solid and valid research
Another key takeaway from our various meetings at the 2023 MLB meetings is that practitioners (ATs, head of performance, sports scientists..) are more and more interested in working with vendors that built products and solutions based by solid research. Why? Because MLB teams have more trust and faith in the claims made by those types of vendors. They want to see solid research behind vendors’ products as it will validate the claim made by those vendors on how their products can help teams whether it helps teams reduce their athletes’ injury reduction, fasten recovery, reduce fatigues and so on . This is also one of the main reasons why we at Upside, are frequently re-publishing timely studies published by vendors or universities.
The reliability and security of products are also increasingly critical
Teams are also increasingly interested in products that are highly reliable and secure. Why? Because the last thing they want is to adopt products that are not reliable, or can break easily or are vulnerable to cyberattacks.
By the way we are seeing such phenomenon not only with MLB teams but with teams in other leagues (NBA, Premier League, NFL, national teams, etc.). This is one of the main reasons why we decided to launch (see link below) our Upside Sports tech scouting platform: To help those teams find cutting edge emerging technologies in a faster and more efficient way and enable those teams to see what other teams are using, how they rate those vendors, the price range they are paying for for those technologies, and so on.
2023 MLB tech expos was the go to event for Sports tech vendors
We also attended the MLB Tech Expo and we thought that the expo was well organized. There was a great energy with a good variety of startups.
Here is the full list of the 70 startups that exhibited or were present at the MLB meetings:
AMS & Data visualization vendors: SIIID Sidekick, Teamworks
AI analytics tool: Volt Intelligence, 6-4-3 Charts, Baseballcloud, DVS Baseball, Rapid Tech, Gemini Sports Analytics, Databricks
Video training system: Pocket radar, SportsTrace
Intelligent pitching robot: Trajekt Sports
Hydration assessment: LogicInk
AI Pitching Machine: Losny Sports
Force plates: AMTI, Vald Performance, SensorEdge
Concussion assessment: NeuroSync
Video search and analysis: Run Edge
GPS: Catapult
Grip assessment & training: FlexPro Grip
Communication platforms: Teamworks, Kairos
AI based injury reduction tools: Gemini Sports Analytics
Thermography: ThermoHuman
Wearables: Nextiles, Supersapiens, Llume, 4D Motion, Omorpho, Valor, Katalyst, Plantiga
AR/VR performance training: Healium
Motion capture analysis: Uplift Labs, Qualisys, DARI Motion, Kinatrax, Kinotek, Bertec, Kinetisense, Theia Markerless, Pelotero
Cooling therapy: Coolmitt (Arteria Technology)
Recruiting tools for athletes: AIQ, SurePeople, NTangible Sports
Fan experience: Bat Around
Resistance training equipment: KineticPro Performance, Proteus Motion, 1080 Motion.
Digital motorized strength training equipment: 1080 Motion.
AI based 3D muscle analysis: Springbok Analytics.
Cognitive training: GameSense, Neurodynamic Vision Performance, Reflexion
Electric massagers: Hyperice
BFR Training: SUJI BFR
BioCentric Lighting: BrainLit.
Human movement control assessment: Prism Neuro
AI based nutrition platform: Notemeal (part of Teamworks), ZoneIn
Nutrition performance: Calorify
Direct current device: NeuFit
While all these startups had interesting technologies, here are the startups that caught our attention and that we decided to profile in this recap. If you are a startup and we did not profile you, feel free to reach out to us at julien@sportscouncilsv.com. thank you.
1.Calorify
Founded: 2021
HQ: Scotts Valley, California
Amount money raised: TBD
Website: https://www.calorify.com/
Total full-time employees: 4
Customers / partners: NBA, MLB teams
Company/product description: Calorify’s at-home test delivers precision metabolic, body composition, hydration, and training analysis for the first time ever. Calorify test uses water to measure how much oxygen athletes turn into carbon dioxide. This process is known as cellular respiration. They measure how much work their cells perform to turn food into energy over the course of the test.
Here is a video that explains how the technology works:
2. Coolmitt
Founded: 2020
HQ: Boca Raton, FL
Amount money raised: $2.6M
Website: https://www.coolmitt.com
Total full-time employees: 4
Customers / partners: Their 85 pro and college programs (including many NBA teams and players), Olympians, Tour de France Teams, UFC fighters, Special Forces – in all, athletes in 40 sports are customers of CoolMitt®.
Company/product description: During the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the US advance on Baghdad was frequently halted because the troops were becoming overheated and fatigued, and they needed to time to recover. The delays jeopardized operations. Based on the technology effects on human performance, numerous teams from the Stanford Athletic Department began successfully deploying the technology in prototype devices in training and at competitions.
The CoolMitt®device chills water to the ideal cool-but-not-too-cold temperature and circulates it to a cooling pad where you have placed your hand. The palms of your hand are like radiators that exchange heat through the patented CoolMitt® interface.
The company began selling CoolMitts in 2022, and through word-of-mouth gained significant traction. Vasocooling has benefits well beyond sports, with first responders, military, people working in extreme conditions all beginning to reach out to the CoolMitt team, seeking a safety and wellness solution.
In a rapidly warming world, CoolMitt is proven as the best way to address an over-heated body.
Here is a video that explains how the technology works:
Here’s a video explaining the benefits to performance of CoolMitt’s vasocooling technology:
3. FlexPro Grip
Founded: 2019
HQ: USA
Amount money raised: TBD
Website: https://flexprogrip.com/
Total full-time employees: 5
Customers / partners: San Diego Padres (MLB), current involvement in some capacity with 13 MLB clubs (players and/or organizations), 40+ colleges/facilities/physical therapy clinics, individual athletes
Company/product description: FlexProGrip is a grip testing and training device that pairs with a mobile app designed to strengthen the muscles within the flexor-pronator mass, the first responders for UCL protection (Tommy John), as well as the muscles responsible for grip strength. FlexPro Grip, serving as force plates for your fingers and wrist, optimally target and strengthen the muscles and tendons from your fingertips through your elbow.
Here is a picture of the associated mobile app:
Here is a video showcasing how the technology works in action:
4. ThermoHuman
Founded: 2011
HQ: Madrid (Spain)
Amount money raised: Self funded
Website: http://www.thermohuman.com
Investors: None
Total employees: 12
Customers / partners: New York Knicks (NBA), Inter Miami FC (MLS), Orlando City (MLS), FC Barcelona (LaLiga), VfL Wolfsburg (Bundesliga), Carolina Panthers (NFL), Napoli (Serie A) Wolverhampton (Premier League) New Jersey Devils (NHL), just to name a few.
Company/product description: ThermoHuman is a pioneer company specialized in the application of Infrared Thermography for injury prevention/monitoring and internal load management (fatigue identification). Fast, non-invasive and objective skin temperature measurement (just 30” per player, once a week). For that, we provide thermal cameras, training and our unique software using computer vision algorithms and AI to help sport and health professionals to better understand thermal physiology and to provide better decision making. 15 years of experience, 60 scientific articles published and customers in more than 46 countries.
Listen to our interview with Ismael Fernandez, ThermoHuman CEO, by clicking on the link below:
5. Kinatrax:
Founded: 2011
HQ: Boca Raton, Florida
Amount money raised: TBD
Website: https://www.kinatrax.com/
Total employees: 37
Customers / partners: MLB teams
Company/product description: They develop markerless motion capture technology that delivers precise 3D joint location and bone segment orientation in both indoor and outdoor settings.
Their patented system is comprised of an optical camera array capable of high speed and long distance capture. They work with several MLB teams to deliver accurate in-game pitching kinematic data without the need to affix markers to the pitcher.
Here is a video that shows how the technology works:
6. Hyperice
Founded: 2011
HQ: Irvine, California (USA)
Website: https://hyperice.com/
Total employees: 110
Customers/Partners:
NBA, MLB, UFC, PGA Tour, New York Yankees, Kansas City Chiefs, Seattle Seahawks, and Dallas Cowboys- Official Recovery Technology Partner
All NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS and Collegiate programs are utilizing our equipment
Robust PT/Chiro programs as well as Spa Hospitality
Company/product description: Whether you’re an elite athlete or an individual who is simply looking for solutions to combat the impact of daily life, their suite of innovative products is here to help you unlock the best version of yourself. So you can always be at the top of your game, no matter what that game might be.
Founded in 2011, their technology has been used by the world’s best athletes and consumers in over 60 countries throughout the globe. Over the last ten years, they’ve worked tirelessly to push the boundaries of innovation to help better serve athletes everywhere - allowing you to keep moving the way you want to, when you want to. They’ve built a brand that has helped define an entire category and is well positioned to carry the space forward for many years to come.
Here is a video showcasing some of their products with Haaland (Manchester City/EPL):
7.Kinotek
Founded: 2018
HQ: Portland, Maine (USA)
Amount money raised: $3.5M
Website: https://kinotek.com/
Total employees: 25
Customers / partners: Orlando Health, MLB/MLS teams
Company/product description: Kinotek is on a mission to change how humans measure, understand and improve movement for better health. Founded in 2018 in Portland, Maine, the company has developed a B2B SaaS platform that enables movement health professionals, including physical therapists, chiropractors, athletic trainers and fitness professionals, to measure the dynamic movement of their clients in seconds. Users nationwide include the MLB, MLS and NCAA teams as well as leading healthcare systems, and performance-based clubs and gyms.
Here is a video explaining how Kinotek works:
8. Supersapiens
Founded: 2019
HQ: Atlanta, GA (USA)
Amount money raised: $31M
Website: https://www.supersapiens.com/
Total employees: 35
Customers / partners: adidas, Abbott, Garmin, Wahoo, Oura, Team Jumbo-Visma, F1 Drivers, teams within MLB, NHL, NBA, various Olympic Federations, PGA players, Premier League, ATP, Redbull Performance Center, and more.
Company/product description: With biowearable technology, Supersapiens develops innovative insights around glucose data that drives lasting positive behavior change and helps unlock better performance and recovery. Supersapiens utilizes technology that analyzes glucose data to inform athletes how nutrition impacts their well-being, sleep, recovery, and athletic performance.
Here is a video that shows how the technology works:
Supersapiens also kicked off a US Crowdfunding campaign on Crowd Funding. You can check it out by clicking on the link below:
9. Healium
Founded: 2016
HQ: Columbia, MO (USA)
Amount money raised: $25k
Website: https://www.tryhealium.com/
Total employees: 23
Customers / partners: MLB teams
Company/product description: Healium reimagined human performance training. They are a mental wellness and media storytelling company. Their patented augmented and virtual reality solutions allows people to see their own brain patterns and heart rate inside visual stories. Powered by biometric data from consumer wearables, Healium empowers users to control virtual worlds with your brain and heart via EEG, heart rate, and other biometrics. Adopted by over 150 enterprises, reaching 540M lives, Healium trains your brain to stress less, focus faster, and perform better.
Here is a video explaining how the technology works:
10. Llume
Founded: 2018
HQ: Boston, MA (USA)
Amount money raised: $1.74M. Seeking $1M in additional funding.
Website: https://llume.io/
Total employees: 13
Customers / partners: MLB teams
Company/product description: Light Lace® is a soft and stretchable fiberoptic sensor that can be applied to different materials to measure pressure and stretching. Light Lace® sensors are equipped with a light source and detector on each end. When the fiberoptic sensor is stretched, there is a change in intensity of the light. It measures the intensity change and output chest expansion, joint angle, muscle volume change and more.
The Strap can measure respiration rate, ventilation, heart rate and other respiratory metrics. LLUME: The Shirt is designed to measure and recreate arm motion, muscle shape changes of tricep and bicep, as well as shoulder and elbow joint angles and torques. Light Lace® sensors can also be integrated into socks, shoes, leggings etc. to provide deeper insights into full body biomechanics.
Here is a picture of their mobile app:
11. Uplift Labs
Founded: 2017
HQ: Palo Alto, California
Amount money raised: $8.5M
Website: https://uplift.ai
Total employees: 12
Customers / partners: Over a third of MLB teams, the NBA League, GOLFTEC (the world’s largest golf instruction company), and numerous private sports academies and colleges are notable clients.
Company/product description: Uplift was founded by 3 technology veterans. Masa served as President of Tesla Japan and held leadership roles at innovative global companies such as Apple and LEGO. CTO Jonathan Wills is a serial entrepreneur who sold his image recognition firm that he founded to GoPro in 2015. Uplift's Chief AI Officer, Rahul Rajan, earned his Ph.D. in considerate systems at Carnegie Mellon University.
In January, Uplift joined the NBA Launchpad, a new incubator program for tech that advance the league’s top basketball priorities. Uplift is also backed by NBA star Seth Curry and his wife Callie Rivers Curry, a former professional volleyball player, as well as retired basketball players such as former NBA All-Star Marc Gasol and Atlanta Dream co-owner Renee Montgomery. Other notable investors include former National Football League (NFL) player Andrew Luck and David DeCastro, RCVC, Softbank subsidiary DEEPCORE, Atma Capital, Stadia Ventures, Oregon Sports Angels, Black Lab Sports and Gaingels.
Here is a picture of Uplift Capture’s Cloud Visualizer:
Picture: Uplift Labs
While other motion capture systems rely on pricey wearables and require complex calibration, Uplift’s solution called Uplift Capture only requires a pair of iPhones or iPads and tripods. Footage of the athlete is recreated in accurate 3D. Uplift's AI then generates key biomechancial metrics of the movements.
“It’s two phones, no markers, easy calibration, just walk in and go to work (..) That saves probably like 70% of the time”, explains Keke Lyles, Uplift’s Director of Performance, and Golden State Warriors’ former Performance Director.
Picture: Uplift Labs
Listen to our podcast interview with Masa Kabayama, CEO of Uplift Labs by clicking on the button below:
12.4D Motion
Founded: 2017
HQ: Allendale, New Jersey (USA)
Amount money raised: TBD
Website: https://4dmotionsports.com/
Total employees: 7
Customers / partners: TBD
Company/product description: The 4D Motion Golf Foundation System automatically analyzes the Pelvis and Torso movements and sequence through 7 key swing positions.
It then trains you through real-time biofeedback to feel each position until it becomes automatic. (1) Quickly capture your player’s swings in real-time: Auto Capture allows you to capture motions continuously without interruption at your players own pace. (2) Analyze Player Motion: Utilize player’s heat map analysis to quickly identify their swing faults. A Simplified color-coded analysis clearly shows your student areas needed for improvement. (3) Train Player Motion: Leverage real-time biofeedback to make lasting swing changes. The real time biofeedback screen enables players to simply match their body to the green target ranges in each box.
13. Springbok analytics
Founded: 2013
HQ: Charlottesville, Virginia
Amount money raised: $3M
Website: https://www.springbokanalytics.com/
Total employees: 31
Customers / partners: They have worked with professional sports teams and leagues including the NBA’s Chicago Bulls, the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles, and MLB’s Toronto Blue Jays. The Eagles use the technology in rehabilitation after player injuries. The analytics and imaging can tell trainers whether the rehabilitation is working and ways to adjust a training regimen.
As shown below, Springbok Analytics also works with a number of research institutes.
Company/product description: At Springbok Analytics, their AI-powered platform transforms MRIs into three-dimensional analyses of muscle to enable true precision medicine. They deliver value for the health and wellness of large, diverse populations by providing objective insight to inform physicians, physical therapists, athletic trainers and scientists in personalizing the care of patients. Their first-to-market clinical decision support tools have a wide range of application, including injury management, performance optimization, and the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions.
Here is the video explaining how the technology works:
14. Brainlit
Founded: 2012
HQ: Lund, Skane County, Sweden, and New York, NY (USA)
Amount money raised: TBD
Website: https://www.brainlit.com
Total employees: 30
Customers / partners: Teams across NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, IMSA, NASCAR, Premier League, CPL
Company/product description: BrainLit is a health technology company, that focuses on light to deliver significant health and well-being improvements.
With Biocentric lighting, indoor environments are enhanced to help players, coaches, and staff entrain their bodies to their natural circadian rhythm to avoid sleep disruption. The platform is future-proof and allows for patented recipe development to meet an organization’s requirements whether it be pre-game focus/energy, post-game decompression/relaxation, and jetlag mitigation. The Brainlit platform can be implemented as a floorlamp (Alven, see photos) or full enterprise-wide facilities enhancement (Elven)
More focus and energy during the day, better sleep, and recovery at night create a passive advantage for organizations seeking better health, wellness, and performance.
Here is a video that explains how the technology works:
You can check out the keynote with BrainLit CEO Kyle Harris at our NY Summit at Citi Field last month:
15. DARI Motion
Founded: 2009
HQ: Overland Park, Kansas (USA)
Amount money raised: TBD
Website: https://darimotion.com
Total employees: TBD
Customers / partners: Exos, ASMI, Life Time, Biocore.
Company/product description: Used for 10+ years to improve athlete performance at the highest level, DARI Motion offers a premier musculoskeletal analysis that helps reduce injury and drive better results.
16.BAT AROUND
Founded: 2020
HQ: Colorado Springs, CO (USA)
Website: https://www.letsbataround.com/
Total employees: 7
Customers / partners: Batting Cages, MLB Teams (players & fans), Little League/High School/College Teams, Entertainment Facilities
Company/product description: Bat Around is baseball meets video game! Bat Around gamifies batting practice and has six different rounds that challenges players on situational hitting skills and scenarios.
Here is a picture of their mobile app:
Here is a video showcasing their solution:
17.AIQ
Founded: 1998
HQ: USA
Amount money raised: TBD
Website: https://aiq.team/
Total employees: 16
Customers / partners: MLB, NBA, MLS, NCAA, NFL, UEFA, Olympics teams
Company/product description: Athletic Intelligence Measures, LLC (AIM) specializes in the assessment of elite athletes and service members' intelligence as it relates to their high-octane and unique field, and the design and delivery of reports and services designed to both explain and enhance the results of the assessment.
They offer science-based solutions to known deficits within the market of evaluating talent in high-performance work environments. AIM strives to provide sophisticated and in-depth analyses of athletic intelligence to aide in talent identification and development, superior customer service to teams or organizations that use the measure, and to maintain a strong basis in science as the crux of the value of the test.
Here is a video about their product:
SIIID SIDEKICK
Founded: 2022
HQ: Redondo Beach, California (USA)
Amount money raised: TBD
Website: https://www.s3dinc.com/
Total employees: 7
Customers / partners: NASCAR MLB NBA and Big sports facilities.
Company/product description: S3D is a leading supporter of the Sports Science & Clinical Health industry, leveraging data analysis systems and cutting-edge technology in various ways. Their expertise spans a wide range of biomechainc domains, allowing us to provide the precise expert guidance and solutions you require.
Whether you seek short-term, on-demand project-based assistance or long-term support, our tailored solutions deliver immediate value. They collaborate closely with you to understand your unique requirements and offer proven and cost-effective solutions, even for the most complex challenges or environments.
19.Omorpho
Founded: 2017
HQ: Portland, Oregon (USA)
Amount money raised: TBD
Website: https://www.omorpho.com/
Total employees: 21
Customers / partners: MLB teams
Company/product description: Omorpho was founded 2017 in Portland, OR, and have spent over three years perfecting our Gravity Sportswear collection for you. It’s powered by MicroLoad™. Sounds fancy, but it’s simple - by loading your body with small amounts of naturally-distributed weight when training we can help you get stronger, fitter, and faster by simply changing what you wear. The name OMORPHO is derived from Greek, meaning “beautiful,” and is the lens through which we create gorgeous products and services that simplify the pursuit of a fit life.
here is a picture of their Garmin:
20.BERTEC
Founded: 1987
HQ: Columbus, Ohio (USA)
Amount money raised: TBD
Website: https://www.bertec.com/
Total employees: 91
Customers / partners: Institutions as varied as Nike, the US Olympic Swimming Team, Toyota Robotics, the NIH, Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic, Harvard University, and hundreds of others around the world rely on Bertec.
Company/product description: Bertec is an internationally recognized designer, manufacturer, and marketer of research-grade and clinical biomechanical equipment and software. Used by athletic trainers, physical therapists, and other professionals working to understand the movement of the human body, Bertec’s tools help athletes and patients to meet their performance and rehabilitation goals.
Founded in 1987, Bertec continues to tackle some of the most ambitious engineering projects in multiple disciplines including biomechanics, mechatronics, immersive virtual reality, eye tracking, and computer vision to bring industry leading solutions to practitioners, researchers, and clinicians.
Here is a video explaining their product:
21. VALOR
Founded: 2018
HQ: Austin, Texas (USA)
Amount money raised: TBD
Website: https://www.valorbiomechanics.com/
Total employees: 10
Customers / partners: We currently work with the Minnesota Twins, Nashville SC, and private instruction facilities and private schools in Texas and California.
Company/product description: Valor Biomechanics is an Austin, TX startup with a mission of keeping athletes on the field.
By helping Athletic Trainers, Physical Therapists, and Performance Coaches streamline their screenings and assessments with real-time objective data, practitioners can evaluate the risk of injury and symmetry of essential movement quality. From these baseline collections, staff can then track rehabilitative & return-to-play protocols and continue an objective process of physical development.
Instead of going to a biomechanics lab, the purpose-built Valor platform allows a practitioner to conduct comprehensive assessments of an athlete's range of motion, timing, sequencing, and acceleration in less than 10 minutes!
Perch
Founded: 2016
HQ: Cambridge, MA (USA)
Amount money raised: TBD
Website: https://www.perch.fit/
Total employees: 19
Customers / partners: 49% of NFL teams (NY Giants, Miami Dolphins..), LSU Football, Orlando Magic (NBA), Miami Heat (NBA), Brooklyn Nets (NBA), LA Galaxy (MLS), Kentucky Basketball, and the Army Rangers.
Company/product description: Perch uses 3D cameras to quantify weight room performance without detracting from it. The cloud-based system measures, outputs, stores and analyzes velocities and power outputs without disrupting workflow. No more wearables, no more tethers, no more hassle.
Perch optimizes training from elite professional athletes, to college and high school athletes, to general population users and home gym enthusiasts. Perch keeps athletes safe and strong and enhances performances in the weight room and on the field of play. Perch was founded by former MIT student-athletes who believe that every coach, athlete, and trainer should have access to this level of data. Everything they do focuses on ease of use, adaptability, affordability, and data accuracy.
Here is a video showing how Wake Forest uses Perch:
23.Exerfly
Founded: 2017
HQ: Auckland (New Zealand)
Amount money raised: $XXM
Website: https://exerflysport.com/
Total employees: 22
Customers / partners: NHL, NBA, MLB, NRL, Premier League, Super Rugby, Sports New Zealand, Olympic teams
Company/product description: Exerfly equipment employs flywheel technology, which mimics natural movements during sports in a way that conventional weights simply can't, allowing athletes and fitness enthusiasts of all levels to get more out of their fitness programs. Exerfly's speed, constant resistance, and safe overloading is excellent for adapting the body for eccentric overload, stiffness, force absorption, isometric phases and transfer to elastic concentric movements. Exerfly equipment uses flywheel momentum to create constant resistance throughout the range of your exercise.
The momentum created in spinning the flywheel returns a resistance that is both more constant and more demanding than with conventional weights, engaging and building strength in muscles, tendons and ligaments over the whole range of motion. With Exerfly flywheel training, resistance is a function of both the inertia of the flywheel itself, and the input force. Training sessions can thus be adapted to the needs and capabilities of the individual athlete, whether this be intense, intermediate or recovery.
Here is a video showcasing Exerfly’s Flywheel training:
24.SUJI BFR
Founded: 2017
HQ: Edinburgh (Scotland)
Amount money raised: TBD
Website: https://sujibfr.com/
Total employees: 24
Customers / partners: USTA. MLB, NBA, NFL, MLS, NWSL, Premier League teams.
Company/product description: A mobile integrated tool to streamline the process of BFR training whilst providing users with great peace of mind. At the touch of a button, the system calibrates to the user and calculates their personalized pressure.
Users are guided through the setup and use on the mobile interface and the whole system is affordably cable-free.
Here is a video testimonial from the Orlando Pride (NWSL):
25.Katalyst
Founded: 2015
HQ: Las Vegas, Nevada (USA)
Amount money raised: TBD
Website: https://www.katalyst.com/
Total employees: 49
Customers / partners: MLB teams
Company/product description: Katalyst is an elite, full-body workout in just 20 mins, without any external weights or joint impact. We leverage Electro Muscle Stimulation (EMS) technology to create an extraordinary new way to workout. Our patent-pending training system and full-body suit deliver specially-tuned, low frequency impulses to each of your major muscle groups. These impulses imitate the brain signals that cause your muscles to contract and, when combined with simple, body weight movements, multiply the results of any exercise.
Here is a video with some testimonials:
26.Kinetisense
Founded: 2013
HQ: Medicine Hat, Alberta (USA)
Amount money raised: TBD
Website: https://www.kinetisense.com/
Total employees: 19
Customers / partners: Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Baltimore Orioles, NCAA athletes, US Air Force, SOCOM, Atletico Madrid, Brazilian national soccer team, Mighty Ducks, hundreds of clinical settings (Orthopedic, Chiropractic, Physical Therapy, senior living), as workplace wellness.
Company/product description: They are a patented, 3D, markerless motion capture and machine learning technology being utilized to reduce injuries, optimize performance, and provide objective MSK assessments. They are the number one markerless motion capture system in the world, providing objectivity, portability, efficiency, and data driven care to the performance industry. They have been Vicon validated, and hold the largest MSK normative data store in the world. All that is required to perform Kinetisense assessments is an Ipad Pro!
Performance Bundle Specs:
White labeling
API access
Custom data tags
Data Dashboard
Unlimited licenses
Corrective engine
Subject User app
Here is the video showcasing how their technology works:
27.Plantiga
Founded: 2017
HQ: Vancouver (Canada)
Amount money raised: $5.5M
Website: https://plantiga.com/
Total employees: 12
Customers / partners: NCAA, NFL, MLB, MLS, NHL, PGA, NBA and others.
Company/product description: Plantiga combines sensor insoles and artificial intelligence that analyze how people move to improve health, injury rehabilitation and performance. It measures vertical force, asymmetry load, total load, contact time, flight time, rotational force, landing force, acceleration time, horizontal force.
Here is a video explaining how to set up Plantiga solution:
28.Volt Intelligence
Founded: 2022
HQ: Detroit, Michigan (USA)
Amount money raised: TBD
Website: https://voltintelligence.com/
Total employees: 3
Customers / partners: Pro teams.
Company/product description: At Volt Intelligence, we are transforming the sports analytics landscape through our advanced AI-driven solutions. Our state-of-the-art technology harnesses the power of data to unlock valuable insights, enabling teams to make informed decisions and achieve a competitive edge. With our innovative approach and deep expertise in AI and sports, we empower organizations to optimize performance, enhance strategic planning, and drive success in the ever-evolving sports industry. Discover how Volt Intelligence can revolutionize your sports analytics journey and propel your team to new heights.
29.GameSense
Founded: 2016
HQ: Denver, Colorado (USA)
Amount money raised: TBD
Website: https://gamesensesports.com/
Total employees: 11
Customers / partners: MLB teams, College/High School and Travel Teams (baseball, softball, tennis), Tournament and showcase event operators, Individual players
Company/product description: GameSense Sports uses sport-specific brain training games to measure and improve the split-second decisions and reactions of athletes. Their technology teaches essential, but under-trained, cognitive skills like pitch recognition (Baseball and Fastpitch Softball) and serve/groundstroke recognition (Tennis) that no one is born with. GameSense rapidly improves performance and creates an unfair advantage with fun games and drills that can be done right on your phone.
30.RUN EDGE
Founded: 2018
HQ: Tokyo (Japan)
Amount money raised: TBD
Website: https://eu.run-edge.com/
Total employees: 12
Customers / partners: 11 or 12 Japanese pro baseball teams, 7 MLB teams
Company/product description: A video search & analysis software company, RUN.EDGE strives to change how we communicate within sports. With their simplified UI and cloud-based storage, they want sport coaches and players to communicate using data & specific game footages on one platform.
Prism Neuro
Founded: 2020
HQ: Canberra (Australia)
Website: https://www.prismneuro.com/
Customers / partners: Pro teams, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Australian Institute of Sport
Company/product description: Prism Neuro is an early stage start-up focused on solutions to measure and improve human movement control - offering assessment of proprioception, visual, and vestibular systems. Their technology has applications in sport for identifying talent and monitoring recovery; in space for studying and preventing the loss of motor control that comes from exposure to microgravity; and in health where ageing, injury and disease can all have negative impacts on the movement control system.
Here is the interview that we did with Gordon Waddington, Australian Institute of Sport/University of Canberra Professor of Sports Medicine Research and Co-founder, Prism Neuro; and Elizabeth McGrath who is CEO & Co founder of Prism Neuro.
32.SurePeople
Founded: 2015
HQ: Rosemont, IL (USA)
Amount money raised: TBD
Website: https://www.surepeople.com/
Total employees: 42
Customers / partners: MLB, NCAA teams
Company/product description: Founded in 2015, SurePeople is a technology innovator dedicated to unlocking human potential. They are committed to delivering positive, measurable outcomes for all stakeholders – their valued team members, customers, partners, and investors – by operating through our values and standing true to our mission: To make people sure of themselves and organizations sure of their people.
At the heart of their patented technology is the Prism® psychometric algorithm, revealing 54 traits and attributes across Personality (Primary & Under Pressure), Processing, Decision Making, Conflict Management, Motivation, and Fundamental Needs. Grounded in three decades of psychometric research and enhanced by advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), Prism® provides profound insights into human behavior and psychology.
One of SurePeople products is called SureAthlete, which provides athletic department staff & coaches with tools to improve talent evaluation, onboarding, conflict resolution, meeting preparation.
Here is the interview that we did with Sean Flynn, President, Sports & Education at SurePeople, a leading behavioral and psychometric analytics platform.
33.1080 Motion
Founded: 2013
HQ: Lidingö (Sweden)
Amount money raised: TBD
Website: https://1080motion.com/
Total employees: TBD
Customers / partners: 1080 Motion products are currently being used by hundreds of pro teams (NHL, NBA, NFL, NCAA, Premier League, Bundesliga) as well as universities, federations, Olympic facilities, and high performance centers. They currently have about 900 machines all over the world.
Company/product description: Founded in 2013, 1080 Motion is recognized as the world leader in professional grade digital motorized strength training equipment. The intelligence in their solutions resides in the software and algorithms designed to control the electrical engines that are used in their different machines, specifically the 1080 Sprint, Quantum and Cable. Both are used to analyze and train the physical factors that determine performance. As pioneers in their field, they are pushing the boundaries of not only the development of athletic performance, but also testing and rehabilitation. Their development efforts are always focused on bringing professional users the best and most efficient ways of helping athletes and patients.
Essentially, their products function as follows: the computer controlled electrical engine is connected to a drum with a line. Based on the type of machine different movements such as sprinting, change of direction, squats, jumps, pushes and pulls can be performed. Since the electrical engine is controlled by a computer loads and speeds in the different phases of the movement can be controlled as well how the resistance behaves.
Their unique and highly effective resistance type that is widely used by teams in both rehabilitation interventions, the return to play process as well as strength training, is isokinetic resistance. With a slow speed setting, nearly any type of movement can be trained isokinetically. What makes isokinetic resistance unique is the machine controlled speed and matching force provided by the athlete. This makes it very safe as no large external load is required for high force outputs.
1080 Motion recently introduced a new product: The Sprint 2, which is a battery operated, portable machine with a built-in screen that teams, athletes and coaches can easily travel with the device.
Picture: 1080 Motion’s Sprint 2
Here is a video explaining how the 1080 Motion Sprint 2 works:
Listen to our podcast interview with Anna-Carin Månsson, CEO, and Ola Eriksrud, co-Founder at 1080 Motion, by clicking on the link below:
NeuFit
Founded: 2019
HQ: Austin, TX (USA)
Amount money raised: TBD
Website: https://www.neu.fit
Total employees: TBD
Customers / partners: 315+ practices & clinics, and by 2,200+ certified practitioners, 13+ universities (NCAA), and 17+ Pro teams (MLB, MLS, NHL, NBA, NFL..).
Company/product description: Founded in 2009, NeuFit is a leading provider of direct current (DC) therapy equipment, helping people rehabilitate and recover through advanced electrical stimulation therapy. Founded in 2017 by CEO Garrett Salpeter the company has also assisted physical therapists, chiropractors, and other professionals in growing their businesses by offering the benefits of the NeuFit system.
Picture: Neufit’s Neubie
Here is a video explaining what the NeuFit method is:
Neufit’s Neubie is currently being used in 315+ practices & clinics, and by 2,200+ certified practitioners, 13+ universities (NCAA), and 17+ Pro teams (MLB, MLS, NHL, NBA, NFL..).
The Neubie is also been used by top athletes such as Mike Tyson (Heavyweight champion), Saquon Barkley (NFL) and John Isner (Pro tennis player).
Here is the interview that we did with Garrett Salpeter, founder and CEO of NeuFit, known for the Neubie device, a direct current device used by many pro teams, universities and private clinics around the world.
Bottom line: Overall we thought that the level of excitement towards innovation and emerging technologies at the 2023 MLB meetings and tech expos was great. All the MLB teams were there. It was great catching up with MLB teams and vendors. MLB teams are still very much focused on key areas like load management, injury reduction, recovery, mental health, sleep improvement, and are looking for emerging technologies that can help them improve those areas. Now pro baseball remains a traditional sport so any technologies needs to fit into the workflow and specificities of pro baseball.
From a tech standpoint there is a growing interest from MLB teams towards areas such as smart textiles, biomechanics, computer vision apps, cognitive training systems and advanced wearables and biomarkers. We are personally excited about what’s ahead in the world of pro baseball and how technologies can help MLB teams optimize performance training, recovery, mental preparation and help reduce injury over time.
As always, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me.
Best,
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