Since the onset of the pandemic, the sports tech industry has witnessed a seismic shift, mostly fueled by many innovative and ambitious startups. From real-time athlete health and performance tracking to AI-based coaching, today’s sports tech is revolutionizing how people train, compete, and recover. Innovative startups merge the physical and digital realms, creating opportunities that were once unimaginable.

The world of sports technology is bursting with excitement — and for a good reason. Sports apps not only help athletes push the boundaries of endurance and performance but also encourage regular people to try their hand at sports and sometimes turn sports fans into semi-professional athletes.

Is Sports Tech About Software or Hardware?

Sports tech isn't just about software or hardware — it's a blend of both. It's the perfect fusion of cutting-edge hardware devices, like wearables and sensors, with sophisticated software solutions, such as AI-driven analytics and personalized training apps and games. It's a harmonious combination of digital and physical that's rewriting the rules of the game.

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in the Sports Industry

Artificial intelligence is quickly becoming a vital component of fitness and other sports. AI helps analyze data, create personalized training regimes, and predict injuries. It can provide data and actionable insights that were previously inaccessible in sports, transforming how athletes perform and recover.

Data Analysis

One prominent use of AI in the sports industry is data analysis. AI algorithms can sift through vast data sets, identify patterns, and provide previously inaccessible insights. For instance, PlaySight, is a sports tech startup that uses AI to provide detailed analytics to athletes and coaches. Its smart sports video platform can analyze performance in real time, offering valuable feedback that can improve technique and reduce the risk of injury.

Personalization

Personalization is another area where AI shines. By analyzing an individual's data, AI can create tailored training plans that cater to their specific needs and goals. A great example of this is Tonal, a smart home gym that uses AI to personalize strength training. The system learns from your workouts and adapts in real time, ensuring you're always challenged but not overwhelmed.

Personalization in sports tech is all about delivering a tailored, data-driven approach to training sessions with a strong focus on improving performance and recovery. It ensures that athletes get the right workout, advice, and recovery strategies at the right time, helping them to train smarter, not harder. This level of personalization was unimaginable a few years ago, but thanks to advances in AI and data analysis, it's becoming the new standard in sports tech.

Predictive Analysis

Predictive analysis, a subset of AI, is also helping to prevent sports injuries. Some sports tech apps, combined with wearable tech, use AI and machine learning to predict and prevent overexertion. By analyzing past sports performance and training data, such systems can flag potential injury risks before they materialize, allowing for timely intervention and prevention.

Instant Feedback and Recommendations

Virtual reality, AI, and augmented reality combined with machine learning for real-time decision making is another innovation. Every millisecond counts in fast-paced sports and entertainment, and AI can provide instant feedback or recommendations to improve your results. Take Tempo, for example, an AI-powered home gym system. Its 3D sensors provide real-time feedback on form, allowing you to correct your movements immediately, leading to safer and more effective workouts.

What’s the Typical Business Model of a Sports Startup?

Startups need to understand the value of a sustainable business model. Many of them have wisely adopted a combination of hardware sales and subscription services, creating a sustainable revenue stream while providing ongoing value to their users.

In terms of funding, the startup examples above show some truly impressive figures. With VC backing, these startups have secured the resources necessary to innovate, develop, grow, and disrupt the sports tech industry. This level of investment is a clear indicator of the confidence investors have in the sector's potential.

The sports industry is teeming with innovation and potential. As these startups continue to push boundaries, we can expect to see a future where technology plays an increasingly integral role in how we approach sports and fitness.

Sports Tech Startups in Leisure and Professional Sports

When you open an online marketplace, you'll see there is an app for every kind of sport — they are as diverse as the sports world itself and cater to different needs. There is something for everyone, from amateur joggers or young athletes seeking to shave a few seconds off of their personal bests to professional coaches and those aiming for Olympic gold.

Here’s our list of the ten most innovative companies to watch.

1. Tempo

First up, Tempo, an AI-powered home gym system. Its 3D sensors provide feedback on form, ensuring workouts and sports events are safer and more effective. This real-time feedback is changing home fitness. It's like having a personal trainer right there with you, correcting your form and preventing potential injuries. Tempo's AI goes a step further by adapting workouts in real-time, increasing or decreasing the difficulty based on how you're performing. It learns from each workout, tailoring future sessions to your evolving strength and endurance levels.

Tempo's business model is two-fold. First, there's the hardware sale, the Tempo Studio, which is a one-time purchase. Then, there's a monthly subscription that gives you access to live and on-demand classes across a range of disciplines, from weightlifting and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to mobility and recovery sessions.

When it comes to funding, Tempo has attracted significant investor interest and secured backing from prominent venture capital firms like Founders Fund and Norwest Venture Partners. It's an impressive feat, reflecting the faith investors have in Tempo's vision for AI-powered home fitness.

• Funding: $298.8 million.

• Users: The exact number of users is not clear, but Tempo reported that their users have collectively performed 5 million workouts​​.

• Financing: VC.

• Based in: San Francisco, California.

In essence, Tempo is upending the home fitness landscape. By blending advanced hardware with sophisticated AI, they're delivering personalized, interactive experiences right into people's living rooms. For anyone interested in the intersection of fitness, tech, and AI, Tempo is undoubtedly a startup to watch.

2. Tonal

Next, we have Tonal, a smart home gym that uses AI to personalize strength training without the need to commute to sports facilities. Tonal's revenue comes from the hardware sale and a monthly subscription fee for access to on-demand workouts.

Tonal employs AI to deliver personalized strength training. It analyzes data from each workout, learning an individual's capabilities and how they're improving over time. Using this information, Tonal adjusts the weight, sets, and reps in real time, ensuring workouts are always optimally challenging.

• Funding: Tonal has raised $580 million to date — that's what I call a home run!

• Users: 1.2 million.

• Financing: VC.

• Based in: San Francisco, California.

3. Supersapiens

Supersapiens, a MasterBorn client, was Founded in 2020 and is based in Atlanta, Supersapiens has rapidly emerged as a groundbreaking startup in the sports tech arena. Its revolutionary offering hinges on a simple premise — to provide up-to-the-minute glucose visibility for endurance athletes.

Powered by Abbott’s Libre Sense Glucose Sport Biosensor, Supersapiens gives real-time glucose visibility by using biosensor packs, which you attach to your body. They also offer a subscription service for those who want continuous access to their data and in-depth analysis. This blend of hardware sales and subscription services creates a consistent revenue stream for the company.

With impressive VC funding from backers like Playground Global, Supersapiens is on a roll!

• Funding: Supersapiens has raised a total of $13.5 million in funding over two rounds

• Financing: VC.

• Based in: Atlanta, Georgia.

But it's not just about the technology or the business model. Supersapiens is also about fostering a community. The company uses its online platform to both boost performance and fan engagement, share success stories, offer advice as well as develop an online network of athletes and sports stars who use the app to achieve their performance goals.

4. Whoop

Next on the list is Whoop, a fitness wearable company providing advanced metrics to boost athlete performance. The business model is based on a subscription service giving access to the wearable and data analytics.

WHOOP provides personalized recovery, sleep, and strain scores. By analyzing data on heart rate variability, resting heart rate and sleep, it can suggest when a person preparing for sporting events should push harder or take a rest day, helping to prevent injury.

• Funding: Whoop has raised a total of $404.8 million in funding over nine rounds. Whoop is making some serious waves!

• Financing: VC.

• Based in: Boston, Massachusetts.

5. Zygo

Diving into a unique niche, we find Zygo, creators of the first underwater streaming audio player. ZYGO's solution is not just about hardware, it's a complete system for aquatic fitness. The headset, coupled with the ZYGO app, offers guided workouts, swimming lessons and even music and podcasts. This means swimmers can stay entertained, motivated, and informed, even when submerged.

One of the unique aspects of ZYGO is its commitment to accessibility. The company understands that learning to swim is a life-saving skill, and through its app, it offers swimming lessons for all skill levels. This commitment extends to their partnerships as well, working with swim schools and instructors to reach more people.

ZYGO’s business model revolves around selling the ZYGO Solo, which includes a wireless headset, a transmitter, and a pair of goggles. They also offer premium content on their app, available via subscription, providing a steady revenue stream from both hardware sales and ongoing subscription fees.

• Funding: Zygo has raised a total of $4 million in funding over three rounds. Their latest funding was raised on 14 March, 2022, from a seed round​​, when they raised $2.5 million. Prior to that, they also had a product crowdfunding round in March 2019, where they raised $141 thousand​.

• Based in: Los Angeles, California.

While it may not be as high as some other tech startups on the list, it's still an impressive feat for such a niche product. It demonstrates the belief investors have in the potential of ZYGO's innovative solution.

6. PlaySight

With AI at its core, PlaySight offers a smart sports video platform. The company's revenue is driven by the sales of its hardware and a subscription service for their high-tech software platform. PlaySight's business model is a mix of hardware sales and subscription services. The SmartCourt systems are sold and installed at sports venues, while the detailed analytics and video content are available through a subscription service on the PlaySight platform.

In terms of funding, PlaySight has attracted a significant amount of venture capital.

• Funding: PlaySight has raised a total funding of $15 million over five rounds. Slinger, known for its tennis ball launcher, acquired PlaySight in 2021 in a deal valued at $82 million.

• Financing: VC. PlaySight has eight institutional investors, including NAVER, Verizon Ventures, and D5 Capital.

• Based in: Tel Aviv, Israel and Creskill, New Jersey.

7. HomeCourt

Next up is HomeCourt, an AI basketball training app. The startup has cleverly monetized its service by offering a freemium model with a premium subscription for more advanced features.

HomeCourt offers personalized training drills based on the player's skill level and progress. Its AI system analyzes the player's performance, and the app suggests tailored workouts to improve specific skills, making each training session more effective.

• Funding: HomeCourt has raised $42 million to date. HomeCourt closed its last funding round on 21 September, 2021 from a Series B round.

• User base: HomeCourt is used by players in more than 170 countries worldwide and has tracked more than 45 million shots and 70 million dribbles

• Financing: VC.

• Based in: San Francisco, California.

8. FightCamp

Stepping into the ring is FightCamp, a connected home boxing gym for home-grown fighters and mixed martial artists. The company's revenue stems from the sale of its hardware and a monthly subscription for classes.

FightCamp operates on a hybrid business model. The hardware — the home boxing gym — is a one-time purchase, while access to the workout content on the app requires a monthly subscription. This provides FightCamp with both direct sale revenue and recurring subscription revenue.

As for funding, FightCamp has raised nearly $100 million, which is a testament to their unique blend of physical fitness and interactive technology.

• Funding: FightCamp has raised $98.5 million, and closed its last funding round on 30 June, 2021 from a Series B round.

• Financing: VC.

• Based in: Costa Mesa, California.

9. Halo Neuroscience

Creator of a neurostimulation wearable device designed to accelerate muscle memory development is Halo Neuroscience. Their revenue primarily comes from the sales of their hardware.

• Funding: Halo Neuroscience has raised $24.7 million, with the last funding round on 30 April, 2018. Brilliant work!

• Financing: VC.

• Based in: San Francisco, California.

10. GFR: Gran Fondo Rank

Gran Fondo Rank is a platform that connects non-professional cyclists from all around the world, allowing them to compare race results and compete with each other. The startup was founded by MasterBorn CEO Gray Skinner. Skinner, a competitive cyclist himself, was inspired by the popularity of Gran Fondo races in Europe after moving to Chamonix, France.

As a genuine fan and participant of Gran Fondo events, I found myself curious about who the best Gran Fondo and gravel riders were in the world. What started out as a spur-of-the-moment brainstorm (over coffee with our Head of Design, Dominik), led to the heart of Gran Fondo Ranking and the GFR score, which compares each rider’s performance with the “SuperHuman Standard,” the best possible time an amateur or professional cyclist could perform. I am so proud that my team took this wild idea of mine and quickly turned it into something that’s bringing value to cyclists all over the world. — Gray Skinner, CEO

There you have it, ten startups pushing boundaries, blurring the lines between the physical and digital, and giving us a glimpse into the future of sports. They're not just creating products — they're changing how we approach fitness and sports. These startups are embracing a future where software and hardware coexist, where AI plays an integral role, and where active people at all levels benefit from their innovations.

But... Is Sports Tech Just For Startups?

Sports tech is not all about startups. The industry is bustling with exciting innovation, but there are also some established players who’ve blazed the trail and shown how it’s done. While some of these companies can’t be called new or startups, their continued innovation and growth in the sector make them worth watching.

Honorable Mentions: Big Players

Here are a few honorable mentions of companies that have been leading the charge in reshaping the future of sports tech.

Strava

While not technically a startup anymore, Strava deserves a nod for its continued innovation. This social network for sports enthusiasts and pros has truly revolutionized the way we share and compare our fitness journeys. With a freemium model, Strava boasts over 50 million users and has raised a total of $151.9 million in funding over seven rounds. Their latest funding was raised on 17 November, 2020 from a Series F round. Keep going strong, Strava!

Stryd

Stryd offers a power meter for running, a novel approach to optimizing performance. Their business model is based on hardware sales, and they've raised $730 thousand with its last funding round on 5 December, 2016.

Zwift

Gamification is a powerful motivator and Zwift has applied that to a multiplayer exercise platform. The app allows users to run or cycle to both train and compete with others in a virtual world. Founded in 2014, the sports tech platform has since gained an avid following including Mark Zuckerberg. The platform has hosted a number of high-profile virtual races including a virtual Tour de France in July 2020. A combination of hardware sales and subscriptions supports the business. Zwift raised $450 million in 2020 in the midst of COVID-19 lockdowns, which helped bolster the company’s core development.

Summary

The ten startups we've highlighted, and the honorable mentions, are a testament to the rich diversity in the sports technology landscape. From real-time glucose monitoring with Super Sapiens to the AI-driven video analytics of PlaySight or entertainment apps, these startups are pushing the limits of what's possible.

It's worth noting the crucial role that both software and hardware play in this evolution. These startups have mastered the art of blending sophisticated hardware with advanced software solutions, resulting in products and services that are changing the way we approach sports and fitness. They've harnessed the power of AI, transforming enormous amounts of real-time data into personalized, actionable insights for athletes of all levels.