New technology from startup ventures is transforming the sports industry. The mission of this series will be to introduce startup companies in the sports technology space to a broader audience and allow Founders of promising new ventures to tell their story. Feel free to contact us if you know of a startup that should be considered for this series.
Company: Heimdall Protective Tech
CEO: John Wood
Headquarters: Staffordshire, UK
1. Elevator pitch
Heimdall creates unique shock absorbing solutions for helmets, body armour, and footwear, using our patented innovative technology MASS.
2. Problem and Solution
Helmet and body armour construction are the current hot topics in sport; the delivery of a functional yet wearable product in many impact sports is a key driver. MASS is designed to control the forces of impact, compressing in stages to absorb shock, and to control the rate of return.
In helmets, MASS works with your head to decelerate the movement, reducing the amount your brain moves and subsequently trying to reduce the rate of injury. MASS then “ups the ante” by being truly multiple shot. This solution can work across the whole range of sports, not just one or two sports.
In footwear, the issue of wear rates against weight of shoe is a thorny one; MASS provides a true shock absorbing system which will have very little drop off in performance over the life of the shoe. Therefore athletes get a tailored energy return through the reformation of the structure, whilst the footwear still remains lightweight. Our 3D prototype shoe is constructed with MASS and is ready to go.
In both helmets and footwear, MASS reforms after impact, with no significant loss of performance, to keep you protected, and performing at your best, hit after hit, mile after mile. MASS is designed to be relentless.
It’s no secret that athletes in impact sports need better protection. Impact protection needs to be smarter, to work with the body, to protect, without compromising on performance.
Most head injuries are caused by the brain hitting the inside of the skull. By decelerating the force of impact, we can reduce the transmitted force to the head and subsequently the brain, and give the brain more time to slow down. The structure of MASS is designed specifically to do this, and we alter the hardness of the materials within the design to provide the level of resistance needed for each application. Because the combination of shape and material work so well together, we can deliver better impact absorption, without increasing the size of your kit and create a bespoke solution for individual sports and potentially athletes themselves.
MASS is designed for relentless athletes, who push their kit to the limits, and perhaps don’t replace their kit as frequently as they should. While traditional kit needs replacing after every drop, or knock, and shoes lose performance over time, MASS reforms after impact, small or big, to 95% of its original strength, and maintains this throughout its lifetime, keeping that top level performance.
3. Market: your target market and your overall market
MASS will initially be launching in the Cricket and Equestrian markets, in cricket helmets and half-pads for horses. The Cricket helmet will launch simultaneously in the UK and Australia in March this year.
MASS is adaptable. Going forward, we can fit it to Football and Hockey helmets, motorcycle body armour, running shoes, golf shoes and walking boots.
We target innovative brands in impact sports, those who develop protective equipment that is both groundbreaking and unconventional. These are the buccaneers of sport, those willing to take a chance and challenge traditional product development.
The same approach is taken into other markets, where the challenge is to find similar brands in running, cross-training, baseball, golf, walking and skiing. Focusing is critical for Heimdall, and finding key players in each of these markets is central to our strategy.
4. Business Model
We work in collaboration with brands, to apply MASS to the unique challenges of their fields. We offer a complete solution, providing MASS through a licensing structure, and bespoking products if the customer desires it, such as 3D prototyping of the shoe mid-sole.
In a similar approach to software there is a license and development fee. This can lead to sharing IP in some cases, which can further cement relationships, or provide another source of income.
5. The Management Team:
John Wood: CEO and Founder
Derek Benton: CFO and Director
David Mellor: Director
Alice Fleetwood: Marketing Executive
6. What else would you like the audience to know?
We have recently been shortlisted for an award at the Sports Technology Awards in the kit or apparel technology category, for our MASS technology, which we are very excited about.
Our biggest challenge is to find an American brand willing to take MASS into their product range, not just as a chance, but to really hang their hat on it. We’re looking for a brand willing to challenge convention in all of the North American sports, through helmet design, or developing footwear that can take a true pounding, working with us to create the next generation of sports equipment.
Everyone, from the elite athletes, to kids starting out, deserve the best protection possible, and that is what we try to deliver. We don’t want people to stop playing the sports they love, we want to protect them better, so they can go out and keep pushing the boundaries, like they always have and always will.
Bonus Questions:
If you were to invite any CEO for dinner, who would it be and why?
Can I have 3 just in case? Roger Goodell from the NFL so we could talk about helmets, Kevin Plank from Under Amour as he seems to know Roger and may have a good idea on how protective armour should go for the next decade, and not quite a CEO but more of a President and that’s Obama as I could show him that one day football will be safer for kids to play.
If you could go to any sporting event, what would it be?
The World Cup Final (soccer), preferably back in time to 1966 so I can see England win something.
If you were stuck on a desert island with any 3 athletes, who would they be and why?
Von MIller – that man could tackle anything
Billy Beane – that man could think his way out of anything
Wilson – seems like pretty good company, if it works for Tom Hanks it could work for us.