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: Bend Tech, LLC
Founder/CEO: Jules A. deGreef
Headquarters: Sandy, Utah
1. What is your elevator pitch?
Mettis Trainer offers athletes a pair of universal fit insoles with integrated ink based, single layer sensors and an interactive mobile app to deliver real-time feedback to runners on cadence, heel/toe strike, travel time and more. To golfers on balance, weight distribution, center of mass tracking. Gathering and transmitting data wirelessly from both feet to give athletes the best form, balance and power. All with your smart phone and a pair of embedded inserts for your shoes. Nothing to attach to your shoes or ankles and no hassle of carrying around a mat or plates.
2. Problem & Solution
The current generation of wearables; wrist wear, external clip-ons and single sided devices have done a great job providing an introductory wearable. They brought awareness and market demand to a wide range of users. However, the majority of these devices use estimation based sensors (accelerometers) or multi-layer construction sensors (FSRs) which have numerous environmental limitations or the athlete can only see the data post activity. In most applications the sensor is only measuring one side of the body and estimates the other, they provide a very limited amount of data and can be obtrusive for everyday use.
The development of new technology has allowed us to make a smarter product. We believe that the Mettis Trainer can be a leader in the next generation of wearable technology and can fill the gaps and shortcomings of the first generation devices by providing expandable accurate actual data from both feet. This will allow the athlete to monitor how each foot is performing when they need it most, throughout their activity. By providing the athletes their biofeedback in real time the user can identify a potentially bad habit and use the product to self-correct with continuing real time data feedback on their improvement. All of the first generation wearable data is useful but only if it’s available when the athlete needs it most.
The Mettis Trainer provides relevant real time data, biofeedback and physiological improvements to any athlete desiring advanced sensor technology in their shoes. Athletes will now have access to smarter data, wireless charging and embedded insoles.
Mettis Trainer is excited to be a part of the solution as the next generation of wearable technology and connected fitness.
3. Market – your target market and the overall market
The Mettis Trainer can be used for any sport that performance is related to balance, the percentage of pressure your feet absorb and weight distribution of your body. Mettis Trainer will initially be introduced to the running and golf markets. However, we have received an overwhelming amount of interest from various markets that are eager to apply their own industry needs to utilize the Mettis Trainer technology. Also, with an API solution we hope to gain additional interest from third party developers to enter all markets that could benefit from the Mettis Trainer technology.
4. Business Model – how do you make money?
Collaboration with existing shoe manufacturers and or retailers with existing distribution channels.
Licensing for each industry. Such as, running, golf, numerous sporting applications and even into the medical market.
5. Management Team
Jules A. deGreef – Founder
Monica Ulmer – Project Manager
Joe Harris – Electrical Engineer
Danielle deGreef – Social Media Director and Public Relations
6. What else do you want the audience to know about your venture?
Our design is intended to be as seamless as possible, both physically and technically for the athlete to incorporate into their lifestyle. The athlete can simply remove their existing insoles from any of their current shoes and replace them with the universal fit Mettis Trainer insoles, which conveniently auto calibrate. The thin, robust and fully contained hardware lay inside of each insole to provide independent parallel sources of data from both feet. The data is displayed by the Mettis Trainer app through a mobile device, iOS or Android. The data gathered populates three numbers per insole on the phone or smart device, this data is reported from the three key locations on the foot; the numbers represent the amount of weight as a percentage of force applied to those locations, always totaling 100% per foot as well as calculating the side to side (foot to foot) weight distribution.
The Mettis Trainer mobile app displays and reports from the insoles calculated metrics visually and audibly in real time.
In addition to the metrics, Mettis Trainer reports how the foot is functioning in any shoe; over-pronation, supination or heavy heel impact will be measured and alerted to the user in real time.
The lightweight insoles are weatherproof, wireless and unobtrusive to the athlete for easy use and a comfortable fit. The top layer of the insole is an anti-friction and moisture wicking fabric, while the base is a contoured polyurethane with arch support and heel cup.
Bonus question: If you were to invite any CEO to dinner who would it be and why?
Kevin Plank, the CEO of Under Armour – Would love to talk with him about his past success and possible ways the Mettis Trainer could help him with future market expansion.