leAD Lake Nona Sports & Health Tech Accelerator Announces Third Cohort
From blockchain based fan engagement solutions to non-invasive biomarker monitoring technology; fewer than 1% of applicants were selected for the third Lake Nona cohort
Orlando, FL (May 26, 2022) – The leAD Lake Nona Sports & Health Tech Accelerator announced today it has selected six promising sports and health tech startups from around the world for its 2022 cohort. The leAD Lake Nona Sports & Health Tech Accelerator is a joint venture between leAD Sports & Health Tech Partners, the leading sports and health tech investment platform, and Lake Nona, an innovative living lab community in Orlando, Florida. Of the 617 applications submitted for the third cohort, fewer than 1% of applicants were accepted to the program.
“At leAD, we put the startup founders at the heart of everything we do and this group of entrepreneurs advances and reaffirms our mission – to revolutionize the sports and health technology space through game changing innovation,“ said Christoph Sonnen, leAD Co-Founder & CEO, Partner at ADvantage Sports Tech Fund. “The diverse companies in this cohort address complex problems that both the sports and health industries are facing by providing transformative solutions. I look forward to seeing the evolution of not only these startups, but also the entrepreneurs as they grow from this experience.”
The virtual phase of the program, which lasts one month, kicked off in mid-April 2022. The selected startups are now on-site in Lake Nona where they are able to take full advantage of the community’s booming innovation ecosystem until mid-September when they will showcase their progress at Demo Day.
“The leAD family ecosystem that’s been created here in Lake Nona is a dream for any startup in the sports and health tech industry,” said Ray Kelly, Founder & CEO of TERSA and member of the first leAD Lake Nona Accelerator cohort. “Since joining, it has been TERSA’s greatest inflection point in growth and success for both our immediate short-term needs, as well as our long-term goals. The community, resources and belief shown by leAD, Lake Nona and Tavistock networks has been a true game changer.”
Alongside TERSA, startups from the previous two leAD Lake Nona Sports & Health Tech Accelerator cohorts have raised more than $20 million in funding following the completion of the program.
Of the 617 applicants for this year’s program, the health and well-being vertical was the most popular vertical and accounted for 39% of the solutions submitted. Solutions targeting connected athletes accounted for 33% of all applications. Solutions targeting the fan engagement vertical accounted for 28% of all applications. In terms of geography, applicants were primarily based in three regions: 56% in North America, 39% in Europe and 9% in Asia.
Encore from New York City, New York
Encore is leveraging blockchain technology to build decentralized loyalty programs so that teams can more effectively engage fans, increase revenues, and create new ways to monetize. Encore creates digital assets that fans control and use to unlock unique experiences, discounts, and rewards. By leveraging how teams already connect with their fans, Encore is able to update or extend any existing fan engagement systems.
Gemini Sports Analytics from Miami, Florida
Gemini Sports Analytics helps sports teams win more games by using athlete data better. Their no-code predictive analytics platform helps non-technical executives better acquire, develop, and manage their athletes.
Icaro from Orlando, Florida
Icaro utilizes the power of light technology to increase blood flow, stimulate the mitochondria in cells, and increase the production of nitric oxide involved in vasodilation. This results in numerous health and wellness applications from post-workout recovery to increasing cognitive function.
SM24 from Scottsdale, Arizona
A stick it and forget it wearable patch with a user friendly app that provides non-invasive, immediate and continuous glucose monitoring. Launching with glucose, the SM24 GO ecosystem has the power to also measure lactate, stress, and hydration.
Soarce from Orlando, Florida
Sustainable athletic wear that’s better than conventional fibers. Soarce is re-engineering algae into a heat-managing & low-carbon alternative to synthetic plastics used to make activewear today. The material is designed to resist fires and optimize thermal comfort for outdoor, motorsport, or everyday athletes while avoiding toxic treatments.
Wavy from Groningen, Netherlands
A personalized AI health assistant that utilizes continuous biofeedback monitoring and music to lower your stress levels. The Wavy assistant collects data from your wearables to track BPM, HRV, ECG, and provides music recommendations to destress your body, along with sharing your data with medical professionals.
The leAD Lake Nona space
The on-site leAD Lake Nona program is located within the 16,000-square-foot Pixon MS2 innovation space in the heart of Lake Nona Town Center – the community’s open-air regional entertainment district. The leAD Lake Nona space is in one of the fastest-growing and most innovative communities in America, surrounded by some of the nation’s top hospitals, universities, research institutions, and health and life science companies; the world class Lake Nona Performance Club; the USTA National Campus; and WHIT (Wellness Home built on Innovation and Technology). Wired with gigabit infrastructure and access to a high-speed 5G network, the Pixon MS2 space provides a vibrant environment lined with art and complete with co-working spaces, conference rooms, and common areas to allow participants to conceive, test, and implement their ideas.
For more information about the program, visit www.leadsports.com/academy/lake-nona.