Today many many startups look to crowdfunding as a source of financing. According to Score.org, a nonprofit organization which mentors small businesses, crowdfunding has increased 18-fold since 2009 and now tops $10 billion. The fitness industry is no exception. Below are five successfully funded crowdfunding campaigns for fitness wearables.
LEO: Fitness Intelligence
One of the most interesting campaigns was for LEO: Fitness Intelligence, a device that optimizes an athlete's workout and reduces risk of injury. The makers of LEO partnered with MaRSDD and MaRS Innovation and raised $143,709 on Indiegogo, surpassing their goal of $50,000 by 287%. The creators of LEO claim it is the "only wearable with true fitness intelligence. Leo sees more than any personal trainer, sensing the signals deep inside your muscles, counting every heartbeat, knowing when you should take a drink, or a break."
More info about LEO is available at leohelps.com.
TITIN
According to their website, TITIN is the world's only weighted compression gear for athletes. TITIN differs from traditional weighted training gear which are can cause discomfort, hamper movement, and cause injuries. TITIN is designed to maintain your comfort, mobility, and range of motion.
Last August, creator of TITIN, Patrick Whaley launched a Kickstarter campaign for TITIN Weighted Compression Shorts and was able to raise over $117,000. Professional athletes from the the NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, and MLS have all purchased TITIN.
People can buy TITIN compression gear at titintech.com and at Dick's Sporting Goods stores.
FreeWavz
Described as smart earphones with built-in fitness monitoring and fitness tracking, FreeWavz aims to "change the way the world thinks about earphones, and about the relationship between music and fitness." Last August, FreeWavz raised over $325,000 on Kickstarter and have since launched on Fundable.
Our totally cordless, Bluetooth-connected smart earphones come with built-in heart rate monitoring and fitness tracking capabilities, so you you can rock out to your favorite inspirational tunes, get real-time motivational fitness feedback, and explore the world around you at the same time.
The FreeWavz wire-free smart earphones with built-in heart rate and fitness monitoring are available to pre-order for $219 on the company's website: freewavz.com.
Moov
Moov, which according to Gizmodo, "might be the most advanced fitness wearable yet," is a personal fitness coach which offers real-time feedback, helping users improve performance and prevent injuries. Moov was able to eclipse its $40,000 crowdfunding goal in just 90 minutes. The company went on to raise about $1 million, making it the most successful fitness crowdfunding campaign in history.
Moov can be purchased on the company's website for just $89: moov.cc.
Jolt Sensor
The Jolt Sensor is one wearable that many parents will definitely want to check out. With the Jolt Sensor, parents and coaches can track and evaluate their children's head injuries in real-time.
In a video on their Kickstarter project page, Ben Harvatine, Jolt's co-founder discusses how a concussion he suffered while wrestling motivated him to create the Jolt Sensor.
In 31 days, the creators of the Jolt Sensor raised over $60,000 on Kickstarter, surpassing their crowdfunding goal. People can pre-order the Jolt Sensor for only $99 at joltsensor.com.
For those who can't get enough of fitness wearables, below are eight more which successfully crowdfunded.