Smart sportswear for performance & recovery optimization with Skinetix

9th Dec 2024

Get to know Skinetix, the latest addition to the SportUp Start startups. Skinetix is a data platform that uses sensors in sportswear to link measurement data to a personalized AI model.

We asked founders Joris and Kevin a few questions about their startup, their journey so far and their ambitions for the future.

1. What does Skinetix do and why?

Skinetix is an innovative spin-off of imec and VUB that develops smart sportswear with integrated sensors to help athletes optimize their performance and track recovery after injury. Using a personalized model, Skinetix can provide detailed insights into muscle activity and movement. Our technology measures not only skeletal movement but also the activity of individual muscles, directly on the field. This data enables coaches, sports physicians, and physiotherapists to tailor training and rehabilitation programs more precisely to the needs of each athlete. In this way, we aim to better track risk of injuries, evaluate return to perform after injury, and help athletes bring out the best in themselves.

2. What does your spinoff need, and how can imec.istart help you to take these next steps?

Skinetix was established with the support of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and imec. We initially validated our business plan through conversations with customers. As part of the imec.istart program, we will further refine this plan. Within the program, we will seek investors to help us launch our first product and generate revenue, and we will find the right people to build our team.

3. What are some challenges you came across so far?

Our biggest challenge so far has been the unforgiving reality our initial prototypes face in real-world conditions. As a hardware company, we build our prototypes in-house. Since our sensorized clothing is designed for athletes, they use it just like their everyday gear. Despite our efforts to recreate real-world scenarios before field-testing, it's impossible to anticipate every critical factor. For instance, we designed our prototype to be water-resistant, but during the first test, the athlete's excessive sweating caused a short circuit and the electronics failed—as if they had gone swimming. This experience taught us the importance of introducing our prototypes into real-world environments sooner. It's better to fail fast than to fail later.

4. What are Skinetix’s plans for the future?

In the short term, we will advance our prototype development to be market-ready by early 2026. Our initial target market comprises professional athletes suffering from hamstring or ACL injuries, primarily in football—a significant market in Europe. Shortly thereafter, we plan to expand into the U.S. market, where many sports like basketball, American football, and baseball could benefit from our technology.

In the long term, we aim to extend our reach beyond professional athletes to include the broader community of recreational athletes.

5. Which impact do you hope to achieve for sports and society?

At Skinetix, we aim to democratize access to complex and expensive biomechanical models, providing new on-field insights. By offering personalized biomechanical modelling, we are enabling revolutionary tools that elevate sports medicine to new heights. Our technological innovations make real-time, on-field measurements possible, opening up new possibilities for personalized care. We aspire to extend our impact beyond sports, using our technology to assist people with musculoskeletal disorders or occupational injuries.

Are you curious to find out more about Skinetix? Visit their website or contact us so we can put you in touch!