Fresh from a launch at CES 2020, NURVV, the biomechanics innovator using British science to disrupt the global wearables industry has announced it has closed its first venture funding round, led by Hiro Capital.
Hiro Capital – the new Sports technology, Games and Esports VC Fund led by Inspired Entertainment co-founder Luke Alvarez, Games Workshop co-founder Ian Livingstone CBE and Cherry Freeman, co-founder of LoveCrafts – has invested $9m in NURVV’s husband and wife team of serial entrepreneurs Jason and Ulrica Roberts.
Tested by hundreds of athletes, universities and leading institutions, the system uses 32 high-precision sensors fitted inside lightweight insoles to accurately capture data from the feet at 1,000 times per second, per sensor.
This data, which includes unique running metrics such as cadence, step length, footstrike, pronation and balance, is fed into the NURVV Run coaching app to show a complete picture of the wearer’s running technique.
It uses advanced biomechanics to deliver simple, actionable insights as well as personalised coaching that gives guidance on how to improve before, during and after each run.
Real-time prompts detailing step length, cadence and pace on critical splits also help keep runners on track to hit their goals.
“NURVV Run revolutionises how people run by accurately capturing the metrics that matter most, directly from the point of action at the foot, before using live coaching to help them improve in a simple, easy-to-understand way,” said Jason Roberts, founder and CEO of NURVV.
“From the very beginning of this journey we kept coming back to the same question: ‘Why is running measured from the wrist, when most of the important metrics happen at the feet?’,” added co-founder Ulrica Roberts.
“Driven by the idea we could revolutionise running by putting core biomechanical principles at the heart of our solution, we sought out the expertise to make it happen.”
Luke Alvarez, Managing Partner of Hiro, said: “Hiro is delighted to be investing in NURVV as our Fund’s fourth deal and our first Sports tech investment. NURVV’s success comes from putting the athlete’s body at the heart of everything they do. Nurvv is based on fundamental patented sensor technologies combined with deep biomechanics and data science that have revolutionary potential across sports, gaming, VR/AR and wellness.
“Jason and Ulrica are extraordinary entrepreneurs and we are excited to be working with them and their team to take NURVV to the next level.”
The money will be used to bring NURVV’s debut product, NURVV Run, to a global market; to fund further research and development into its patented biomechanics sensor technologies and to support the founders in achieving their aim of helping 10 million runners to improve their technique.