Sports data firm Boom-Time gains Innovate UK grant to advance live sports monitoring
Surrey-based Boom-Time has been awarded an Innovate UK grant to develop an adventure sports computer.
The computer will focus on measuring the height of jumps as well as integrating into a new ‘live stream’ competition timing system to improve data collected in sports such as mountain biking, kite surfing and snowboarding.
Boom-Time have already created a proof of concept, built by the University of Bristol and validated by the National Physical Laboratory. It is now seeking seed funding to build its first prototype mountain bike computer.
David Bacon, founder and CEO of Boom-Time, said: “With so many of my peers complaining about poor data, I thought it was worth exploring if I could do something better, and after a couple of years of testing sensors we have found no reason to stop.
“The Innovate UK grant award is another validation, which has now moved the focus from kite surfing to mountain biking. Our jump measurement solution has potential to cross into several adventure sports.
“We are looking to disrupt the mountain bike computer market, as we focus on gravity influenced activities, creating a new niche currently with unmet needs. With the competition timing system, we offer something radically different to existing providers.
“Our medium-term goal is to transfer the technologies into other adventure sports including kite surfing and snow sports, anything that has a strong jumping component.”
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Boom-Time are targeting two main types of customer: the competition-focused downhill, endurance and freestyle rider, and the amateur social rider looking to add a competitive element to their rides with friends.
The new computer will provide data on jumping which is not currently available, and other standard metrics such as speed and distance. While there is a wealth of equipment available to measure racing metrics, but air-time, as it slows down riders, is given far less attention.
As well as providing insights into this previously ignored area, Boom-Time are investigating the creation of new sensors able to provide better data in other overlooked areas, such as suspension set up.
Boom-Time want to integrate their computer into a ‘live stream’ competition timing system, which would allow race teams, audiences and broadcasters to see live data of a rider’s performance.
The company is now looking to match-fund the grant and is keen to collaborate further with mentors from business incubator SETsquared and angel investors who are looking to invest and take advantage of the tax breaks associated with the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS).
David added: “The aims for Boom-Time over the next year are very simple: immediately and quickly secure private funding to allow access to the Innovate UK grant by end of September, build and validate a prototype computer, and prepare ourselves for the next round of fund raising, including further grant applications.”
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Featured image credit: Pexels/Pixabay
