As it turns out, there were winners in each of the three categories at the 1st and Future competition presented by The Texas Medical Center and the NFL in Houston. The Mobile Virtual Player won the Training the Athlete category. The MVP effort was rewarded with a $50,000 prize as well as two seats to tonight's Super Bowl.
The winners (from an NFL release) were:
Training the Athlete: Mobile Virtual Player, a company that designs, markets and distributes 'virtual players' -- motorized tackling dummies -- that reduce the risk of getting injured while tackling during practice.
Communicating with the Athlete: GoRoute a startup that created on-field wearable technology to enhance communication and allow players to receive digital play diagrams, promoting quicker learning and practicing techniques.
Materials to Protect the Athlete: Windpact, a startup, led by former NFL cornerback Shawn Springs, that developed a padding system designed to absorb and disperse impact energy to improve the performance of helmets and other protective gear.The Houston Chronicle covered the event HERE.
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Coincidentally, the Manchester Union Leader business section features a story about the Upper Valley turning into a breeding ground for sports technology. The story covers the MVP, the Riddell InSite Impact Response System being developed by Simbex in Lebanon and tested for several years by Dartmouth football (website), and Insight Replay of Hanover (website), which evolved from a night at Thompson Arena.
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Enjoy the Super Bowl!
