Auckland’s growing culture of innovation coupled with our love of sports is giving rise to a new high growth opportunity for the region. Innovation in sport performance is proving to be an area where New Zealand companies are making their mark.
Circuband, who pitched at the sport forum showcase held in Auckland in April, are making a strong sales push in the United States with its high-tech resistance training band that builds muscles anywhere. Established by brothers Daniel and Nick Thomson three years ago the company, with the help of Callaghan Innovation scientists, has developed a lightweight, portable band equipped with a NASA-calibre sensor, called MyoTracker, which accurately measures the effectiveness and progress of training programmes.
Co-founder Daniel has based himself in the United States for the past three months promoting the new Circuband IQ to leading personal trainers and other potential customers.
"It’s changed their entire perspective of how to train people," Daniel said from Los Angeles. "They are saying it is a great teaching tool because it reminds people to complete the right movements in the correct way and get the best out of their training."
The MyoTracker sensor – that had input from Auckland-based StretchSense – will be on the market in 2018. Circuband is taking pre-orders for the sensor which is designed to be an optional attachment. Circuband already sells its resistance bands on Amazon and has shipped to more than 30 countries.
The MyoTracker sensor tracks the force applied, the degree of stretch of the muscles, the calories burnt and the repetitions for any exercise, and sends that data to a smartphone app to show muscle strength and progress towards fitness goals. The data can also be used for rehabilitation from injury.
The bands, which can be used in the gym, at home, at work, in the park, in fact anywhere, provide up to 60kg of resistive force per handle. By pushing against the bands, the users can develop long and lean muscle mass.
Connected technology has been used in aerobic workouts such as running and cycling, and Circuband decided it was time to introduce it to weightlifting and resistance training.
"The top-line technology puts us in good light on social media, and we are targeting the United States market because it has (personal training) influencers there with the biggest (customer) reach. I mean, some of these guys are world renowned and are training the megastars," said Daniel.
Circuband, based in Christchurch, is presently looking to raise funds or sign a partnership deal to assist in making a more permanent move into the US market.
"We have already had very promising meetings with some of the most famous (fitness) companies in the world like TRX and Equinox. We are attracting a lot of attention from the right people at the moment, and it’s really quite surreal," said Daniel.
Circuband participated in the Sport Performance Innovation Forum organised by Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) in April 2017. The forum, which was also supported by partners Callaghan Innovation and HPSNZ, discussed the latest advances and future commercial opportunities for the sport performance sector.