This week Nike announced the 10 startups that would enter the first Nike+ Accelerator, which the digital sport company is offering in partnership with accelerator network TechStars.
As MobiHealthNews reported in December, Nike sought out startups that can leverage Nike+ technology and data to help people be more active. While Nike+ specifically calls its users “athletes”, the company also optimistically declares that “if you have a body, you’re an athlete”. The program will take place in downtown Portland, Oregon beginning this week until its Demo Day on June 13, 2013. Nike world headquarters is 10 miles away in Beaverton. Applications were due by February 3rd and selected companies were notified shortly after -- February 18th, 2013.
In a written statement Stefan Olander, Nike VP of Digital Sport, noted that the company "recently celebrated the first year of NikeFuel and the Accelerator program is a natural next step to broaden and enhance the Nike+ ecosystem – allowing Nike to offer richer experiences to athletes of all levels.”
Nike said that hundreds of companies applied to participate in the accelerator and already thousands have requested access to the Nike+ API. The 10 companies entering Nike's accelerator program are:
FitDeck: Digital decks of exercise playing cards that deliver ever-changing workouts for fitness and sports.
GoRecess: Helps users find, book and review fitness activities.
Chroma.io: An indie game studio that creates virtual worlds tied to real-world activity.
CoachBase: Provides a digital sports coaching platform.
GoFitCause: Leverages fitness data as a means of raising money for charities.
HighFive: Ad network for health and fitness apps that helps people achieve their goals by rewarding them along their journey.
Sprout At Work: Provider of corporate wellness solutions leveraging social and gamification tools to inspire employees and empower employers.
GeoPalz: An interactive gaming and rewards platform for kids and families.
Incomparable Things: Creates activity-driven fantasy sports leagues.
RecBob: Offers a platform that makes recreational sports easy by organizing play.
