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Feldspar: UK sports tech firm behind smart athletics track in £6m raise
Feldspar, a British sports technology start-up, is seeking up to £6m in seed investment to develop smart athletics tracks that measure athletes’ movements and forces in real time. The company says the data could help improve performance and reduce injuries, while also giving audiences new ways to engage with sport.
Its system combines a fast track surface with cloud-connected sensor plates that measure forces and pressure. A 60-metre installation with 156 plates at Cardiff’s National Indoor Athletics Centre is being evaluated in an 18-month pilot. Feldspar hopes to attract sports organisations as strategic investors; it sees potential uses beyond athletics, including courts and football pitches, though cost and manufacturing capacity currently limit wider rollout.
In short
- Feldspar is seeking £5.5m to £6m in seed funding.
- Its sensor plates measure forces beneath a smart track.
- A Cardiff installation is undergoing an 18-month pilot.
Explained simply
Athletics tracks are built to provide a consistent surface for training and competition, while coaches usually assess technique through observation and video. Sensor technology can add measurements of how an athlete moves and how much force they put through the ground.
Feldspar is a British start-up developing a track system that combines a running surface with connected sensor plates. Its data could be used by athletes and coaches to study performance and possible injury risks, and may offer audiences new ways to follow sport.
The system is being evaluated at Cardiff’s National Indoor Athletics Centre, where a 60-metre section has been fitted with sensors. Wider use would depend on whether the technology proves useful and can be made and installed at a manageable cost; the company is also exploring settings beyond athletics.
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