Hyperice adds Athlete Investors
The recovery & movement co. is planning for a global expansion.
Hyperice, a tech-driven recovery and movement enhancement company, has announced new investments from pro golfer Rory McIlroy, Formula One driver Daniel Ricciardo, NHL player Connor McDavid, and NBA players Klay Thompson and Jayson Tatum. The company is looking to expand globally as it focuses on holistic high-performance wellness.
This year, the company was recognized as one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, as it moved into industries that include hospitality, healthcare, massage, and workplace wellness.
Existing investors in Hyperice include Naomi Osaka, Seth Curry, Anthony Davis, Rickie Fowler, DeAndre Jordan, Jarvis Landry, and Patrick Mahomes.
“I am a golfer first and foremost but I am also focused on the long game, which is why I chose to invest in Hyperice. Hyperice is an important part of how I practice, play, and recover. The company is doing incredible things to redefine and push holistic wellness, so it is an exciting and logical partnership for me and investment partners in Symphony Ventures,” said pro golfer Rory McIlroy.
Jim Huether, Hyperice CEO, says that the new group of investors will help the company expand globally.
“Our international footprint continues to grow with products in more than 60 countries. Partnering with high-performing global athletes like Daniel Ricciardo, Rory McIlroy, Connor McDavid, in addition to the stacked roster we already have, helps continue to separate Hyperice as we continue bringing our innovative suite of products to a broader audience,” Heuther says.
Hyperice recently acquired mental wellness company Core, which is Hyperice’s third acquisition in 18 months. Core’s main product, a sensor-enabled meditation device, signals Hyperice’s desire to push into the mental health market. The move towards focusing on mental health is imperative for overall wellness, as indicated by recent revelations from Olympians Tom Daley and Simone Biles.
“For a decade, Hyperice has focused on helping people move better through a suite of performance technology that helps everyone be at their best. We’ve heard from both our elite and everyday athletes that mental wellness is critical to performance, so it was a natural evolution into the mental wellness category,” Hyperice CEO Jim Huether said.
The company launched a Mind Tech Division as it plans to create more wellness products.
The company also added RecoverX and Normatec, which will help the company move ahead with a new global brand campaign as it introduces new products, like the Hyperice X. The new tech product is the world’s first portable contrast therapy device. The Hyperice X uses alternating heat and cold cycles for knee recovery and will be available in 2022. The company has also made improvements to some of its most popular products, like the Hypervolt 2 and Pro, and the Vyper line.
Hyperice’s founder, Anthony Katz, created the recovery company due to his aches and pains after playing basketball. The former high school history teacher started tinkering by making compression wraps to help with recovery and ease pain. One of Katz’s connections led to Kobe Bryant trying an early prototype of Hyperice. Bryant was honest – he said he liked the concept but that the prototype had a long way to go. He gave some professional input, which Katz appreciated. The Hyperice founder wanted to create a perfect product that would be a game-changer for pro athletes and his persistence paid off. In 2020, Hyperice raised $48 million in a Series A funding round, and this year, the company announced a multi-year partnership with the New York Yankees.
