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High school football programs lean on crowdfunding to afford Vicis’ high-tech helmet

Football is still America’s game in American high schools, drawing more than a million athletes each year. But concerns over the lasting effects of concussions have caused youth participation in the sport to dip in recent years. Vicis, a Seattle startup, wants to help preserve the game for younger athletes with a high-tech helmet that recently ranked first in Virginia Tech’s inaugural youth football helmet safety ratings. But many programs are finding it difficult to pay the $495 price tag, sparking questions of fairness: should the safest helmet only be available to those who can afford it? Five Seattle-area high… Read More

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NFL star QB Aaron Rodgers invests in Vicis as high-tech helmet startup reaches $84M in funding

Vicis is adding another big name to its investor list as the company opens up sales of its high-tech football helmet to all youth football players. Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has invested in the Seattle startup via Rx3 Ventures, a new consumer-focused fund based in Orange County, Vicis announced Thursday morning. With the investment, Vicis says it has now closed its $28.5 million Series B round. The round brings the company’s total funding raised to $84 million since spinning out of the University of Washington in 2014. The 100-person company is known for its $950 ZERO1 football helmet, used by players… Read More

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