[Love sports and technology? Sign up for our sports tech newsletter to receive this rundown from GeekWire’s Taylor Soper via email every week.] TAYLOR’S TAKE ON THE WEEK IN SPORTS TECH: Vicis, the high-tech football helmet maker based in Seattle, had several key developments this week. The company announced an additional $7 million in funding, and has now raised nearly $50 million since spinning out of the University of Washington in 2014. Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson participated in the funding round — Wilson, who also just launched his own media startup, is among a group of players from more than 15 NFL teams and 20… Read More
Vicis is adding another big name to its investor list as the startup gears up to make its high-tech football helmet available to high school athletes. The Seattle-based company today announced that NFL star quarterback Russell Wilson participated in a $7 million round led by The Peregrine Group. Total funding in Vicis is now close to $50 million. Founded in 2014 and spun out of the University of Washington, Vicis has developed a $1,500 football helmet designed to mitigate the forces thought to cause concussions. This season, players from more than 15 NFL teams and 20 NCAA programs are wearing… Read More
NFL players notice something different with Vicis’ new helmet. Seattle-based startup Vicis has its high-tech helmet on the NFL playing field this month as several players are trying out a new way to protect their head from injury. As we reported earlier this month, a handful of Seahawks have been testing the Vicis helmet during practice and preseason games. Cliff Avril, a ninth-year defensive end who was named to the Pro Bowl last season, told GeekWire that he wanted to try something else that might help keep him safer on the field. He and his wife did some research and… Read More
Several Seattle Seahawks players, including stars like Russell Wilson and Richard Sherman, are wearing the new Vicis helmet during games. Embed from Getty Images The Seahawks had their preseason home opener on Friday, beating Minnesota 20-13 at CenturyLink Field, and a handful of players sported the high-tech helmet that is being used during actual games for the first time. In the Zone. : @DjMogg @West2EastEmpire pic.twitter.com/oxQZNjGz27 — Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) August 19, 2017 During Seattle’s second preseason game, you could recognize the helmet from its triangular air pockets on the front. Star wide receiver Doug Baldwin, also an investor in Vicis,… Read More
Vicis‘ football helmet just got more high-tech. The Seattle startup today announced a deal with sunglasses giant Oakley for a new “VICIS EDGE Shield” on its ZERO1 helmet that will be used in games by NFL and NCAA players this upcoming season. The shield uses Oakley’s Prizm technology that enhances detail and provides better clarity and contrast for football players. It was custom-designed for the ZERO1, which offers a wider field of view than traditional helmets. The companies call it the “first-ever co-developed football optics system.” “We saw an opportunity to partner with Oakley to help players elevate their performance via improved optics,”… Read More
