Overview

Although Japan has one of the highest life expectancy rates in the world, it is surprising to know that about 37% of adults do not actively participate in any sort of exercise. In this report by the Japan Sports Agency, the main reasons for the lack of involvement in sports include not having sufficient energy and lack of community support. Coupled with the fact that SportsTech market capital is growing to 16.1B USD in 2022 with a 17.8% CAGR, it is not hard to imagine why entrepreneurs in Japan are entering this industry.

SportsTech is the intersection between sports and technology, meaning it integrates the use of technology in the sports area whether that means wearables, analysis, or physiotherapy. With the trend of IoT using data for visualization and communication, entrepreneurs and engineers have found a new way for us to interact with, experience, and watch, sports. In this article, we will be covering four SportsTech startups from Japan that aim to improve how Japanese people exercise.

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Startups

1. 株式会社ORPHE

ORPHE focuses on one of the most important element in running: footwear. ORPHE understands that a comfortable shoe dictates performance in sports due to it being the basis for all movement.

They designed a smart shoe with tracking functionality that can measure foot movement and be reflected on their running app. This allows runners to track, record and analyze their performance during a run, and have a better insight on impact, gait, and locomotion.

ORPHE recently partnered with sportswear giant ASICS to integrate their tracking devices into ASICS’s running shoes. Together, their aim is to attract novice runners to engage with the sport in a more systematic way.

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2. 株式会社TENTIAL

It is not a myth that recovery through sleep is one of the most important factors in maintaining a high performance in sport. An athlete cannot exercise to maximum benefit when they have not recovered from the previous session. TENTIAL are aware of this fact and their business focuses on how we can recover better.

Their sleep care and foot care products focus on the science of post-exercise recovery, allowing better conditioning for their customers’ bodies and feet. Their product line ranges from insoles and sandals to pillows and bed sheets.

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3. One Tap Sports

One Tap Sports is management software for sports team, which includes day-to-day condition monitoring, injury prevention, and performance plotting. This allows professional sports teams to have a better management on their players’ condition index, and One Tap Sports believes that peak performance of the team can be achieved with their product.

Their all-in-one dashboard provides a sleek interface for individual and collective coaching programs to be planned and enacted. Currently, their clients include not only high school and college sports teams, but also national teams such as the Cambodian national soccer team.

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4. SPLYZA Inc.

Let’s be real. Most of us gave up sports after we found out we were bad at it, and the main reason for that is that we did not have access to proper coaching.

SPLYZA’s video analysis service provides a platform for not only professional sports teams, but also amateur players to track their movement and motion in various sports such as golf, snowboarding, and track & field.

By using a smartphone camera, SPLYZA allows its users to analyze their posture and movement with data and graphs. This grants anyone the ability to correct their flaws for a better accuracy and positioning in the sports they pursue. With better performance, non-professional athletes can enjoy the sports more progressively and consistently.

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Summary

It is not a coincidence that Japanese people have a higher life expectancy with their well-known healthy diet and involvement in sports while attending school. However, most people stop exercising during adulthood due to various reasons, such as a lack of time and motivation.

It is hoped that more adults will start getting into sports with the products and services provided by the startups above, and Japan can be a model for other nations in how to propel its people to enjoy sports with SportsTech.

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