LED Rabbit tech enhances training for track athletes
May 16, 2017 | Meghan LeVota
A new Lenexa-based tech firm aims to make training for track and field athletes more precise.
Founded in 2015, LED Rabbit is an electronic pacing system that can attach to or overlay any track. The product uses LED lighting to move a marker around a track, offering runners an indicator of what their pace needs to be.
“Coaches typically go through lot of pain developing specific work outs and they use a stopwatch to make sure athletes are on the correct pace,” said Barry Vonada, founder of LED Rabbit. “With LED Rabbit, a coach could be in his office before practice starts, program a complete workout within our mobile application, and then launch the workout. The system takes care of the rest.”
With expertise in LED lighting, sales and engineering, Vonada said the idea came after talks with his daughter, who is a collegiate track and field athlete.
“One of her coaches came to her and was telling her about all the problems they have with training,” Vonada said. “I thought to would be nice to add some LED technology. Any technology in general would be better than a stopwatch and yelling ‘start and stop.’”
After previously trying to secure a patent, Vonada discovered that a similar technology was already being used by Italy-based Indico Technologies. On Friday, LED Rabbit announced that it gained exclusive license to use the technology.
Vonada said that he is relieved to have reached an agreement with Indico Technologies.
“By securing the patent and technology rights, we can now focus our energy on launching The LED Rabbit into the North American market,” Vonada said. “The expertise that our two companies share in LED Lighting Systems coupled with our passion for sports will spawn many new developments in the future.”
The tech will hit the market this fall, targeting high school and collegiate teams. Vonada said he’s focused on securing funding to hire a team and manufacturing the product.
He is confident that, with the help of the Kansas City community, LED Rabbit has a bright future.
“I’ve started to get in a lot of exciting conversations and getting to know people in Kansas City’s startup community,” Vonada said. “It has been really cool for me because I’ve lived in the area forever and I love that the community is really embracing tech startups.”
Watch a video of the LED Rabbit in action below.
2017 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Governor-in-waiting talks startup funding, Amazon and why entrepreneurism is bigger than KC
The strongest person in the room isn’t necessarily the loudest, Jeff Colyer said. “Kansans are used to being overlooked,” he said. “My role as lieutenant governor was to be a little quieter. You give your best advice. And when decisions are made, you’re going to work to support them.” Soon, however, he’ll be the state’s…
Bus tech startup Transportant announces $11M in pre-sales at Lean Lab pitch night
School districts across North America are on board with Transportant — to the tune of $11 million in pre-sale agreements, co-founder John Styers said. The startup, which uses video-based technology to allow students, parents and school administrators to better monitor school buses, announced the milestone — $10 million over its goal of $1 million in…
Councilman introduces east side investment proposal with $15/hour wage provision
As economic development surges in pockets across Kansas City, residents and businesses on the east side shouldn’t be left behind, Scott Taylor said. “Our clock is ticking as a city on this, and we need to do more,” said Taylor, councilman for the sixth district, at-large. At a press conference Thursday, Taylor introduced a draft…
KCPS superintendent to city struggling with violence: When do we all come together?
It’s inexcusable for Kansas City to simply accept 130 murders before it’s even December, Mark Bedell said. “Who do you think are committing these crimes?” Bedell, superintendent of Kansas City Public Schools, asked a crowd gathered Thursday for the Lean Lab’s Launch[ED) Day. “Probably people who have been victims of schools that have failed them…