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
Startup Crawl KC returning as planned in October, despite First Fridays vendor changes
Changes to First Fridays in the Crossroads Arts District won’t impact plans for October’s annual Startup Crawl KC, but other entrepreneurs who frequent the community event as street vendors could use support, Adam Arredondo said. “It’s business as usual for us and we’re excited to host the community and showcase more than 50 startups at…
Bunker Labs KC returns to deploy connections to veterans transitioning to entrepreneurship
Military members typically make incredible connections with comrades abroad, but when they return to the U.S. as veterans they often struggle to establish a worthwhile network, said Joe Crane. That sense of isolation can inhibit would-be entrepreneurs from breaking into the startup world. “It’s tough for veterans to connect,” said Crane, Bunker Labs’ city leader…
Chicken N Pickle heading south: Prairiefire location to offer seasonal ice skating, curling
A new entertainment destination is slated for the final phase of Overland Park’s Prairiefire development with North Kansas City-based Chicken N Pickle targeting a fall 2020 opening. “Opening a second location in the area will allow us to share the love of pickleball with customers who have been requesting a location on the Kansas side…
Adobe for adventure: KC’s VanDoIt offers affordable travel, housing solution nationwide
VanDoIt is no sideshow venture for Brent Kline and his son-in-law, Jared McCauslin. The duo’s custom van and restoration business has a partnership with Ford and customers motoring coast to coast. “We have a couple out of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and they are actually a traveling circus act — like, they are actually a circus act…