This startup has developed smart robot to provide comprehensive datasets on an athlete's performance

The fitness and sports training industry is constantly evolving, yet there remains a significant gap in the market for advanced training equipment that goes beyond traditional fitness devices. 

While treadmills and weight machines are commonplace and effective for building strength, they fall short in helping athletes and fitness enthusiasts measure and improve upon critical performance metrics such as agility, reflexes, and stamina. 

This gap in the market represents a clear opportunity for innovation, particularly for those looking to enhance their athletic performance in more nuanced and measurable ways. Moreover, the existing solutions for tracking and enhancing athletic performance often lack the capability to provide detailed, real-time data that athletes need to fine-tune their training. 

The absence of a comprehensive device that can project, track, and analyse movements in a way that informs athletes about their form, speed, response time, and precision highlights a significant shortfall in sports technology. 

This limitation not only affects the athletes' ability to make informed decisions about their training but also restricts their potential to achieve optimal performance levels. 

As the demand for sports technology grows in India, the need for a device that addresses these specific training aspects becomes increasingly apparent, signalling a ripe opportunity for innovation in the fitness space.

To fill this gap, Chahil Patel and Hitarth Parikh launched Hyperlab, an Ahmedabad-based startup that has built Helios, which uses a laser pointer to help athletes and fitness enthusiasts measure strength, reflexes, and stamina. 

Who are the founders? 

Hyperlab is a Shark Tank India-featured startup founded in January 2022 by Hitarth Parikh and Chahi Patel.

He is an industrial designer focused on integrating technology and sports at the grassroots level. Prior to founding Hyperlab, Parikh worked as a Product Designer at Studio Carbon but left the company in May 2021.

On the other hand, Chahil Patel, the current head of research and development at Hyperlab, holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Information Technology, Electronics, and Communication. He was also previously associated with Studio Carbon as the head of Research and Development.

Hyperlab's journey began in 2021 when Hitarth Parikh teamed up with Chahil Patel, a technology professional, to innovate within the fitness space. Their collaboration was driven by Parikh's personal experience with sports and a recognised gap in the market for advanced fitness devices that could measure agility, reflexes, and stamina beyond traditional gym equipment.

What is Hyperlab?

Hyperlab is a startup focused on developing cutting-edge sports technology. Its flagship product, Helios, is a smart robot designed to enhance athletic performance by projecting laser points for athletes to chase, thereby tracking and analysing their movement patterns. This data-driven approach aims to help sportspersons improve their form, speed, response time, and precision.

Helios has the ability to provide comprehensive datasets on an athlete's performance, offering insights into agility, stamina, and reflexes. This is a significant advancement over existing fitness devices, which primarily focus on strength development. Helios's unique selling point is its larger datasets compared to competitors like Blazepod, making it a more holistic training device.

Manufacturing locally 

The startup's approach to manufacturing its flagship product, Helios, entirely in India comes from a strategic decision to avoid the complexities and uncertainties of global supply chains. 

It wants to ensure smoother manufacturing processes, quicker market response times, and a sustainable business model that supports local industries and maintains stringent control over the supply chain. 

Hyperlabs manufactures mechanical parts in Ahmedabad, while electronic components, such as stepper motors, LIDAR systems, laser units, and controller units, are assembled in Gandhinagar.

The LIDAR technology is crucial for accurately tracking athletes' movements, while the laser systems project clear, consistent laser points essential for agility and reflex training. Controller units, the brains of the operation, manage the device's functions and process data. 

By manufacturing these components in India, Hyperlab can maintain high standards of quality control, ensuring that each Helios device meets its rigorous performance criteria. The decision to avoid importing parts is driven by several key considerations. 

First, it allows Hyperlab to have complete control over its supply chain, mitigating risks of delays and disruptions often associated with international logistics. 
Second, local manufacturing enables Hyperlab to ensure the highest standards of quality assurance, as each component can be closely monitored and tested to meet the startup's exact requirements. 

Additionally, by supporting the local economy, Hyperlab not only contributes to the growth of Indian businesses but also fosters innovation and job creation within the tech and manufacturing sectors. 

Lastly, this approach provides Hyperlab with the flexibility to quickly iterate on product improvements and respond to customer feedback without being hampered by the long lead times typically associated with imported parts.

Business Model

Hyperlab operates on a B2B model, partnering with institutions such as gymnasiums, fitness centres, and sports clubs. It's also exploring partnerships with the Sports Authority of India. 

For institutional customers, Helios is priced between Rs 30,000 and Rs 45,000, while individual consumers can purchase it for Rs 45,000. The startup claims to have received orders for 600 devices and is in the process of manufacturing and dispatching these orders.

Currently, Hyperlab is bootstrapped and has been featured on Shark Tank India Season 3.

Harsheet Maliwal, Hitarth Parikh and Chahil Patel, founders of #Hyperlab, a sports tech brand are confident about their one of a kind product.😃

Amongst all the offers, which deal will get the seal of approval? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/4mJuLAJ5a8

— Shark Tank India (@sharktankindia) February 9, 2024

Future Plans

Hyperlab aims to sell at least 3,000 devices by the end of 2024 and is developing separate devices for swimming, football, and cricket, each tailored to the specific metrics of the sport. The team's ambition is to build a comprehensive product line that solidifies Hyperlab's foundation in the sports technology market.

While the startup primarily competes with the US-based Blazepod, Hyperlab’s Helios stands out as it provides the ability to provide more extensive data for athletic training.

According to Statista report, The total revenue in the Health & Fitness market in India is projected to reach $19.24 million in 2022. It is expected to grow at an annual rate (CAGR 2022-2027) of 11.57%, resulting in a projected market volume of $31.97 million by 2027.