Carv has closed a £1.8 million Series A capital raise to accelerate the digitisation of skiing instruction.
The digital ski coach uses motion and pressure sensing hardware that retrofits to any ski boot to drive real-time audio coaching and detailed in-app analysis.
Sydney– and Shanghai–based Artesian Investments led the round into the London start-up, with participation from New York SOS Venture’s, Europe’s FastVentures and a wide network of angel investors.
Carv burst on to the scene following its Kickstarter campaign in 2016 – breaking the record for sports wearables on the platform – and has since seen rapid growth in both the United States and Europe.
The company is focused on a ‘direct-to-consumer’ model whereby all products are sold through their website, getcarv.com. Within a year, the team has expanded from 15 to 30, headquartered in London with operations in Innsbruck, Austria and Shenzhen, China.
Jamie Grant, co-founder and CEO, said: “This investment represents an incredibly exciting step towards our vision to become the de facto product to improve skiing technique.
“Skiing is a difficult sport to learn, and 88% of skiers stop lessons after less than one week. Carv offers a convenient and fun experience to continue learning.
“The pandemic has only accelerated the adoption of Carv’s digital ski instruction with us seeing over a 100% year-on-year growth for Q4. We are excited to be rapidly expanding our user base as the additional data helps us build an ever better coaching system.
“We are proud to welcome back our existing investors and see their continued support for our vision to deliver digital sports coaching. This is just the start for Carv, and we look forward to the next stage of growth and innovation.”
As it continues to grow its user base, Carv’s instruction AI learns from millions of skiing turns and feedback events generated by its users to create an ever better teaching experience, giving consumers unrivalled insights to improve their skiing technique.
Alexander Hoye, CEO of Faction Skis, added: “Carv is a real game-changer for skiers and has revolutionised the way winter sports are carried out especially in the current climate where interaction is limited.
“The technology behind the system is sophisticated, with 48 of the highest-grade pressure sensors in each insert. Add to this the three accelerometers, the three gyroscopes and the three magnetometers, and the team has packed a lot into a remarkably thin insert compatible with any ski boot.
“As with any successful business, it’s the team that truly stands out. They are committed, savvy and dedicated to change how personalised coaching is delivered.”
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