Under Armour Seeking Submissions for the 2014 Future Show: The Connected Fitness Innovation Challenge
Baltimore, MD (PRWEB) June 26, 2014 -- Today, Under Armour (NYSE:UA), the global leader in sports performance and innovation, announced plans for the 2014 Under Armour Future Show: The Connected Fitness Innovation Challenge, which asks innovators to submit concepts for the next generation of game-changing digital experiences, through apps and wearable technology, while utilizing the MapMyFitness™ software. Finalists will present their concepts to the Brand’s executive team in October, 2014 at Under Armour’s global headquarters in Baltimore, MD for a chance to win the Grand Prize of $50,000. Winners may then be eligible for an additional investment of up to $150,000. Innovators can now submit their ideas and innovations at idea.underarmour.com for consideration.
Entering its fourth year, Under Armour's Future Show rewards the Brand’s innovation-inspired consumer base, incentivizing them to design new products that align with the Brand’s forward-thinking vision. The 2014 Future Show will identify the most creative minds in engineering and software development who can implement wearable, wireless and embedded apparel-based technology addressing one or more of the following needs: fitness assessment and training, readiness and recovery, sleep analysis or other novel usages that will help make athletes better.
“The Connected Fitness Innovation Challenge is a by-product of the explosive growth of the connected fitness community and of the wearable devices that help power athletic performance,” said Robin Thurston, Co-Founder and President of MapMyFitness. “To best serve this growing community, we are working together to celebrate great ideas and to reward our passionate consumers who are identifying new solutions to help make all athletes better.”
“The infusion of new technology and innovation into training apparel and wearable devices remains one of the most exciting elements of sports performance, and it fuels our ambitions to build Under Armour’s defining training product,” said Kevin Haley, Senior Vice President of Innovation, Under Armour. “Our Brand is focused not only on creating innovative products that can push the boundaries of training, but also on finding talent outside the walls of Under Armour to help accomplish those goals.”
Acquired by Under Armour in 2013, MapMyFitness adds depth to the brand’s digital profile and the ability to offer enhanced services and products to athletes all over the world. With more than 26 million members worldwide, MapMyFitness currently powers the largest digital training community in the world. Entrepreneurs are required to use the MapMyFitness Application Programming Interface (API) and Software Development Kit (SDK) for iOS and Android, as they submit their connected fitness technology innovative ideas.
This fall, Under Armour will release UA MagZip™ technology, the winning innovation from the 2011 Future Show created by engineer Scott Peters of Rochester, New York. UA MagZip is an open-ended magnetic zipper that automatically aligns and locks itself into place effortlessly without the use of two hands. The technology will hit the market in over 400,000 units of Under Armour outerwear in the men’s, women’s and youth categories beginning in August.
For more information on the 2014 Future Show or to submit an innovation, visit idea.underarmour.com.
About Under Armour, Inc.
Under Armour (NYSE: UA), the originator of performance footwear, apparel and equipment, revolutionized how athletes across the world dress. Designed to make all athletes better, the brand's innovative products are sold worldwide to athletes at all levels. Under Armour's wholly owned subsidiary, MapMyFitness, powers one of the world's largest Connected Fitness communities. The Under Armour global headquarters is in Baltimore, Maryland. For further information, please visit the Company's website at http://www.uabiz.com.
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Danielle Daly, Under Armour, http://www.ua.com, +1 410-246-5768, [email protected]
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