Running has over 110 million participants worldwide, yet overuse injuries remain a major challenge for many runners. Often caused by invisible biomechanical stress, these injuries are difficult to anticipate, frustrating both athletes and healthcare professionals.
To address this challenge, the spin-off from Ghent University, OnTracx, has developed an innovative solution. Founded in 2023 by Senne Bonnaerens, Rud Derie, and Kristof De Mey, the company offers a wearable sensor paired with a digital platform capable of measuring cumulative biomechanical load—a key factor often overlooked by traditional running technologies.
A Funding Round to Accelerate its Development and Expansion
OnTracx recently closed a €1.2 million seed round led by imec.istart fund, PMV, KBC, with support from sports medicine-focused business angels and a VLAIO grant. This funding will allow the company to further develop its product and expand operations across Europe and the United States.
Combining Objective Data with Runner Feedback
« As passionate runners, we have personally experienced overuse injuries. With our academic expertise, we identified a real gap: existing solutions don’t address the root cause. These injuries occur when biomechanical load exceeds what the body can handle. »Kristof De Mey, medeoprichter
The OnTracx technology relies on a lightweight sensor worn above the ankle, capable of measuring tibial acceleration with lab-grade precision (r = 0.91). Users can monitor their daily load outside the expensive laboratory environment.
The platform combines this objective data with runners’ subjective feedback on pain and symptoms via an intuitive app. Color-coded alerts indicate whether training load is safe or if overload risk is high, enabling personalized training adjustments and clinical monitoring.
A Widespread Problem
Each year, 50% of runners sustain injuries, and over 70% experience recurrence within a year after rehabilitation. This amounts to over 60 million injuries annually in Europe and the United States alone, notes Kristof De Mey.
Standing Out in the Wearables Landscape
Competing with players like Garmin, Polar, WHOOP, or running-specific solutions like Stryd and Runeasi, OnTracx distinguishes itself by accounting for cumulative load and individual tolerance - two essential parameters for effectively personalizing injury prevention and rehabilitation.
Global Ambitions
Since its launch in April 2024, OnTracx has sold over 500 sensors and partnered with 20 sports medicine centers in Belgium. The startup has also been recognized among Deloitte and Under Armour’s “10 Fastest Rising Tech Startups.”
Looking ahead, OnTracx aims to become the world’s leading solution for generating fully individualized training programs based on load, preventing and treating injuries while optimizing performance. The company also plans to integrate its technology into more than 2,000 rehabilitation centers and develop strategic global partnerships, leveraging existing integrations with Garmin and Strava.