BOSTON – Perch – an MIT-developed, Al-backed weight training platform that is helping a growing number of professional and collegiate athletic programs improve overall performance in the weight room and on the field – recently announced Miami Dolphins cornerback Byron Jones as an investor.
Jones’ onboarding as an investor is part of Perch’s new $4 million funding round that also includes investments from Bradley Bloom, Ledgeways Ventures LLC, and a co-founder of Berkshire Partners LLC, along with Perfect Game Capital, a Washington, D.C. area family office that specializes in sports and sports technology investments. This brings the total amount raised by the company to $6 million since the company’s founding in 2017.
“Perch helps me train smarter. It enables me to see my weight room performance, my lifting speed and power, on every rep of every set, allowing me to reach my training goals without overexerting myself in an already physically demanding sport,” said Jones. “I’m excited to see Perch continue to innovate as they revolutionize the way free weight lifting is measured.”
Perch will use the funds raised to continue providing best in class support and services for its fast-growing and high-profile customer base. In addition, the financing will enable Perch to continue to enhance their core data collection software, while building out features that will enable coaches and athletes to get more value out of the data collected. Finally, the capital will support further expansion into other markets such as the U.S. military, fitness and performance facilities, international sport, high schools and home gyms across the country.
“In just a few years, Perch has become the go-to leader in velocity-based training technology, partnering with numerous teams across the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, MLS and NCAA,” said Perch co-founder Jacob Rothman. “We are thrilled by the support of ambitious, successful investors who see the disruptive potential of Perch. With this new influx of capital, we can continue to build the team and resources necessary to expand our global reach.”
So what is Perch? And why is it generating so much attention?
Hardly a foot long and a few inches wide, Perch is a 3D camera that fastens to any weight rack with a couple of Velcro straps. An athlete walks up, logs in into a tablet and starts lifting. While they lift, the 3D camera tracks their movements and instantaneously displays important metrics such as sets, reps, velocity, and power output on the tablet. Players and coaches can then access the data via a web and mobile application after the workout. The data is also stored and saved in Perch’s web application to best monitor how to approach future workouts.
“What we’re doing is essentially making a weight rack smart,” said Rothman. “We aim to turn every athlete into the best version of themselves. We bring them information about the quality of their movement and what they can do to move more powerfully, efficiently and safely.”
To date, Perch has installed hundreds of devices across the country, with some of the more prominent customers including the Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL), Miami Heat (NBA), Philadelphia Phillies (MLB), Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL), Columbus Crew (MLS), Georgia Bulldogs Football (NCAAF), and Virginia Cavalier Basketball (NCAAM), among many others.
Perch’s scope has also expanded to various military bases, fitness and performance facilities, and a growing number of high schools and home gyms across the country.
For more information on Perch’s innovative technology, visit https://perch.fit.
About Perch
Founded in 2017 by three former student athletes at MIT, Perch uses cameras and machine learning to monitor movements during exercise and enhance an athlete’s motivation, safety and performance in the weight room. Today, Perch is helping a growing number of players and coaches – including those in the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, MLS, and Power Five conferences – improve overall performance in the weight room and on the field. The company's scope has also expanded to various military bases, fitness and performance facilities, and a growing number of high schools across the country. For more information, visit www.perch.fit or follow the brand on Instagram.
