Reading alumnus Tim Brownstone’s smart garment company KYMIRA, which revolutionises recovery in athletes, is given a boost with investment from the Henley Business Angels.
Henley Business Angels (HBA) is a network of experienced business leaders, successful entrepreneurs and investors. The network’s aim is to facilitate opportunities for members to invest in early stage businesses launched by entrepreneurs who are graduates from, or who are connected with the Henley Business School and the University of Reading.
Tim Brownstone, CEO and Founder of KYMIRA, was excited to continue the journey with Henley Business Angels and Innovate UK, who have been chosen to work with HBA as a UK Investor Partner.
He said: “HBA and Innovate UK have been long-time supporters of KYMIRA and our mission to deliver innovative technologies to the market.
“Their continued support will ensure that the impact of our newest technologies will not just be limited to sportsmen and women, but will benefit the broader population through medical applications of our technology as well.”
About Tim
Tim, who studied Animal Science at Reading, shared that he found it a freeing experience. He said: “I loved my time at Reading. I chose to study Animal Science at Reading because the course gave me the freedom to research what I wanted for my undergraduate thesis – and of course because of Whiteknights campus which I fell in love with. So much so that we moved KYMIRA back to campus in 2022!”
It was after a sporting injury that Tim was inspired to start KYMIRA. He explained: “When I was a runner during sixth form and during my first international athletics meet I injured my knee.
“I was looking for a way to rehab quicker and discovered that infrared light could be used to heal wounds quicker.
“So I self-experimented, then that became an academic curiosity that Reading allowed me to pursue and eventually, helped me get that technology into the market to help others – by starting KYMIRA.”
About KYMIRA
KYMIRA’s aim is to help both professional and enthusiast athletes to easily incorporate their recovery into their lives. Most traditional recovery methods disrupt routines, confine usage to fixed locations and require substantial upfront investments – but KYMIRA’s smart garments are changing the recovery landscape.
Tim said: “Solutions such as ice baths, cryo-chambers, or even compression garments can be ineffectual and time-intensive, with positive effects lasting only in the short-term.
“KYMIRA offers an effective, alternative solution. KYMIRA has embedded its bio-responsive technology into every fibre of its apparel, enabling athletes to recover wherever they are, simply by wearing KYMIRA garments.
“This eliminates barriers to engagement and empowers athletes to take control of their recovery.”
KYMIRA’s Bio-Responsive infrared technology is embedded in the garment fibres and converts UV, visible light and body heat into targeted infrared wavelengths, which penetrate 4cm into athlete’s muscles.
Tim said: “Certified as medical devices, KYMIRA’s Bio-Responsive products are tailored to provide unrivalled user benefits, including enhancing athletic performance, managing chronic medical conditions, accelerating recovery, reducing soreness and reducing injury occurrence.
“We have a range of clients from American Football Teams in the US, to professional swimmers in the UK. Our success was demonstrated through a five-year longitudinal study with an international rugby team in the UK using KYMIRA’s garments. This study found an 80% reduction in muscular skeletal injuries, 33% improvement in mobility scores, and a 25% reduction in perceived pain scores.”
Looking forward
Tim explained that the grant from Innovate UK will be implemented for work on a groundbreaking project focused on revolutionising musculoskeletal care.
He said: “KYMIRA’s innovative smart clothing for remote medical monitoring will utilise high-fidelity data collection to provide tailored preventative and early treatment solutions for conditions like osteoarthritis and knee pain.
“This project aims to shift from reactive to preventative care, enhancing patient outcomes and saving resources in the long run.
“KYMIRA will utilise the rest of the funding round to further expand into the US market and launch a new range of bio-tracking devices.”
Jurek Sikorski, HBA Founder and the network’s Entrepreneur Lead was delighted by the investment. He said: “KYMIRA has come a long way since it was established in 2013 and today enjoys being among the leading sports technology companies in the world. Members of HBA are delighted to have participated in KYMIRA’s fund raise which will enable KYMIRA to develop new products and also strengthen its presence in the US.”
Apply now
If you are an entrepreneur seeking £50,000 to £250,000 to grow their businesses, then applications to Henley Business Angels are now open.
Entrepreneurs need to be connected to the University of Reading or Henley Business School – this includes being a graduate of the University.
If you would like to apply to HBA for funding, please submit your application with supporting documents – including a business plan – via the apply for funding link. The link will take you to a form on the Gust platform, which you will need to complete and submit. Please note that you will be asked to include a short video clip to support your application.
If you have any difficulties submitting your company details, please refer to the following guide: Guide for Entrepreneurs: How to Apply to Henley Business Angels.
The next deadline for applications is Monday 22 July 2024. While entrepreneurs are invited to apply throughout the year as the applications process remains open continuously, there are quarterly deadlines; if you miss a deadline your application will be rolled over into the next application round.
