Plantiga
Plantiga is a Vancouver-based human analytics company that leases proprietary in-shoe IMU sensors and sells an AI Movement Intelligence Platform (Norman.ai) to professional sports leagues, collegiate teams, defense, and research institutions for injury prevention, return-to-play, and load monitoring.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersVancouver, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Plantiga does
Plantiga is a Vancouver, Canada-based human analytics company that has built an AI Movement Intelligence Platform combining proprietary in-shoe IMU sensors (Arc5PRO, 416Hz sampling, 32g range) with software (Plantiga Connect) and an AI layer (Norman.ai and the GRIN ground-interaction model) to capture and interpret lower-body biomechanics during real-world sport. The platform produces movement signatures per athlete, auto-detects activity types, surfaces bilateral asymmetries, and quantifies mechanical load through a proprietary g-Load metric, addressing three core use cases: return-to-play decisions, injury prevention, and performance longevity. The hardware is embedded in insoles, orthotics, or shoes and is leased (not sold), with data uploaded to a cloud platform through a physical dock, creating a recurring-revenue SaaS-plus-hardware model.
The company serves professional sports teams and leagues (NBA, WNBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, Premier League, MLS, NWSL, WSL, USTA, NASCAR), collegiate athletics programs (UConn, Washington University, NCAA tennis), rehabilitation clinics, healthcare/longevity applications, defense (Canadian Department of National Defence IDEaS contracts), and academic research institutions (UBC, Simon Fraser, University of Calgary, Auckland University of Technology, Australian Catholic University). Its go-to-market combines direct enterprise sales with formal league-partnership channels such as the NBA Launchpad program, and it is the only in-shoe wearable approved for player use by the NBA, NFL, and FIFA after third-party validation at the Fraunhofer Institute.
Plantiga was founded by Quin Sandler and Norman McKay (after whom Norman.ai is named) on more than a decade of university gait-analytics research, with a $1.2M seed round in June 2021 from Globalive and Harlo Equity Partners, and a subsequent $50,000 investment from Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech in February 2024. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; the organization is private, founder-controlled, and operates with 11–50 employees.
Plantiga firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Plantiga
- Legal name
- Plantiga Technologies Inc.
- Website
- https://plantiga.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Plantiga is a Vancouver-based human analytics company that leases proprietary in-shoe IMU sensors and sells an AI Movement Intelligence Platform (Norman.ai) to professional sports leagues, collegiate teams, defense, and research institutions for injury prevention, return-to-play, and load monitoring.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Plantiga industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sports Performance Analytics
- NAICS
- Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510)
- SIC
- Electromedical & Electrotherapeutic Apparatus (3845), Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Corrective Exercise, Movement Screening & Biomechanics (HSADAIAM)
Keywords
Where Plantiga is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Vancouver
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Plantiga business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Platform Subscription: Subscription-based access to the Plantiga platform and software features. Includes access to paid features through an Account and paid subscription. Auto-renews for subsequent 12-month terms unless terminated.
- Hardware Leasing: In-shoe sensors (Arc5Pro), docks, travel cases, and related hardware are leased to customers, not sold. Hardware must be returned within 45 days following termination. Damaged hardware replacement provided free of cost during term.
- Managed Services: Managed Services offering for faster team onboarding, sport-specific modules, and simplified API access introduced in version 2.42.
- Trial Subscriptions: Trial or promotional offers available for prospective customers to evaluate the platform before committing to paid subscriptions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Platform subscription with hardware lease |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Plantiga product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Plantiga develops and sells the AI Movement Intelligence Platform, combining proprietary in-shoe IMU sensors (Arc5PRO) with AI software (Norman.ai, Plantiga Connect) to capture biomechanical movement data at the foot-ground interface. The platform delivers actionable insights for three core use cases: Return-to-Play decision making, Injury Prevention through continuous biomechanical surveillance, and Performance Longevity through load optimization for professional athletes. Customers subscribe to the platform with leased hardware components on an annual subscription basis.
Product overview
Plantiga is a human analytics company offering the AI Movement Intelligence Platform — a unified system combining in-shoe IMU sensor hardware (Arc5PRO) with AI-powered software (Norman.ai and Plantiga Connect) to capture biomechanical data and transform it into actionable insights for athlete management. The platform addresses three core use cases: Return-to-Play decision-making, Injury Prevention through continuous biomechanical surveillance, and Performance Longevity through load optimization. Sensors embedded in insoles/orthotics capture movement at the foot-ground interface (sampling at 416 Hz, 32g IMU), and Norman.ai processes this data to detect activities, flag asymmetries, and deliver personalized guidance. The platform is validated against gold-standard references (force plates, motion capture) and is the only in-shoe sensor approved for player use by the NBA. Software versions (2.38–2.42) iteratively add features including Elite Benchmarks, sport-specific modules, and improved ML models.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- AI Movement Intelligence Platform A unified platform combining in-shoe IMU sensors and movement AI to transform biomechanics into actionable insights for Return-to-Play, Injury Prevention, and Performance Longevity. Captures precise movement asymmetries, loads, and variabilities across all movement types for professional sports teams, collegiate programs, clinics, healthcare, defense, and research institutions.
- Arc5PRO Sensor In-shoe IMU sensor hardware embedded in insoles, orthotics, or shoes featuring a 6-axis IMU (3-axis accelerometer + 3-axis gyroscope) sampling at 416Hz with a 32g acceleration range. Can collect up to 8 hours of data before recharging. Sensors are leased to customers as part of the subscription.
- Norman.ai A consolidated AI intelligence system combining large language models, biomechanical models, and contextual reasoning that learns from real-world movement cycles to provide actionable guidance. Creates individual movement signatures, automatically detects activities, flags deviations from baselines, and delivers personalized exercise recommendations as an AI movement coach.
- Plantiga Connect Software application for syncing data from Arc5PRO sensor pods via a physical dock connection. Enables practitioners to configure tests, monitor athletes, and access dashboards. Data uploads securely to the Plantiga cloud through the dock.
- 903 Travel Case Hardware accessory with USB-C connectivity holding up to 6 sensor units, designed for team travel and field use to charge and transport Arc5PRO sensors.
Quantifiable outcome
- g-Load measurement error rate <2% vs GPS systems
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Plantiga
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Plantiga technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
AI capability6 records
Feature6 records
Plantiga partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- NBA LaunchpadflagshipOfficial partnership with the NBA through their Launchpad program to develop a sports science dataset focusing on women's basketball. Collaboration on injury mechanisms, performance demands, loads, and asymmetries. Plantiga passed the NBA's third-party validation process.
- WNBAflagshipPartnership with the WNBA through NBA Launchpad program to develop women's basketball sports science dataset and advance injury prevention research.
- NBA Wearables Program / NBPAcoreJoint initiative of the NBA and NBPA that independently vets wearable technologies before approval for player use. Plantiga validated through this program at Fraunhofer Institute in Germany.
- Fraunhofer InstitutecoreIndependent research institution in Germany that conducted Plantiga's validation testing against gold standards (force plates, motion capture, IMUs) over several months.
- University of CalgarycoreResearch collaboration with Dr. Matthew Jordan from University of Calgary on rehabilitation technology. Dr. Jordan developed rehabilitation technology used alongside Plantiga for Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog's ACL recovery.
- Simon Fraser UniversityminorResearch partner in the Wearables Program studying movement biomechanics and validation.
- University of British Columbia (UBC)minorResearch partner with Chris Napier conducting observational studies on running injuries and improved outcomes with coaching plus monitoring.
- Auckland University of TechnologyminorResearch partner with John Cronin providing validation for jump testing, Reactive Strength Index, and other metrics.
- Australian Catholic UniversityminorResearch partner with Stuart Cormack conducting validation studies on speed and distance metrics.
- Canadian Department of National DefencecoreTwo research contracts through IDEaS Program 1B: Predicting Load, Injury Risk and Progression with Sensor Insoles. Producing predictive load-carriage readiness scores and movement-health scores.
- Original Footwear (ATG)minorPartnership for AI-powered occupational footwear development. Original Footwear partnership for instrumented insoles.
- AnthropiccoreAI sub-processor for optional AI-generated language summaries (Norman.ai features). API inputs not used to train models. SOC 2 Type II certified.
- Google Cloud PlatformcoreCloud hosting, databases, storage, and ML compute. Holds SOC 1/2/3, ISO 27001, GDPR DPA, AES-256 at rest certifications.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Plantiga competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Playermaker: Playermaker produces smart insoles embedded with IMU sensors to measure soccer players' kicking, running, and load metrics. It is a direct competitor in the in-shoe sensor niche for soccer and football, targeting similar athlete monitoring outcomes but with a sport-specific focus rather than Plantiga's multi-sport approach.
- STATSports: STATSports provides GPS-based athlete tracking vests and analytics for elite football, rugby, and other sports teams globally. It competes with Plantiga for the same elite team performance staff budgets, with a stronger GPS-focused product and comparable push into load and injury analytics.
- Kinexon: Kinexon offers real-time indoor and outdoor athlete tracking using UWB and wearable sensors for professional sports and industrial applications. It is comparable to Plantiga in providing real-time biomechanical and positioning data to elite sports teams, with strength in indoor environments where GPS fails.
- Catapult Sports: Catapult Sports is a publicly listed athlete monitoring platform providing GPS and inertial wearables plus analytics software to professional teams worldwide. It is the closest direct peer to Plantiga in elite sports performance monitoring, competing for similar coaching, performance, and medical staff buyers across football, basketball, and other sports.
Broad incumbents
- Garmin: Garmin is a global consumer and prosumer wearables giant offering GPS watches, heart rate monitors, and analytics for runners, cyclists, and multisport athletes. It competes for amateur and professional athlete mindshare on training load and recovery metrics but lacks the in-shoe biomechanics specialization that differentiates Plantiga.
- Whoop: Whoop is a subscription-based wearable strap providing continuous physiological monitoring (heart rate, HRV, recovery, strain) for athletes and consumers. It is a broad incumbent in the athlete wearable market and overlaps with Plantiga on load and recovery analytics, though it does not capture foot-level biomechanics.
- Polar Electro: Polar is a long-established wearable sports technology brand offering heart rate monitors, GPS watches, and team tracking solutions for elite and amateur athletes. It overlaps with Plantiga in providing physiological and load monitoring to sports teams but is a much broader player with heart-rate-centric rather than in-shoe biomechanics specialization.
Emerging players
- Zepp Health (Amazfit): Zepp Health builds AI-powered wearables and health analytics platforms (Amazfit watches, Zepp app) for consumer and prosumer sports users. It is an emerging player with partial overlap in AI-driven movement and health insights, but at a more consumer-focused price point than Plantiga's elite team positioning.
- Orpyx Medical Technologies: Orpyx makes sensor-embedded insoles for diabetic foot ulcer prevention and movement monitoring in clinical populations. It is an emerging player in the in-shoe sensor space with a healthcare-focused use case that partially overlaps with Plantiga's healthcare/longevity and rehabilitation applications.
- Motus Global: Motus Global developed the ThrowSense sleeve and related baseball-focused wearable biomechanics products for professional pitchers. It is an emerging player in sport-specific biomechanics wearables, comparable to Plantiga in using inertial sensors to quantify athletic load and injury risk, but narrower in sport coverage.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Plantiga social profiles
Digital presencePlantiga compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance9 records
Plantiga financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Plantiga leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Plantiga funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds7 records
Investors11 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Plantiga M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Plantiga
What does Plantiga do?
Plantiga develops and sells the AI Movement Intelligence Platform, combining proprietary in-shoe IMU sensors (Arc5PRO) with AI software (Norman.ai, Plantiga Connect) to capture biomechanical movement data at the foot-ground interface. The platform delivers actionable insights for three core use cases: Return-to-Play decision making, Injury Prevention through continuous biomechanical surveillance, and Performance Longevity through load optimization for professional athletes. Customers subscribe to the platform with leased hardware components on an annual subscription basis.
Is Plantiga a public or private company?
Plantiga is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Plantiga founded?
Plantiga was founded in 2019. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Plantiga based?
Plantiga is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Plantiga make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Platform Subscription is the primary driver. The others are hardware Leasing, managed Services and trial Subscriptions.
Who are Plantiga's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Playermaker, STATSports, Kinexon and Catapult Sports. Broad incumbents are Garmin, Whoop and Polar Electro. Emerging players are Zepp Health (Amazfit), Orpyx Medical Technologies and Motus Global.
Does Plantiga have an API?
Yes. Plantiga's platform exposes API functionality for advanced users, enabling programmatic access to athlete movement data and platform features. The platform version 2.40 introduced expanded API functionality, and version 2.42 simplified API access. The API is described as available to advanced users but specific details (type, auth method, rate limits, versioning) are not stated in available sources.
What industry is Plantiga in?
Plantiga's product category is Sports Performance Analytics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSADAIAM, Corrective Exercise, Movement Screening & Biomechanics. Its NAICS code is 334510 and its SIC code is 3845.