Grip Boost
Grip Boost is a University of Maryland spin-out that designs and sells grip-enhancing athletic gloves, batting gloves, and putter grips using proprietary modified chitosan polymer technology. It serves individual football, baseball, and golf athletes through direct-to-consumer e-commerce with athlete-endorser-led marketing.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersHalethorpe, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Grip Boost does
Grip Boost is a privately held sports equipment company founded in 2014 as a spin-out from the University of Maryland's Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. The company develops and sells grip-enhancing athletic products — primarily football receiver and lineman gloves, baseball batting gloves, and golf putter grips — built on a proprietary modified chitosan-based polymer technology originally developed in Professor Srinivasa Raghavan's Complex Fluids and Nanomaterials Laboratory. Co-founders Matt Furstenburg (a former D1 and NFL player, now CEO), Chanda Arya (Ph.D. '14), and Kevin Diehn (lead inventor) commercialized the technology from medical applications (blood-clotting bandages, surgical sprays) into sports performance products, with the company's Boost+ Grip Technology forming an adhesive-like thin polymer film on glove surfaces and the BOOST+ Leather Grip Technology infused into premium Cabretta leather for batting gloves.
Grip Boost operates a direct-to-consumer e-commerce model through gripboost.com (a Shopify storefront), with no disclosed retail distribution or marketplace presence. Revenue is generated entirely through one-time unit purchases of gloves priced $40-$80, putter grips at $40, and consumable grip aids (Football Glove Gel, Clutch Hold Grip Spray, Streamer Towel) at $15-$16, with tiered bulk discounts (5-10% off, free shipping over $60) and no subscription offering. The customer base is highly fragmented across individual athletes and enthusiasts in football, baseball, and golf, supported by endorsement relationships with NFL players (Tyreek Hill, Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, DeSean Jackson, Cam Newton) and MLB's Kiké Hernández who serve as brand ambassadors rather than enterprise accounts. The company maintains 1-10 employees, holds no disclosed outside funding, and operates only in the United States.
The product portfolio spans the Stealth 6.0, DNA 2.0, Big Skill, Raptor 2.0, and Peace Stealth football glove lines, the Loaded Batting Gloves with BOOST+ Leather, the three-variant Pendulum Putter Grip family, and a complementary accessories line (Fly Plate Back Plate, Streamer Towel 3.0, Football Glove Gel, Clutch Hold Grip Spray). All football gloves are SFIA-certified for NFHS, NOCSAE, and NCAA competition, and Pendulum putter grips carry USGA approval. A premium sub-brand, House of Rare, markets limited-edition colorways and signature collaborations. Distribution is single-channel and domestic, fulfillment is small-team and bootstrapped, and the strategic posture centers on category extension (baseball, golf), premium sub-brand positioning, and athlete-led brand building.
Grip Boost firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Grip Boost
- Legal name
- Grip Boost
- Website
- https://gripboost.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Grip Boost is a University of Maryland spin-out that designs and sells grip-enhancing athletic gloves, batting gloves, and putter grips using proprietary modified chitosan polymer technology. It serves individual football, baseball, and golf athletes through direct-to-consumer e-commerce with athlete-endorser-led marketing.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Grip Boost industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Athletic Grip Performance Equipment
- NAICS
- Other Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing (3169)
- SIC
- Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Gloves & Mittens (CRAAAJAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Sports & Outdoor Accessories Manufacturing (Performance Gloves/Headwear) (IMAOAFAI), Golf Grips, Shafts & Components Retail (CRAMAGAJ)
Keywords
Where Grip Boost is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Halethorpe
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Grip Boost business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Personnel
Revenue model
- Athletic Gloves Sales: Primary revenue stream from selling football receiving gloves, lineman gloves, batting gloves, and golf putter grips. Products are sold at various price points ($40-$80) with bulk discounts encouraging multi-pair purchases. Both adult and youth sizing available.
- Grip Enhancement Products: Sales of complementary grip enhancement products including Football Glove Gel (2oz bottle), Clutch Hold Grip Spray (pine tar alternative), and Streamer Football Towel with cleaning functionality.
- Accessories and Apparel: Additional product lines including Football Back Plates (Fly Plate), Streamer Football Towels, and branded apparel such as House of Rare collaborations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Stealth 6.0 Football Gloves - Standard colors ($50), Specialty colors ($55-$60) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | DNA 2.0 Football Gloves - $50-$55 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Big Skill Lineman Gloves - $80 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Raptor 2.0 Padded Gloves - $55-$60 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Loaded Batting Gloves with BOOST+ Leather - $45 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Pendulum Putter Grips - $40 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Clutch Hold Grip Spray - $15 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Football Glove Gel - $15, Streamer Towel - $16 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Fly Plate Back Plate - $40 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
Grip Boost product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Grip Boost designs, manufactures, and sells grip-enhanced athletic gloves and golf putter grips built around a proprietary modified-chitosan polymer technology originally developed at the University of Maryland. Its product lines include football receiver and lineman gloves, baseball batting gloves with infused leather grip, golf putter grips, and complementary grip accessories (gel, spray, towel, back plate), sold primarily direct-to-consumer through its own e-commerce storefront.
Product overview
Grip Boost is a sports grip technology company offering a portfolio of grip-enhancing products across football, baseball, and golf. The core product lines include football receiver and lineman gloves (Stealth 6.0, DNA 2.0, Big Skill, Raptor 2.0, Peace Stealth 6, and limited edition partnerships with Cam Newton and DeSean Jackson), baseball batting gloves with BOOST+ Leather technology, golf putter grips (Pendulum Original, Slim, and Pistol), and supporting grip enhancement products including Football Glove Gel, Clutch Hold Grip Spray, Streamer Football Towel, and Fly Plate Back Plate. All products utilize proprietary modified chitosan-based grip technology developed at the University of Maryland.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- House of Rare: A premium sub-brand line of football gloves featuring exclusive colorways and limited edition designs.
Products and services
- Stealth 6.0 Football Gloves Wide-receiver football gloves featuring Boost+ Grip Technology with adhesive-like grip for catching and ball handling, available in multiple solid and specialty colorways at $50–$60.
- DNA 2.0 Football Gloves Receiver football gloves with engineered Grip Boost+ Stick palm and ultra-thin palm construction for natural feel and flexibility, priced at $50–$55.
- Big Skill Lineman Football Gloves Position-specific gloves for offensive and defensive linemen combining grip, padding, and durability for trench play, priced at $80.
- Raptor 2.0 Padded Football Gloves Padded receiver gloves for hybrid positions (tight ends, fullbacks, running backs, linebackers, defensive backs), combining strategic padding with Boost+ Grip Technology, priced at $55–$60.
- Peace Stealth 6 Football Gloves Boost+ Grip Technology receiver gloves available in themed colorways including Crucial Catch and assorted two-tone combinations for skill-position players.
- Cam Newton Stealth 6.0 Football Gloves Signature-style receiver gloves featuring Boost+ Grip Technology tied to NFL quarterback Cam Newton.
- DeSean Jackson Limited Edition Stealth 6.0 Football Gloves Limited-edition receiver gloves with Boost+ Grip Technology in exclusive DeSean Jackson colorways, priced at $55.
- Rosenhaus Sports Stealth 6 Football Gloves Collaborative receiver gloves with Rosenhaus Sports featuring Boost+ Grip Technology.
- Football Glove Gel 2oz bottle of grip-enhancing gel that reactivates and enhances the stickiness of any football or baseball batting gloves, priced at $15.
- https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0877/6118/files/grip-boost-football-equipment-white-grip-boost-streamer-football-towel-3-0-with-football-glove-cleaner-31286762438730.jpg Football towel with built-in glove cleaner for maintaining grip between plays, priced at $16.
- https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0877/6118/products/grip-boost-football-equipment-white-adult-grip-boost-fly-plate-football-back-plate-adult-youth-30088518991946.jpg Adult and youth football back plate with maximum energy disbursement technology, priced at $40.
- https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0877/6118/files/grip-boost-batting-gloves-small-grip-boost-loaded-baseball-batting-gloves-with-boost-plus-leather-black-1161521553.jpg Premium 100% Cabretta leather (0.9mm) batting gloves with proprietary BOOST+ Leather Grip Technology infused in the palm for pine-tar-level control without residue, priced at $45.
- https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0877/6118/products/grip-boost-grip-aids-grip-boost-clutch-hold-baseball-batting-glove-grip-spray-clear-pine-tar-2oz-14311572570186.jpg 2oz pine tar alternative spray for batting gloves providing tacky grip while resisting sweat, rain, and humidity without messy residue, priced at $15.
- https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0877/6118/products/grip-boost-golf-club-grips-grip-boost-pendulum-golf-putter-grip-30052088545354.jpg USGA-approved oversized putter grip (13" x 1.25" x 1", 85g) with patented etched surface and engineered shape shown to improve putting accuracy by over 30%, priced at $40.
- https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0877/6118/products/grip-boost-golf-club-grips-grip-boost-pendulum-golf-putter-grip-30052088643658.jpg USGA-approved slim-profile putter grip engineered to promote consistent hand position throughout the putting stroke, priced at $40.
- https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0877/6118/products/grip-boost-golf-club-grips-grip-boost-pendulum-golf-putter-grip-30052088741962.jpg USGA-approved pistol-shaped putter grip engineered for control and accuracy on the green, priced at $40.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 30% improvement in putting accuracy demonstrated in engineered shape studies for Pendulum Putter Grip compared to traditional putter grips
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Grip Boost
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Grip Boost technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Grip Boost partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Kiké HernándezcoreLos Angeles Dodgers star and three-time World Series Champion Kiké Hernández has partnered with Grip Boost, adopting the company's new batting glove technology featuring proprietary BOOST+ Leather Grip Technology. Hernández will have signature colorways released in limited quantities, with broader availability to follow. This partnership represents Grip Boost's expansion into professional baseball endorsement.
- University of Maryland - Department of Chemical and Biomolecular EngineeringcoreGrip Boost gel technology was invented and developed at the University of Maryland in the Complex Fluids and Nanomaterials Laboratory under Professor Srinivasa Raghavan. Co-founders Chanda Arya (Ph.D. '14) and Kevin Diehn, lead inventor, were part of Raghavan's research group which has extensive experience developing products with modified chitosan. The technology was originally developed for medical applications before being adapted for sports grip enhancement.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Grip Boost competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Under Armour: Under Armour's F-Series (e.g., F6, F7) football gloves are a category benchmark sold through major sporting-goods retailers. UA represents the broader athletic-apparel incumbent that competes with Grip Boost across football and beyond.
- Rawlings: Rawlings is a primary MLB batting-glove and protective-equipment supplier and overlaps directly with Grip Boost's baseball product line, particularly in the amateur-to-pro baseball channel.
- Wilson Sporting Goods: Wilson is the dominant baseball batting-glove and equipment brand (A2000, etc.) and a natural direct competitor to Grip Boost's Loaded batting gloves with BOOST+ Leather technology.
- Adidas Football: Adidas offers football receiver gloves alongside cleats and apparel at global retail scale. It is a broad incumbent competing for the same skill-position athlete endorsement dollars Grip Boost pursues.
- Franklin Sports: Franklin is a mass-market sporting-goods manufacturer with broad football and baseball glove lines sold through sporting-goods retailers. It represents the value-tier incumbent Grip Boost must differentiate against.
- Nike Football: Nike's Vapor Jet and SuperBad football gloves are the dominant branded option at retail with deep NFL endorsement contracts. Nike is the incumbent Grip Boost most directly competes against for pro deals and sporting-goods shelf space.
Regional players
- Mizuno: Mizuno is a strong golf-equipment and batting-glove brand with particular strength in Asia and Japan. It is comparable to Grip Boost as a golf/baseball glove peer in adjacent geographies.
Others
- Superior Glove Works: Superior Glove Works is a specialty glove manufacturer whose polymer-coating and high-grip industrial glove R&D overlaps thematically with Grip Boost's chitosan-grip IP. It is an adjacent comparable rather than a direct competitor.
Direct peers
- Battle Sports: Battle Sports manufactures football gloves, mouthguards, and protective gear targeted at skill-position players, directly overlapping Grip Boost's football glove SKUs and youth-to-pro market positioning.
- Cutters Gloves: Cutters is a leading specialist in football receiver and batting gloves, including the popular C-Force and Rev Pro lines. It competes head-to-head with Grip Boost in football skill-position gloves with sticky-palm technology, making it the closest direct comparable.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Grip Boost social profiles
Digital presenceGrip Boost compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Grip Boost financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Grip Boost leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Grip Boost funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Grip Boost 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 Grip Boost
What does Grip Boost do?
Grip Boost designs, manufactures, and sells grip-enhanced athletic gloves and golf putter grips built around a proprietary modified-chitosan polymer technology originally developed at the University of Maryland. Its product lines include football receiver and lineman gloves, baseball batting gloves with infused leather grip, golf putter grips, and complementary grip accessories (gel, spray, towel, back plate), sold primarily direct-to-consumer through its own e-commerce storefront.
Is Grip Boost a public or private company?
Grip Boost is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Grip Boost founded?
Grip Boost was founded in 2014. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Grip Boost based?
Grip Boost is headquartered in Halethorpe, United States, in the North America region.
How does Grip Boost make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Athletic Gloves Sales are the primary driver. The others are grip Enhancement Products and accessories and Apparel.
Who are Grip Boost's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Under Armour, Rawlings, Wilson Sporting Goods, Adidas Football, Franklin Sports and Nike Football. Mizuno is listed as a regional player. Superior Glove Works is listed as an others. Direct peers are Battle Sports and Cutters Gloves.
Does Grip Boost have an API?
No public API is recorded for Grip Boost.
What industry is Grip Boost in?
Grip Boost's product category is Athletic Grip Performance Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAAAJAG, Gloves & Mittens, with a secondary code of IMAOAFAI, Sports & Outdoor Accessories Manufacturing (Performance Gloves/Headwear). Its NAICS code is 3169 and its SIC code is 3949.