Infosys Invests $3 Million In Pro Sports Performance Data Startup Whoop – TechCrunch

Infosys, the India-headquartered consulting and IT firm, is getting into sports and wearables after it announced a $3 million strategic investment in Whoop, a Boston-based company that provides performance data to professional athletes and sports teams.

Whoop was spun out of the Harvard Innovation Lab and raised $12 million back in September, when it also announced the availability of its data evaluation system for athletes. Its core product, which is currently being trialled “across major professional sports leagues and college conferences” in the U.S., consists of a wrist-based wearable that tracks performance, strain and recovery levels, and a data processing system that takes this information and provides meaningful and actionable feedback.

Beyond sports performance itself, the tracker monitors an athlete’s quality of sleep and their body’s reaction to workouts. Using Whoop’s own algorithm, the results are presented to teams, coaches and trainers to help optimize training schedules to get the best out of their players.

Neither company specified how the money or relationship would be utilized going forward, but it is easy to see why a company like Infosys — which crunches data for a range of international clients across a host of different verticals — is interested in getting into quantified health, particularly for professional clients. The Indian company will presumably be able to lend its own extensive experience and staff to help the young U.S. company develop.

Earlier this year, we talked to Infosys CEO Vishal Sikka about the challenge of shifting the culture and thinking at the firm to a more design and creative focus. Notable news under his 18-month tenure to date have included the acquisition of e-commerce services provider Kallidus for $120 million, purchase of Saas firm Panaya for $200 million, and — just last week — an investment in disaster recovery company CloudEndure.