KinoTek receives $60K MTI grant to accelerate product development

KinoTek’s software platform uses virtual reality and motion capture technology to provide an inside look at the human body.

KinoTek, a software startup spun out of research done at the University of Maine, has received a grant of $60,000 from the Maine Technology Institute to accelerate development of its virtual and augmented reality platform with applications in the sports industry.

The company’s software uses virtual reality, wearable sensors and motion capture technology to create “x-ray vision” that can be used to improve athletic output and reduce the chance of injury. It claims it has received early interest from national sports organizations that would utilize the technology to develop programs for professional athletes to optimize training and field performance.

“This award from MTI allows KinoTek to continue our rapid growth, particularly in the sports market. It provides critical interim funding while we continue conversation with institutional and corporate investors to strategically execute our seed round,” Justin Hafner, KinoTek’s co-founder and CEO, said in a news release.

Hafner co-founded the company in 2018 at the University of Maine. The company, which is now based in Portland, has managed to make some early headlines:

In March 2019, it won the inaugural Greenlight Maine Collegiate Challenge and its $25,000 top prize.
In May, it was named a finalist for Launchpad’s Emerging Ideas award.
In August, Startup Maine selected the company to attend TechCrunch’s Disrupt conference in San Francisco along with seven other Maine startups.
In October, Scratchpad Accelerator, a startup accelerator program in Bangor, selected the company as one of four companies (out of 22 that applied) for its 2019 cohort.

“Having watched the company emerge as the winner of Greenlight Maine’s first collegiate series and engage in various business accelerators to help scale the company, it’s clear that KinoTek’s impressive multidisciplinary team is well-positioned to make an impact in the market,” MTI President Brian Whitney, told Mainebiz. “We look forward to continuing to work with them as they grow the company and add quality jobs here in Maine.”