MoveFactorX is Creating a Healthier Future Through Movement and Technology
MoveFactorX founders, Scott Damman and Ivan Kim, combine sports performance and technology to create movement health solutions that reach beyond elite athletics.
Written by Sarah Carpenter
MoveFactorX co-founder, Scott Damman, assists a young athlete training with the company's Ballistic Ball at a recent SportStats Performance event in Grand Rapids.
The journey of MoveFactorX co-founders, Scott Damman and Ivan Kim, started about five years ago when they were introduced by a mutual connection in the tech industry. Combining their sports performance and software development backgrounds, the duo ventured into the high-performance market, an arena marked by rapid innovation and a growing demand for cutting-edge solutions.
Their sports performance products have garnered a global user base, ranging from elite professional and Olympic sports environments to collegiate competition and youth athletic development. However, Damman and Kim were always driven by a vision to extend their impact beyond athletes and provide a movement health solution for the general population.
“As a sports fan, sure, it’s fun to be behind the scenes in the elite athletic environment and, at the same time, exciting to see our innovations in use,” Damman said. “But I think you need to look at the question of your impact story. Is it enough to focus on one percent of the population versus impacting the entire population?”
The significance of this mission became personal when Damman’s father faced the challenges of arthritis.
“He was on the track of pharmaceuticals, and the side effects were debilitating. I told him, ‘You gotta move.’ At first, he resisted. What parent listens to their kid? But it certainly created urgency of applying our high-performance experience to the longevity market.”
MoveFactorX co-founder, Scott Damman, with Dr. Kimitake Sato and Japanese National Coaches, where MoveFactorX was featured as part of the PeakForce applied Sports Science Certification in November 2023.
The duo began conceptualizing ways to bring their lab-quality movement performance information to practical settings. Establishing relationships within the healthcare space, they developed a “blueprint” for physical performance evaluations, scaling their innovation into the longevity market. Today, MoveFactorX products are being used in clinical settings at the Mayo Clinic and Sanford Health. The same training principles used to help athletes become more explosive on the field are now helping people of all ages, shapes, and sizes become more efficient doing simple tasks, like standing up from sitting in a chair.
“We look at things that work at a high level and downstream to the general population so we can impact the longevity space.”
MoveFactorX’s product line includes a wearable movement sensor and a smart medicine ball, providing instant feedback on balance, reaction, mobility, and functional power. This technology creates a movement scorecard, enabling healthcare professionals to deliver targeted exercise interventions.
Damman says, “These types of clinical relationships allow us to share our innovation and concepts while gathering important feedback from the end user. Products only work when the innovation successfully fits in the environment. We have already received feedback that our products have improved patient engagement and motivation.”
Damman’s father, once reliant on arthritis medications, now considers movement as medicine, serving as the company’s primary beta tester and an encouraging success story.
“Dad just needed to move, and he loves MoveFactorX’s measurements. The information created awareness and motivation to get better, and it works.”
Beta testing is a crucial step in MoveFactorX’s plan to commercialize the longevity and healthcare platform in 2024. Damman emphasizes the importance of their involvement in the MSU Research Foundation community at The Bridge incubator facility within the Doug Meijer Medical Innovation Building in Grand Rapids.
“It’s a privilege to work in a community environment with access to resources like the Entrepreneurs-In-Residence program and help applying for the Business Accelerator Fund. Janet Wyllie (Director of Gateway Services) engages us regularly to review product positioning and help us make new connections. It’s about showing up and taking advantage of what’s in front of you. It has put us in a position to succeed.”
MoveFactorX has recently secured an investment from Red Cedar Ventures, a venture investment subsidiary of the MSU Research Foundation, and is actively seeking additional partnerships. Damman, a Michigan State University graduate and Rochester Hills native, expressed excitement about growing the company in Grand Rapids.
“Getting a business off the ground obviously takes a lot of time, patience, and perseverance. But it also takes those forward-thinking users and a team of global collaborators, and we have been very fortunate in that regard.”
To learn more about MoveFactorX, visit movefactorx.com.