Helmet Startup Gets Funding, Looks To Ready Product For NFL Use

Vicis, a helmet startup with NFL backing, recently closed out a $4M Series A financing round. The Univ. of Washington offshoot’s total funding now is $14M, $750,000 of which came from the NFL’s Head Health Initiative. The helmet has a soft exterior shell designed to absorb impact better than the harder shells currently in use. A Vicis spokesperson via email wrote the "new round consists of investments from 60+ individuals – angels, neurosurgeons, spine surgeons, and business leaders." He added the funding "will be used to ramp (up) for production and commercialization of the ZERO1 helmet." The company hopes to have the helmet ready for on-field NFL use this upcoming season.