Colorado-based sports tech startup Sports VTS is releasing a new VR-based football training simulator called QBSIM. The simulator seeks to build upon many existing VR-based sports training systems by involving real-time player data from Pro Football Focus, as well as actual helmets, pads and footballs, providing more tactile feedback to pair with the simulated environments. The company was co-founded by former Broncos GM Ted Sundquist, who said, “I see a real opportunity to take the kind of simulation technology I saw in my military background, and pair it with the needs of GMs and coaches.” The Air Force grad added, “This is a way to get repetitions in game-speed settings and reaction from a virtual players without risk of injury.” The company has raised about $1M to date in a private fundraising, and is developing a Series A round for ’18. Costs for QBSIM have not been disclosed, but the product will be sold primarily on a monthly license basis. Meanwhile, Sports VTS also is working with former Catapult Sports President of North America Brian Kopp. A ’16 SBJ Forty Under 40 winner, Kopp has joined Sports VTS as Exec Dir of Business Development, a part-time, more advisory role that will allow him to continue with his other consulting work in the sports tech and analytics spaces. “I see a ton of potential here, not only for training environments, but also potentially more commercial, fan engagement types of applications,” Kopp said.
