VALD Acquires BridgeAthletic in Performance Tech Deal

VALD has acquired US-based BridgeAthletic, combining athlete measurement, training data and strength-and-conditioning programming within one connected performance technology platform.

BridgeAthletic provides software that allows coaches and performance teams to design individual training programmes, deliver workouts and monitor athlete development. Its platform is used by more than 6,000 sports teams, 200,000 athletes, 5,000 personal trainers and 100 national teams.

The transaction follows VALD’s acquisition of GymAware one week earlier. GymAware specialises in velocity-based training technology that measures barbell and movement velocity, allowing coaches to monitor training performance in real time.

Together, the two acquisitions significantly expand VALD beyond its existing athlete testing and monitoring products. Its technology is already used to measure areas including strength, power, movement, balance and rehabilitation.

The combined platform is intended to connect three previously separate areas of the performance process. VALD will provide objective athlete testing, GymAware will capture real-time training data, and BridgeAthletic will support programme design, workout delivery and ongoing monitoring.

BridgeAthletic will become part of the wider VALD ecosystem, although the companies have not disclosed details of any brand changes, product integration timetable or staffing implications.

The two acquisitions indicate that VALD is moving towards an end-to-end performance system through which coaches can test athletes, prescribe individual programmes, monitor training sessions and adjust future workloads using connected data.