Couro combines AI, innovation, and passion to fine-tune athletic performance

Photo courtesy of Couro

Opinions expressed by Digital Journal contributors are their own

For athletes of all kinds, especially runners, maximizing performance and preventing injuries go hand in hand. Unfortunately, up to 79% of runners suffer preventable injuries each year due to biomechanical issues that lead to unnecessary downtime and setbacks. That doesn’t even include all the athletes where running is just one part of their sport. The need for personalized, real-time coaching and injury prevention is key to keeping athletes healthy and performing at their best. 

However, overloaded coaches and physical therapists often struggle to provide the tailored attention runners need. This is where Couro comes in. By leveraging AI to analyze a runner’s form from simple video recordings, Couro delivers instant, actionable insights that help athletes optimize their performance, prevent injuries, and stay on track to reach their goals. 

“Most runners don’t have access to the kind of biomechanical analysis that could help them avoid injury and run more efficiently,” explains co-founder and CEO Cameron Van. Traditional methods, like having a physical therapist manually analyze a runner’s movements, are often too time-consuming and expensive. “Run labs charge upwards of $200 per analysis. Runners, from casual joggers to elite competitors, need access to affordable, ongoing performance tracking, and that is what we provide.”

Couro is unique in offering sensor-free biomechanical analysis. That means athletes don’t need special equipment and in-person professional expertise to get detailed feedback on their form, performance, and injury risks. Users can upload a video of a run, and within minutes, they receive a comprehensive report on their stride, acceleration, posture, and more.

Couro’s inception

The company was founded by a team of passionate runners with deep expertise in their respective fields. Van, a professional track and field long-jumper and attorney, was driven by a mission to bridge the gap between athletes and the high-quality coaching that is often difficult to access. 

“I was competing at the (formerly known as) Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista while trying to work a law firm job as well. It was difficult. I learned that even Olympians struggled to earn a living through their sport. It burst my bubble. If they couldn’t make it work, how could I? That made me realize the system was broken, and so many athletes lacked guidance. I wanted to connect young athletes with pros who needed to earn money, which led to me creating Couro. It became a place where athletes could connect with quality coaches.”

Van found himself helping a number of young athletes every day break down their techniques for free on social media, a process that quickly grew into something much larger. Using the platform, Van and other professional athletes were giving feedback to those needing coaching and guidance, but Van found the feedback to be much too slow. 

Van, along with co-founders Jacky Falkenberg, a marathoner and marketing strategist, and CTO Scott Campit, Ph.D. an expert in applied machine learning with a specialization in computer vision, set out to create a tool that could provide the same level of insight you’d get from a physical therapist or athletic trainer but in real-time. “We identified many common pain points from athletic coaches and physical therapists and automated it using AI. Now, athletes get instant, personalized feedback, and we continuously improve our system,” shares Campit.

The company’s early traction speaks to the solution’s effectiveness. They’ve partnered with seven running clubs in San Francisco, where more than 1,000 members are already excited about the potential of this technology. Couro has also been in discussions with high schools, colleges, and sports complexes, aiming to expand its reach and help athletes from all levels improve. And their growing mailing list of 700 interested runners is a strong indication that people are eager for the kind of service Couro offers.

Couro doesn’t just track an athlete’s performance; it actively helps them improve. “The app’s predictive capabilities can spot potential injury risks based on your running form. We offer actionable feedback like exercises to strengthen weaker muscles or adjust your posture,” adds Falkenberg.  

As the team looks toward the future, the vision for Couro is to expand its reach beyond just runners, eventually applying its AI-driven insights to other sports. “Whether the user is a casual runner battling shin splints or a pole vaulter trying to reach a new personal best, Couro’s personalized insights are designed to help athletes run smarter and stay healthy,” asserts Falkenberg. The team is also passionate about democratizing access to professional coaching and performance analysis. “We have plans to once again integrate feedback from top athletes to make the platform even more encompassing and effective.”

In short, Couro isn’t just about running; it’s about breaking down barriers to top-tier athletic performance for everyone. Whether you’re a high school athlete, a weekend warrior, or a professional trainer for your next race, this platform aims to help make sure you’re always improving and staying healthy. As Van puts it, “We want every runner to have access to expert coaching, no matter where they are or what they’re training for.”

Learn more about Couro today.