Veeneman and Shepard worked on the concept in a new class called the Flyer Nest. According to a UD press release, the class provides “students mentorship and resources while encouraging post-graduation ownership of their ventures.”
Veeneman told UD the inspiration for the chin strap came from “U.S. Department of Defense technology for hazmat suits that signals when seals are compromised.”
“Playing football and then watching NFL games, I couldn’t help but notice helmets were coming off left and right during live play,” he said. “I got curious and started tracking them. In just a few weekends, I counted nearly 300 instances of loose chin straps or helmets popping off — until I finally gave up because there were just too many to keep up with.”
On his LinkedIn profile, Veeneman lists himself as the CEO of Saturn Sports, which is “a startup founded by University of Dayton students dedicated to advancing sports safety through innovative technology. Our current focus is on improving helmet security in football, recognizing the crucial role of a properly tightened chinstrap in player safety. A significant number of athletes fail to fully secure their chinstraps, increasing the risk of injury. Saturn Sports is developing a cutting-edge solution to ensure proper chinstrap tightening, enhancing safety and reducing injuries at all levels of the game.”
This was the 19th year for the Flyer Pitch Competition. It’s sponsored by UD’s L. William Crotty Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership and the Greater West Dayton Incubator in partnership with PNC Bank and The Entrepreneur’s Center. According to UD’s website, “more than 80 new ventures have been launched as a result of the competition with over $24 million in follow-on capital raised by those businesses.”
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