Ghent University spinoff OnTracx has raised €1.2 million ($1.4 million) in seed funding to advance its smart sensor and digital platform that helps runners and health professionals understand the body’s response to running.

Unlike solutions that claim to eliminate injuries, OnTracx focuses on making hidden biomechanical load visible, with an emphasis on cumulative load—long recognized by experts as the key to safer training and more effective rehabilitation.

The funding round was backed by imec.istart Fund, PMV, KBC and Belgian and Dutch business angels with expertise in sports medicine and entrepreneurship, complemented by an innovation grant from VLAIO. The money will help the company refine product features, expand commercialization, and prepare for entry into Europe and North America.

OnTracx’s lightweight sensor, worn on the lower leg, measures load on tendons, muscles, and joints— factors behind nearly 80% of running injuries. By combining objective sensor data with runner-reported input such as symptoms, the platform delivers real-time insights for physiotherapists, podiatrists, coaches, and runners while respecting their expertise, according to OnTracx bigwigs.

“Distance, pace, or running analysis data are useful, but they’re only part of the story,” OnTracx Co-Founder/CEO Senne Bonnaerens said. “Our mission is to reveal the hidden loads that drive injury risk so athletes and caregivers can make better decisions, whether for ongoing training or a confident return to sport.”

Since its commercial launch in April 2024, OnTracx has sold more than 500 sensors and partnered with 20 sports medical centers in Belgium. Its academic roots at UGent have earned international recognition, including winning an Under Armour innovation prize and being a finalist in Deloitte’s “10 Fastest Rising Tech Startups” program in 2024.

“With OnTracx, scientific knowledge is translated into a practical product that can impact thousands of runners and their caregivers. It’s an inspiring example of academic research brought to life through entrepreneurship,” orthopedic surgeon and investor Dr. François Hardeman stated.

With 110 million runners worldwide—half facing injury each year—OnTracx is striving to redefine sports medicine by bridging rehab, training, and performance to reduce reinjury, support sustainable training, and lower healthcare costs.

Founded in 2023, OnTracx combines award-winning research with wearable technology and intelligent load management to support running rehabilitation, injury prevention, and performance training for athletes, clinicians, and runners worldwide.