Access to sports leaders and tech ecosystem draws California start-up to Indiana

Sports Tech HQ announced today that California-based EDGE Sound Research will expand with a location and demo center in Indianapolis, leveraging the world-class sports ecosystem and rapidly growing tech industry in the city and state.

EDGE Sound Research is redefining audio and the way fans experience it. With their patent-pending “embodied sound” technology, fans are able to hear and feel every moment in sporting events, concerts and other entertainment settings. The technology utilizes hardware attached to objects such as seats and software that controls vibration, creating real-time, multi-sensory experiences from any audio input.

“Indiana knows sports, and we have, time and time again, been the premier destination for some of the biggest events in the world,” said Jeffrey Hintz, Executive Director of Sports Tech HQ. “EDGE Sound Research brings to our ecosystem a revolutionary new technology that is poised to transform the fan experience.”

EDGE Sound Research recently won an internationally-acclaimed pitch competition (sports tech category) at Rally, a global innovation conference that forges and celebrates cross-sector connections.

“I’m excited about our expansion into Indiana, as it represents a strategic next step in our growth as a venture,” said Valtteri (“Val”) Salomaki, co-founder and CEO of EDGE Sound Research. “Indiana boasts a strong sports ecosystem, a growing tech scene, and numerous top-ranked universities, providing a solid foundation for advancing our Embodied Sound™ technology across various industries, starting with live event venues. We are grateful for the state’s warm welcome and the resources provided to help us redefine the audio market with innovative multimodal audio research.”

Indiana will serve as a second home for the EDGE Sound Research team as they look to grow their sports book of business. Their investment in Indiana’s tech ecosystem will include hiring an Indianapolis-based executive leadership position, as well as setting up sales and logistics operations. Additionally, EDGE Sound Research is currently in partnership with Pacers Sports & Entertainment and will install a demo center in January 2024.

“Not only are we excited to use this groundbreaking technology to enhance the fan experience, we are equally excited to assist this innovative start-up as they establish a home in Indiana,” said Todd Taylor, President and Chief Commercial Officer at Pacers Sports & Entertainment.

About EDGE Sound Research

EDGE Sound Research is a venture-funded startup and the inventor of Embodied Sound™, the world’s first multimodal audio system capable of transforming ordinary objects such as stadium seating and flooring into multi-sensory audio experiences. Users can hear and feel everything—from music in a venue to live sporting action—in an entirely new and real-time way.

About Sports Tech HQ

Sports Tech HQ is a nonprofit organization fueling Indiana’s transformation into a global hub for sports technology. Home to a world-class sports infrastructure, Indiana provides the foundation for entrepreneurs to advance innovations that elevate the game for fans, athletes, and teams. Sports Tech HQ attracts companies from around the world to join its collective, positioning them at the forefront of an industry projected to reach $100B by 2030. Discover how these companies are driving the future of sports through Indiana’s robust ecosystem of partners at sthq.org.