Fire Awards: Winner - Software/innovation
Chesterfield-based firm Rapsodo, which provides sports analytics technology to baseball, softball and golf, has achieved rapid growth in recent years. It landed a spot on the 2022 lnc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies, with its revenue increasing 252% from 2018 to 2021. Rapsodo is headquartered in Singapore and has its U.S. operations based in St. Louis.
Rapsodo said all 30 Major League Baseball teams have used its technology within the past year and that 94% of NCAA Division I baseball teams use its products. It develops and sells hardware technologies designed to collect and analyze data and analytics for golf, baseball and softball players.
Matthew Fowles, Rapsodo’s director of marketing, answered questions about the company's latest achievements.
What was your company’s biggest achievement in the past year? For Rapsodo, achievement is a milestone to measure the impact of hard work and dedication. We know that by constantly striving for progress we are able to create better experiences, better products, and ultimately, a better life for our customers. In the past year, Rapsodo has launched two tools, the Pro 3.0 in baseball and MLM2PRO Mobile Launch Monitor and Golf Simulator, that will help our customers — athletes — play like never before.
Rapsodo has made it on the Inc. 5000 list each of the past two years. What has driven its big growth figures? Technology and data enhance our lives on a daily basis, sports included, with endless possibilities when put in the right hands. Rapsodo's growth is driven by further adoption of sports technology across baseball, softball and golf from athletes that want to experience these possibilities. We are thankful for the athletes that aren't just our customers, they're the life of our company.
All 30 Major League Baseball teams have used Rapsodo’s technology within the past year, as well as 94% of NCAA Division I baseball teams. How has the company been able to develop such strong market share? Rapsodo is a leader in affordable, pro-grade sports vision technology for athletes looking to get more out of their game. Rapsodo is unique in the sense that it was built by a strong combination of engineering expertise and our own athletes who have played baseball, softball and golf. It has created an ecosystem of data-driven, player performance products that put next-level play within reach for athletes across the world.
The company has inked partnerships with coaches, like golf coach Claude Harmon, and sports leagues, like the Prospect League. How do those partnerships help grow the business? Rapsodo is grateful to be trusted by the best in the game, working with some of the largest professional teams, coaches, and players worldwide. Their confidence in the brand and shared belief that data drives transformation has enabled Rapsodo to demonstrate that champions choose Rapsodo.
How is having Rapsodo’s U.S. operations based in St. Louis a competitive advantage for the company? For a decade or more, St. Louis has been a rising star for startups and tech. Layer in the fact it has the best sports fans in the world along with top-tier secondary education, and the elements make for an excellent headquarters location for a sports vision technology company.
As technology continues to take a bigger role in sports and athletic performance, how does Rapsodo plan to continue to stay ahead of the curve in terms of technology and product innovation? Technology never stops advancing, athletes never settle, and neither do we. The future of sports is in our sights, and we plan to learn from the athletes that got us here, so we can continue to charge forward with new experiences that set the tone for innovation in sports technology.
What is your company’s top goal for the next year? Our top goal will always be to give athletes around the world the ability to get more out of their game. If we pay attention to the athletes and do right by them, the other goals will take care of themselves.
Is your company hiring? If so, for what roles? Yes. As the company grows, our team grows with it. Head over to Rapsodo.com to check out the latest roles.
For links to profiles of winners and finalists in the 2023 Fire Awards and Startup Exit Awards, go here: Editor's note: Honoring entrepreneurs making an impact
