Sports startup SWOT Sportech uses analytics and biomechanics to train young athletes

With sports science in India largely concentrated around elite athletes, SWOT Sportech is attempting to take data-driven training to the grassroots. The startup, founded by sports analyst and sports management professional Rushi Pranav Mattapalli, is working to make scientific athlete development accessible to aspiring sportspersons, academies and clubs across the country. Built on the philosophy of ‘Play. Analyze. Improve’, SWOT combines sports analytics, biomechanics, exercise physiology, sports psychology and nutrition to help athletes improve performance while reducing injury risks. The platform uses wearable technology, GPS trackers, HR vests, biomechanical assessments and video analytics to generate real-time performance insights. “We noticed how top-level sports science tools were only reaching elite players. With SWOT, we want to change that. Our aim is to bring sports insights to every athlete at a cost that doesn’t bench their dreams,” says Rushi, who conducted a summit in Visakhapatnam recently. A graduate in sports management from the University of Mumbai, Rushi has worked with organisations such as the Board of Control for Cricket in India and Delhi Capitals, experiences that exposed him to how scientific athlete monitoring can transform performance. The startup has already begun seeing results through pilot interventions. Rushi cites the example of a fast bowler who approached the team with recurring injury concerns. “Using our data reports and corrective plans, he increased his pace from 110 kmph to 135 kmph within three months,” he says. In another case, a motorsport athlete struggling with endurance during races underwent a month-long customised programme combining physiology, biomechanics and sports psychology. “He used to face fatigue after 40 minutes in a 100-minute race. After our intervention, he went on to become the overall tournament winner,” says Rushi. One of the startup’s focus areas is bridging the accessibility gap at competitive domestic levels. “Right now, even many Ranji Trophy teams lack sports science support. We are trying to make these services affordable by bringing portable field-testing modules directly to schools and academies so infrastructure costs can be shared,” says Rushi. The startup is already collaborating with academies, clubs and teams in Delhi and Punjab, and is now looking to expand into Andhra Pradesh and other States. According to Rushi, SWOT’s approach is not aimed at replacing traditional coaching systems but strengthening them with measurable evidence. “We don’t replace a coach’s instinct; we enhance it. Sports science validates a coach’s experience, removes guesswork and helps understand an athlete’s fatigue and recovery levels,” he explains. The startup also hopes to involve former athletes and experienced professionals in building a stronger sports science culture in India. “ athletes have immediate locker-room credibility. They can bridge the gap between traditional coaching and modern sports science. Countries like Australia have built strong sporting ecosystems through this culture, and India can do the same,” says Rushi. While cricket remains one of the biggest markets for sports science in India, SWOT’s model is designed for multiple disciplines. “Sports science is sport-agnostic. We customise our biomechanics and physiology tools for everything from cricket and athletics to motorsports,” he says. Mental conditioning, he adds, remains one of the most neglected aspects of athlete development in India. “Mental conditioning dictates almost 80% of game-day success. We use cognitive testing and simplified routines to make sports psychology as practical and accepted as physical training,” he says.