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Patent-pending technology, engineered with Cambridge Design Partnership (CDP), uses a novel triangular force plate architecture to capture real-time ground force data directly from the sports surface at scale.
LONDON, April 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Sports technology company Feldspar Group Holdings Limited ("Feldspar") has developed a patent-pending prototype of its world-first surface-based force measurement platform, capable of capturing real-time data directly from the surface at scale.
The platform is designed to scale beyond athletics into multiple sports and live-event environments, setting a new standard for performance measurement and unlocking new insights across coaching, live broadcasting, and fan engagement.
Feldspar has opened its first external funding round to support pilot deployments and accelerate commercial rollout.
Bringing force measurement into live performance
For decades, force data has largely been confined to specialist laboratories using expensive, fixed equipment. While cameras and wearables dominate modern performance analysis, they cannot directly measure the forces that drive movement and performance.
The platform captures ground reaction forces directly from the playing surface, delivering full three-dimensional data from every footstep. This provides a direct view of how athletes generate speed, power and movement.
At the centre of the system is a triangular force plate with a novel architecture that introduces a fundamentally new approach to measurement. Rather than directly measuring every force component, the system derives the horizontal force from the vertical force. This simplifies system design, potentially reduces cost by up to ten times compared with traditional force plates and makes deployment at scale commercially viable.
By integrating the system directly into the surface, Feldspar enables measurement across entire environments rather than at isolated points, while removing the need for repeated setup and manual operation. This enables near-instant deployment, continuous real-time data capture, and immediate feedback via a live dashboard.
For coaches, it enables continuous monitoring and instant feedback. For broadcasters, it opens new ways to integrate live performance data into coverage, enhancing fan engagement.
Built for scale, beyond athletics
The initial pilot will focus on athletics, where the system can be deployed across full tracks to measure multiple athletes simultaneously in both training and competition. The platform is designed to scale across sports and live environments allowing up to 40 players to be tracked on a single surface such as a football field.
The application extends to high-speed field sports such as football, American football and rugby, as well as court sports including padel, basketball and squash, with flexibility for both permanent and temporary deployment, creating a new layer of standardised, real-time performance data across sport.
As data scales, the system supports the development of a unified AI-powered data platform, enabling benchmarking, injury risk detection and predictive performance insights. The updates mark a major step towards a fully integrated, scalable sensing platform.
This builds on Feldspar's 2025 announcement of its first functional prototype, the world's fastest sensor-enabled track and its partnership with global sports and entertainment agency 54.
Groundbreaking partnership
The system is being developed in partnership with Cambridge Design Partnership (CDP), a leading, employee-owned product development consultancy known for creating "first-of-a-kind" innovations and for its multidisciplinary team of over 300 engineers. CDP specialises in delivering complex, high-reliability systems across multiple sectors, including real-time performance technologies such as Gmax, an advanced, lightweight GPS tracking system used in horse racing to provide live data on performance, positioning, and safety.
For this project, CDP brings together expertise across physics, electronics, software and manufacturing to translate advanced science into a robust, user-centred product, supported by its integrated Pilot Production Centre for building and testing the track. The partnership is focused on designing for manufacture and preparing the technology for real-world deployment as it transitions from prototype to pilot scale.
Capital raise
This first external funding round aims to accelerate go-to-market activities and move from pilot deployment towards commercial rollout. The funding will support further product development, pilot programmes, and early commercial activity, following foundational backing from a Hong Kong family office.
Alvina Chen, Founder and CEO of Feldspar, "Until now, most systems have inferred movement from camera footage, without directly measuring the forces athletes generate through the ground. With Feldspar's world-first system, currently in prototype, embedded in the playing surface, we capture those forces in real time, exactly where movement starts. This allows us to see how athletes generate force to accelerate, change direction, jump and produce speed and power, transforming how performance is understood and how sport is experienced."
Wade Tipton, CEO, Cambridge Design Partnership (CDP), said: "Capturing data directly from the ground at scale has not previously been possible. In close collaboration with Feldspar, our team has designed, developed, built and tested a world's first force measurement system integrated directly into the surface, marking a significant engineering step with the potential to transform athletics and multi-sport applications."
Tim Godfrey, Executive Director and Board Member at Feldspar, added: "This force-plate system is the first step in building a scalable, multi-sport platform, capturing real-time performance data directly from the surface at scale. It sets a new standard for measurement across sport and marks a foundational moment for Feldspar - with further announcements to follow as we expand the platform and scale the business globally."
For more information including product visuals, visit feldsparsport.com
IMAGES:
For hi-res imagery of the Feldspar technology please click here
Notes to Editors
The Universal Sensor Platform is built on a highly scalable architecture, with an underlying communication protocol designed to support large-scale connected deployments. It captures high-frequency force data, over 1,000 Hz, including centre of pressure and 3D force profiles, simultaneously across up to 200 sensing platforms, each comprising multiple sensors.
About Feldspar Group Holdings Limited
Feldspar is a UK-based sports technology company developing the world's first integrated smart flooring system, beginning with high-performance running tracks and force measurement across entire tracks.
Founded in 2022 by Alvina Chen, a former professional track athlete, Feldspar was created with a mission to enhance performance and elevate fan engagement across sports. Its platform captures real-time data directly from the surface of play, enabling new insights for athletes, coaches and live sports environments.
Patent-pending technology, engineered with Cambridge Design Partnership (CDP), uses a novel triangular force plate architecture to capture real-time ground force data directly from the sports surface at scale.
LONDON, April 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Sports technology company Feldspar Group Holdings Limited ("Feldspar") has developed a patent-pending prototype of its world-first surface-based force measurement platform, capable of capturing real-time data directly from the surface at scale.
The platform is designed to scale beyond athletics into multiple sports and live-event environments, setting a new standard for performance measurement and unlocking new insights across coaching, live broadcasting, and fan engagement.
Feldspar has opened its first external funding round to support pilot deployments and accelerate commercial rollout.
Bringing force measurement into live performance
For decades, force data has largely been confined to specialist laboratories using expensive, fixed equipment. While cameras and wearables dominate modern performance analysis, they cannot directly measure the forces that drive movement and performance.
The platform captures ground reaction forces directly from the playing surface, delivering full three-dimensional data from every footstep. This provides a direct view of how athletes generate speed, power and movement.
At the centre of the system is a triangular force plate with a novel architecture that introduces a fundamentally new approach to measurement. Rather than directly measuring every force component, the system derives the horizontal force from the vertical force. This simplifies system design, potentially reduces cost by up to ten times compared with traditional force plates and makes deployment at scale commercially viable.
By integrating the system directly into the surface, Feldspar enables measurement across entire environments rather than at isolated points, while removing the need for repeated setup and manual operation. This enables near-instant deployment, continuous real-time data capture, and immediate feedback via a live dashboard.
For coaches, it enables continuous monitoring and instant feedback. For broadcasters, it opens new ways to integrate live performance data into coverage, enhancing fan engagement.
Built for scale, beyond athletics
The initial pilot will focus on athletics, where the system can be deployed across full tracks to measure multiple athletes simultaneously in both training and competition. The platform is designed to scale across sports and live environments allowing up to 40 players to be tracked on a single surface such as a football field.
The application extends to high-speed field sports such as football, American football and rugby, as well as court sports including padel, basketball and squash, with flexibility for both permanent and temporary deployment, creating a new layer of standardised, real-time performance data across sport.
As data scales, the system supports the development of a unified AI-powered data platform, enabling benchmarking, injury risk detection and predictive performance insights. The updates mark a major step towards a fully integrated, scalable sensing platform.
This builds on Feldspar's 2025 announcement of its first functional prototype, the world's fastest sensor-enabled track and its partnership with global sports and entertainment agency 54.
Groundbreaking partnership
The system is being developed in partnership with Cambridge Design Partnership (CDP), a leading, employee-owned product development consultancy known for creating "first-of-a-kind" innovations and for its multidisciplinary team of over 300 engineers. CDP specialises in delivering complex, high-reliability systems across multiple sectors, including real-time performance technologies such as Gmax, an advanced, lightweight GPS tracking system used in horse racing to provide live data on performance, positioning, and safety.
For this project, CDP brings together expertise across physics, electronics, software and manufacturing to translate advanced science into a robust, user-centred product, supported by its integrated Pilot Production Centre for building and testing the track. The partnership is focused on designing for manufacture and preparing the technology for real-world deployment as it transitions from prototype to pilot scale.
Capital raise
This first external funding round aims to accelerate go-to-market activities and move from pilot deployment towards commercial rollout. The funding will support further product development, pilot programmes, and early commercial activity, following foundational backing from a Hong Kong family office.
Alvina Chen, Founder and CEO of Feldspar, "Until now, most systems have inferred movement from camera footage, without directly measuring the forces athletes generate through the ground. With Feldspar's world-first system, currently in prototype, embedded in the playing surface, we capture those forces in real time, exactly where movement starts. This allows us to see how athletes generate force to accelerate, change direction, jump and produce speed and power, transforming how performance is understood and how sport is experienced."
Wade Tipton, CEO, Cambridge Design Partnership (CDP), said: "Capturing data directly from the ground at scale has not previously been possible. In close collaboration with Feldspar, our team has designed, developed, built and tested a world's first force measurement system integrated directly into the surface, marking a significant engineering step with the potential to transform athletics and multi-sport applications."
Tim Godfrey, Executive Director and Board Member at Feldspar, added: "This force-plate system is the first step in building a scalable, multi-sport platform, capturing real-time performance data directly from the surface at scale. It sets a new standard for measurement across sport and marks a foundational moment for Feldspar - with further announcements to follow as we expand the platform and scale the business globally."
For more information including product visuals, visit feldsparsport.com
IMAGES:
For hi-res imagery of the Feldspar technology please click here
Notes to Editors
The Universal Sensor Platform is built on a highly scalable architecture, with an underlying communication protocol designed to support large-scale connected deployments. It captures high-frequency force data, over 1,000 Hz, including centre of pressure and 3D force profiles, simultaneously across up to 200 sensing platforms, each comprising multiple sensors.
About Feldspar Group Holdings Limited
Feldspar is a UK-based sports technology company developing the world's first integrated smart flooring system, beginning with high-performance running tracks and force measurement across entire tracks.
Founded in 2022 by Alvina Chen, a former professional track athlete, Feldspar was created with a mission to enhance performance and elevate fan engagement across sports. Its platform captures real-time data directly from the surface of play, enabling new insights for athletes, coaches and live sports environments.
** This press release is distributed by PR Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **
Feldspar unveils world's first surface-based force measurement platform, announces engineering partnership and opens capital raise
Feldspar unveils world's first surface-based force measurement platform, announces engineering partnership and opens capital raise
Pickleball Boom Continues to Drive Multi-Million Dollar Opportunities
HONG KONG, April 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Sources Sports & Outdoor officially opened today at AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong, running from 27 to 30 April. Guided by the theme "Selecting Great Products, and Even Better Factories," the show brings together leading exhibitors from across Asia with more than 400 booths, covering a full range of categories including camping, hiking, watersports, urban fitness and trend-forward outdoor lifestyles. The show showcases Asia's supply chain agility in responding swiftly to market demands, along with its potential for sustainable growth. A series of innovative displays and professional activities offer global buyers in-depth insights into the latest trends and product applications in the sports sector. The show is projected to attract nearly 10,000 professional B2B buyer visits.
John Kao, Vice President of Hong Kong Shows & Overseas Shows at Global Sources, said: "Global Sources Sports & Outdoor presents a complete pickleball industry chain. Categories that buyers previously had to visit multiple countries to source can now be found in Hong Kong over four days — from pickleballs, paddles and shoes to accessories, everything is available. The show features not only brand owners but also manufacturers offering ODM customisation, allowing buyers to procure according to their needs. This year, many exhibitors have invested heavily in lightweight, portable and foldable designs. Far more than a static product display, the entire show serves as a rigorous test of how supply chains transform innovative designs into reliable performance."
Rapid Pickleball Market Growth Highlights Asian Supply Chain Advantages
As pickleball rapidly gains global popularity, this emerging sport is creating unprecedented commercial value. According to market research firm QYResearch, the global pickleball equipment market was valued at approximately USD 221 million in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 387 million by 2031, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.2%. With participation rapidly expanding across North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific, procurement demand continues to climb. Asia — particularly China — has become the world's largest pickleball paddle manufacturing base, accounting for over 70% of global production capacity.
The show presents a comprehensive pickleball industry ecosystem, bringing together a full lineup of equipment spanning the entire supply chain: paddles crafted from carbon fibre, fibreglass and other composite materials; specialised balls meeting both recreational and tournament standards; and an extensive range of accessories including high-performance athletic shoes, racket grips and paddle bags — covering everything from upstream materials to finished accessories. Exhibitors demonstrate technical breakthroughs in weight control, durability and stroke performance, while offering OEM/ODM customisation services to meet the increasingly diverse procurement needs of global B2B buyers.
Training Camp and Po Leung Kuk Pickleball Expo Cup Put Products to the Test
A newly upgraded Pickleball Training Camp runs concurrently with the show, featuring live demonstrations by Hong Kong's top-ranked pickleball players, allowing buyers to experience first-hand the feel, performance and fit of different paddles under the guidance of champion coaches. On opening day, the show once again partners with Po Leung Kuk to host the "Pickleball Expo Cup 2026," validating products' professional performance and market appeal in an authentic competitive setting, and further promoting this emerging sport.
Urban Sports and Outdoor Demand in Focus with Lightweight Portability as Key Innovation Theme
Another highlight of the show is urban sports and outdoor equipment. City dwellers commonly face the challenge of limited living space yet desire the freedom to head outdoors at any time, driving sustained demand growth for lightweight camping equipment, foldable watersports gear and compact urban fitness accessories.
Exhibitors are driving innovation in lightweight, portable and foldable designs, presenting camping carts made from aerospace-grade aluminium with folding structures, outdoor backpacks equipped with ergonomic carrying systems, as well as portable outdoor refrigerators, camping tents and more. Multi-scenario innovative products command significantly higher price premiums than single-function alternatives, and manufacturers that genuinely address the needs of urban users are well-positioned to enter multiple overseas markets simultaneously.
Global Sources Summit Focuses on Sports Innovation and Sustainable Sourcing
The Global Sources Summit, held concurrently with the show, centres on the theme "Athletic Performance Meets Innovation," covering forward-looking topics including fitness technology, sports fashion fusion, virtual sportswear and ESG sourcing. Opening day features an "Experts Sharing" session with professional wilderness explorer and wildlife photographer Chris Michael Owen, who draws on first-hand experience from filming in diverse environments to share insights on the real-world performance of high-performance outdoor gear and apparel. On 28 April, under the theme "Global Sports & Outdoor 2026," the summit explores how sportswear integrates functionality with fashion aesthetics, future outdoor market trends and the application prospects of sustainable materials. On 29 April, the "Next-Level Sourcing" session interprets EU and US sportswear regulations, analyses how shifts in the global trade environment impact sourcing decisions, and helps buyers understand international market requirements whilst optimising supply chain strategies. The summit aims to provide attendees with a comprehensive perspective — from product innovation to sourcing execution — empowering global buyers and suppliers to capture the next wave of growth opportunities in the sports and outdoor industry.
Comprehensive Buyer Service Upgrades Drive Precise Matching and Trade Collaboration
To further enhance the buyer sourcing experience, this edition of the show introduces a number of new services. The upgraded Business Matching service is expected to arrange over 3,000 buyer-supplier matching sessions across all three phases, facilitating collaboration between global buyers with clear sourcing intent and quality suppliers. A Sourcing Connection Desk has been established on-site for the first time, providing comprehensive support to help buyers locate target exhibitors and arrange on-the-spot matching — offering real-time assistance for buyers who were unable to book appointments in advance. In addition, the Hong Kong Show website has launched a new Meet the Exhibitors page, allowing buyers to search by show, product, country or region, with features to contact exhibitors and add events to their calendars for more effective sourcing trip planning. The Global Sources Buyer App has also been fully optimised to deliver a simpler, more personalised user experience that puts information at buyers' fingertips. The show expects to welcome close to 900 new overseas buyers to participate in on-site matching and networking activities, including high-quality buyers from Western Europe, the United States, Japan and ASEAN.
About Global Sources
Based in Hong Kong, Global Sources is a globally recognised B2B sourcing platform. With 55 years of dedicated service in facilitating international trade, it has earned the trust and recognition of the global business community through its proven track record of connecting quality buyers worldwide with verified top-tier Asian manufacturers. As a sourcing hub for market-ready innovative consumer products, Global Sources provides efficient and convenient trade services to over 14 million registered buyers and users worldwide.
** This press release is distributed by PR Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **
Global Sources Sports & Outdoor Officially Opens
