Boss of Limerick creative agency aims to put new slant on martial arts coaching
Entrepreneur describes new platform 'Anri' as ‘TikTok of Combat Sports'
A CLONLARA businessman has developed a piece of technology which he hopes will transform how martial arts are taught globally.
Kevin King has established Anri, which uses artificial intelligence to turn smartphones into personal combat sports coaches.
The program launched on the Google Play store over the weekend.
It combines video tutorials with advanced biomechanical mapping.
Anri uses computer vision to “see” the user's movement.
Mr King is the chief operating officer of the creative agency Piquant based at O'Connell Street in Limerick city centre.
He has partnered with Shane O’Brien of Cloncastle Boxing Club in Clonlara to deliver the platform’s first boxing tutorials.
“I’ve been practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and boxing for years, and like most practitioners, I’d go home and watch tutorials online,” he says.
“But without a coach watching you in your living room, you have no idea if you are doing the move correctly. Anri solves that. We are essentially gamifying martial arts training — think of it as the ‘TikTok of Combat Sports,’ but with real-time feedback.”
Mr King founded the platform alongside his chief technology officer Pawel Bogucki, who is from Ennis.
“The name 'Anri' comes from the Irish 'An Rí,' meaning 'The King,” explains Mr King.
“It’s a nod to my own name, but also a statement of intent. We want to keep the soul of the business Irish while building a global marketplace where coaches can earn revenue from the sport they love.”
The startup has already gained traction in the Irish tech ecosystem.
Mr King won ‘best pitch’ at the NDRC Startup Sprint at the Engine in Limerick and has received mentorship and a feasibility grant from LEO Clare.
He is currently cementing the scientific backing of the app by undertaking a postgrad in Sports Analytics, Technology, and Innovation at TU Dublin.
The app is also collaborating with Paul O'Brien of The Hub Martial Arts for kickboxing content and is currently seeking martial arts creators from across Ireland to join the marketplace.
Kevin is calling on local combat sports enthusiasts and coaches to join the platform to test the technology.
They are asked to [email protected] or check out their online offering at www.anri.ie