Two Tampa Bay serial entrepreneurs have launched a new platform designed to support the mental health side of youth athletics.
Co-founders Brian Kornfeld, the previous chief executive officer of Synapse, and Dan Greco, CEO and managing partner for Ark Applications and a former board member for Synapse, came up with the idea for MaxU, the new platform, during conversations shared over their passion for sports and identifying the lack of services for mental conditioning in youth sports.
“It’s been a really good partnership. We’ve known each other for 10 years and we’ve always talked, on the surface, about finding something to do together,” says Brian Kornfeld. “He pitched me on this idea and, immediately, I said, ‘That sounds fun. Let’s do that.’”
MaxU seeks to bridge the gap between physical and mental training, improving the way athletes, parents, coaches and sports enthusiasts perceive, and harness, the power of the mind. The target age for the platform is young athletes, from the age of 12 to 18. Leagues, coaches and parents will be able to sign up for the platform. The annual license is $99.
Dan Greco, the visionary behind the platform, added, “Our mission is to equip athletes with the tools, and techniques, required to elevate their capabilities and attain unparalleled levels of mental performance. Through MaxU, users can unlock their full potential and chart new horizons of success.”
MaxU uses technology and cognitive science to help users optimize mental performance and enhance focus.
“I’ve been a coach of Little League teams and I’m around youth athletes often, especially around my kids, who are nine, and [Greco and I] see this issue where there is so much time, effort, energy and money invested into physical tools, like how do you hit a baseball or a softball? How do you swing a tennis racket? How do you shoot a basketball? But very little is going into the mental side and in the mental performance side, especially at a young age,” Kornfeld says.
MaxU also offers team and organizational features. Teams can collaborate, share information and create a culture of improvement within organizations.
MaxU has already secured five major partnerships, including the Positive Coaches Alliance and Athletx, a national organization that supports baseball and softball tournaments.
“We don’t focus on the physical side. We partner with organizations that focus on physical tools and try to help what that performance might be on the field,” Kornfeld says. “It’s important to make sure that you have a well-rounded team, you’re a well-rounded individual and you give yourself the best possible opportunities for the future.”
You can learn more about MaxU here: www.maxu.co
