venture feature
Barrage Striking Sleeve Founded by Ricky Johnson Ricky Johnson holds a black belt in karate, the result of hundreds of hours of precision training and sparring. Unfortunately, Johnson noticed, training on his own didn’t always produce the same results as when he would work out in-person with his instructor. He couldn’t conjure up the combinations fast enough to build the physical and mental response and improve his form. Another issue? Most automated training systems that could replace a coach were extremely costly. From an accessibility standpoint, Johnson saw how martial arts and boxing training on their own can be expensive, often making the sport out of reach for those just starting. As luck would have it, however, Johnson has also always held the mindset of a problemsolver and inventor. In hopes of overcoming these barriers, Johnson created the Barrage Striking Sleeve. Adaptable as an add-on to any standard hanging punching bag, and with hit sequences programmable via mobile app, he prototyped the product with the bare minimum of materials he could find. In the fall of 2019, he pitched an early version in Global Sport Institute’s Global Sport Venture Challenge and won $13,000. The funds went directly into taking the prototype
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A N N UA L R E P O R T 2020–21
from the original bootstrapped version to an updated model he was proud to show when pitching for even more funding and investment opportunities. Just as he was hitting a stride, the pandemic arrived. Johnson was initially on the path of manufacturing the product on his own. His original vision included seeing gyms filled with Barrage-outfitted bags as part of their equipment offerings. But COVID-19 closures, along with the explosive growth of Peloton and Mirror, sparked new ideas on how to position the sleeve as an in-home exercise solution instead. Johnson moved to an emphasis on licensing and began outreach to relevant brands that could scale it at large. He’s currently in discussions with a major brand to do just that. When asked if more solutions were on his mind, Johnson acknowledged his passions could very well inspire more ideas, whether it was inside or outside of sport. “I just like solving different issues I come across,” Johnson explained. After his potential licensing deal is solidified, he hopes it will free him up to move on to that next invention.
