Strava has funded a research collaboration with Stanford Lifestyle Medicine and the FASTR Program: it is the first step in a longer-term sports science investment. Further academic partnerships are planned as the company grounds training and recovery features in independent research.
Strava, the app for active people with over 195 million athletes in more than 185 countries, has announced a research collaboration with Stanford Lifestyle Medicine and the Stanford Female Athlete Science and Translational Research (FASTR) Program, supported by the Stanford Center for Digital Health (CDH). Strava is engaging Stanford faculty to help ensure that the features it is refining that guide training, progression and recovery reflect the latest research in human performance. The collaboration is funded by Strava. Any research conducted with Stanford faculty will be independent and adhere to standard academic publication practices, stressed the company.
“Working with Stanford lets us meet growing demand for more personalized insights, while making sure the tools we build reflect how people actually progress across a lifetime in sport,” said Debs Schrimmer, Strava’s Head of Public Policy, US and New Markets.
The recent announcement is meant as the first step in a longer-term investment in sports science at Strava. Beyond this initial partnership, the company plans to look at ways to support independent academic research and increase its engagement with the larger scientific community.
Stanford Lifestyle Medicine, a program within the Stanford Prevention Research Center (SPRC), is committed to translating scientific discoveries into actionable behaviors that improve health, performance, and longevity through seven lifestyle pillars: movement and exercise, healthful nutrition, restorative sleep, stress management, social engagement, cognitive enhancement, and gratitude and purpose.
The Stanford Female Athlete Science and Translational Research (FASTR) Program, powered by the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance, works to close the gender gap in sports science by translating research on female athlete physiology into practical tools for athletes, coaches, clinicians, and sport organizations.
The Stanford Center for Digital Health (CDH) aims to bring together the brightest minds in technology, policy, academia, and medicine to tackle the most pressing issues in medicine and health, while nurturing vital connections between Stanford and the broader ecosystem of industry, government, and research organizations.
