betterguards
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Vinzenz Bichler and the art of knowing when to give
A Berlin engineer took an adaptable component from university research to a factory floor and NBA Summer League. Vinzenz Bichler’s career traces the adjustments that turn an invention into a company.
Tony Verutti
Tony Verutti is the CEO of Betterguards Technology, a German sports-tech company whose adaptive ankle brace uses a micro-hydraulic piston that stays loose during play and locks in a split second when the ankle rolls, then releases. A lifelong athlete who tore his ACL four times and grew up in a physical therapist's household, he took the top job in April 2023 and pushed the product into the NBA, NFL, NCAA and Olympic teams, backed by the NBA's Launchpad program. His pitch: athletes shouldn't trade mobility for protection, and gear should be built on science, not tradition.