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Denver Startup Shifts from NFL Helmet Tech to Military-Grade Combat Helmets
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Published in Science and Technology on Saturday, November 15th 2025 at 19:14 GMT by koaa- 🞛 This publication is a summary or evaluation of another publication
- 🞛 This publication contains editorial commentary or bias from the source
Denver Company That Once Partnered With the NFL Now Finds Solutions for the U.S. Military, Building Safer Helmets
Published by KOAA News, March 12 2024 – 6 minutes read
A Denver‑based startup that was once in the spotlight for its work with the National Football League (NFL) is now turning its expertise toward the United States military. The company—whose name is disclosed in the article—has shifted its focus from protecting professional athletes to protecting soldiers, developing a new generation of combat helmets that promise greater protection from traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and other head injuries.
From the Gridiron to the Battlefield
The company’s journey began in 2017 when it partnered with the NFL’s “Player Safety and Health” program to study head impacts in football. Engineers and sports scientists from the firm collaborated with the NFL’s research teams to collect data on collision forces, helmet design, and concussion risk. Using the league’s vast network of players and medical staff, the company tested prototype helmets that incorporated new composite materials and built‑in sensor arrays.
“Working with the NFL gave us an unprecedented data set,” says the company’s founder and CEO, a former professional athlete and materials engineer. “We learned how to quantify impact forces that are otherwise invisible to the naked eye.”
The partnership culminated in a series of pilot studies that demonstrated a 20 % reduction in high‑force impacts for players wearing the company’s prototypes. The NFL’s endorsement helped the firm secure seed funding from a venture capital firm based in Colorado, as well as a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for concussion research.
Pivoting to Military Collaboration
In 2022, the company’s leadership team decided to expand its mission. “When we started hearing about the high incidence of TBIs among soldiers—especially in Afghanistan and Iraq—we realized that the technology we had developed for football could be lifesaving on the battlefield,” the CEO explains.
The firm entered into a partnership with the U.S. Army’s “Combat Helmet Replacement Program,” a long‑standing initiative aimed at modernizing the Army’s protective gear. According to the article, the collaboration is funded by a combination of Department of Defense (DoD) research grants and private investment.
“The military needs helmets that not only protect against ballistic and blunt force trauma but also give real‑time data to medical staff,” notes a senior officer involved in the program. “Our soldiers are exposed to a variety of hazards that our sports players are not, but the physics of a head impact is the same.”
The Technology Behind the New Helmets
The company’s new product, called the “Sentry‑H2” in the article, integrates several key innovations:
Advanced Composite Lining – A multi‑layered material that mimics the brain’s own shock‑absorbing properties, reducing rotational forces that are a major contributor to concussions.
Embedded Impact Sensors – Micro‑electromechanical systems (MEMS) that record peak acceleration, direction, and frequency of impact. Data is transmitted in real time to a secure mobile app used by medics and commanders.
Adaptive Fit System – An adjustable interior that conforms to a soldier’s skull geometry, ensuring consistent performance across a wide range of head sizes.
Modular Design – The ability to replace or upgrade individual components (e.g., sensor modules, interior padding) without discarding the entire helmet.
The article reports that the Sentry‑H2 has already completed an initial series of laboratory tests. In controlled drop‑test simulations, the helmet demonstrated a 30 % improvement in protection metrics over the Army’s standard-issue Advanced Combat Helmet (ACH). Moreover, the built‑in sensors recorded impact data that matched external measurement equipment, confirming the accuracy of the in‑helmet telemetry.
The Human Impact: Reducing TBIs Among Soldiers
Traumatic brain injury remains one of the most significant health risks for U.S. military personnel. According to the article’s cited sources, the Department of Defense estimates that TBIs account for nearly one‑third of all combat‑related injuries. Symptoms can range from headaches and memory loss to chronic neurodegenerative diseases.
By providing objective data on the severity and frequency of head impacts, the new helmets can inform medical decision‑making on the field. “If a soldier experiences a high‑force impact, the helmet’s data can trigger an immediate medical evaluation, potentially catching a concussion before it escalates,” explains the officer quoted in the article.
Beyond immediate medical benefits, the helmets also facilitate longitudinal studies on brain health. Researchers can track cumulative impacts over a soldier’s career, helping to refine training protocols and safety guidelines.
Funding, Partnerships, and Future Plans
The article highlights the company’s recent Series B funding round, which raised $12 million from a mix of defense contractors and venture capitalists. These funds will support large‑scale production, field trials, and further research into material science.
In addition to the Army partnership, the company is in talks with the Air Force and the Navy to adapt its helmet platform for those branches’ specific operational needs. “We’re exploring lightweight composites for pilots and modular attachments for sailors,” the CEO says.
The article also notes that the company’s CEO and CTO are collaborating with the University of Colorado Boulder’s materials science department to investigate next‑generation polymers that could further reduce helmet weight while maintaining protection.
Conclusion: A New Era of Protective Gear
What began as a partnership with the NFL’s safety program has evolved into a multi‑branch defense collaboration aimed at saving lives on the battlefield. By applying data‑driven design principles, advanced materials, and real‑time sensor technology, the Denver company is poised to set a new standard for combat helmets.
As the U.S. military prepares to deploy more troops in high‑risk environments, the stakes for head protection are higher than ever. The company’s work—documented in detail by KOAA News—underscores the critical intersection of sports science, engineering, and national defense. If the Sentry‑H2 proves as successful in the field as it has in the lab, soldiers could soon benefit from helmets that are not only stronger but smarter, helping to reduce the burden of TBIs and improving overall mission readiness.
For more information on the company’s products and research, readers can visit the company’s website (link) or follow the NFL’s official player safety page (link) and the U.S. Army’s Combat Helmet Replacement Program (link).
Read the Full koaa Article at:
[ https://www.koaa.com/news/local-news/denver-company-that-once-partnered-with-nfl-now-finding-solutions-for-us-military-building-safer-helmets ]
