Vancouver startup Stoko has landed a partnership with the Victoria Royals WHL hockey team as an official supplier.
Stoko has developed technology that embeds the comfort of a knee brace into tights. The K1 supportive tight mimics the natural support structures within your body to give your knee all the support of a traditional brace with unparalleled comfort.
The partnership was put into place after months of evaluation of the Stoko K1 with Royals’ players. Not surprisingly, elite athletes love the K1 and the Royals announcement follows Stoko announcing that they are an official supplier to the Canadian National Snowboard Team.
Stoko may owe its relationship with the Victoria Royals to its participation in the HATCH Accelerator Ventures program at UBC. The program resides in the Graham Lee Innovation Centre, a hub for the university’s core innovation and entrepreneurship activities that was created thanks to the generous contribution of UBC alumnus and entrepreneur Graham S. Lee.
Lee’s GSL Group owns the Victoria Royals.
“GSL Group’s support and investment in innovative BC startup companies has led to a partnership with Stoko and the Victoria Royals,” Victoria Royals’ GM and Head Coach Dan Price said. “The health and safety of our athletes is always of paramount importance to our organization, and our partnership with Stoko is a testament to that.”
“The Stoko K1 compression tights are the next stage in the evolution of knee safety for athletes or anyone with a knee issue. The K1 allows for the protection of a traditional knee brace while leaving the athlete unencumbered by having to wear a bulky device. This innovation will help our players stay on the ice and be able to perform to the best of their abilities.”
Stoko products are FDA approved and registered as a Class 1 Medical Device by Health Canada which can make them eligible to be covered by insurance. Stoko tights are available for both men and women, and currently available online and at select retail partners in Canada.
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