U-M Accelerator Venture MySwimPro Named Apple Watch App of the Year

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Dec. 13, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A University of Michigan accelerator company secured a number one spot as a part of Apple's recent announcement celebrating the Best of 2016 for apps, music, movies and more.

MySwimPro, the top fitness app for swimmers in over 150 countries and a member of the U-M's Desai Accelerator 2016 cohort, was named the Apple Watch App of the Year. App of the Year picks are chosen by the Apple Store editors to showcase the best and most popular apps available. Other apps honored by Apple included Sketchbook Motion (iPad), Prisma (iPhone) and Twitter (Apple TV). 

"We're dedicated to helping people who are looking for a personal coaching program that meets their unique schedule and training needs," said MySwimPro co-founder and CEO Fares Kesbati. "Our app combined with the Apple Watch's water-resistant technology creates a workout program that fits into any swimmer's training routine."

MySwimPro—the first swimming app designed for the Apple Watch—helps swimmers achieve their fitness goals by delivering customizable workouts, instructional video content and advanced analytics through a training log. The Watch App coaches users through workouts set by set and syncs with a corresponding iPhone app, which features hundreds of swim workouts varying in skill level, stroke category and workout duration.

"We've worked hard to leverage Apple's existing HealthKit technology to create a unique experience for swimmers, designed by swimmers," said Adam Oxner, co-founder and iOS lead at MySwimPro. "We're proud that Apple has recognized that effort, and we appreciate their support in bringing our app to new audiences."

The company was accepted in the 2016 program of the Desai Accelerator, managed by the College of Engineering's Center for Entrepreneurship and the Ross School of Business' Samuel Zell and Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies. Desai was specifically founded to help ventures as they reach the critical phase between early-stage development and the point at which they seek external investment. The accelerator is funded by the Desai Sethi Family Foundation, the Davidson Foundation, the Wadhams family and the Michigan Economic Development Corp.

"MySwimPro has impressed us all at Desai with their hard work and dedication to developing their business and reaching out to the global swimming community," said Desai Accelerator managing director Kelly LaPierre. "They are a shining example of what we hope our teams are able to achieve after they participate in our program."

In addition to support from Desai, MySwimPro is advised by four-time Olympic medalist and U-M alum Peter Vanderkaay and has earned 100,000 users since launching in 2015. To see the app in action, click here. To learn more about MySwimPro or to download the app, visit myswimpro.com.

About the Samuel Zell & Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies
The Institute and its Center for Venture Capital and Private Equity Finance bring together an impactful combination of deep-seated knowledge, enriching experiences and strategic opportunities from the front lines of entrepreneurship and alternative investment. Students' learning experiences are further enhanced through internships, entrepreneurial clubs, business competitions and campus-wide events that foster valuable networking and engage the business community. The School's four student-led investment funds, with over $7M under management, immerse students in the entrepreneurial business sourcing, assessment and investment process. Founding Zell Lurie advisory board members include Samuel Zell, chairman of Equity Group Investments, and Eugene Applebaum, founder of Arbor Drugs Inc. For more information, visit the Institute's website at www.zli.bus.umich.edu.

About the Center for Entrepreneurship
The Center for Entrepreneurship (CFE), part of the College of Engineering at the University of Michigan, provides academic programs, commercialization training and broad support resources for students, faculty and community members. Among its many initiatives, CFE co-developed and co-teaches the undergraduate Program in Entrepreneurship, the Master of Entrepreneurship and the National Science Foundation I-Corps program for faculty research commercialization. CFE co-manages the TechArb student startup incubator and provides overall support to Michigan's economic development efforts. Its teaching philosophy focuses on experiential learning with an emphasis on the development of an entrepreneurial mindset, with resources such as structured venture incubation programs, global access to both internal and external advisors, mentorship, talent and funding. CFE's mission is to ensure support for entrepreneurs from discovery through venture creation, and to enhance and expand an appreciation for entrepreneurial thinking for its students. For more information, please visit www.cfe.umich.edu/. 

SOURCE The Zell Lurie Institute

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