The sports coaching industry is the latest space to be benefiting from the power of Artificial Intelligence. Combining manpower, tech and data to help sports teams achieve their goals is no mean feat. 

According to a recent study, global AI in the sports market was valued at over one billion euros in 2024. In addition, it’s been found that coaches often work more than 40 hours per week, with many having irregular schedules.

AI-powered endurance training platform Vekta is one company looking to help excel in the training and performance of teams through science and tech. It aims to empower coaches to use data-driven insights to enhance sports stars’ performance.

We caught up with Paul-Antoine Girard, Co-founder and CEO of Vekta and asked him about the concept, his sporting frustrations and the technology behind it.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself – where are you from, where did you grow up/study, etc?

My name is Paul-Antoine Girard; originally from Annecy in the French Alps, where I grew up surrounded by nature and immersed in endurance sports. I was a high-level athlete in cross-country skiing before moving to Paris to pursue my studies. I began with a dual degree in Mathematics and Economics at Université Paris Dauphine, then completed a Master’s in Data Science for Business, a joint program between École Polytechnique and HEC Paris. I’ve always had the ambition to build something from the ground up, and over time, both my athletic and academic paths naturally converged toward one goal: creating Vekta, a platform based on performance, data, and innovation.

Where did the concept for Vekta come from?

The concept for Vekta came from a simple yet frustrating observation. As athletes, we had access to more data than ever before through wearables and tracking apps, but this data was fragmented, underused, and rarely turned into actionable insights. At the same time, we saw coaches struggling with outdated tools, spending hours manually analysing sessions or exporting data to Excel just to follow up with their athletes. We believed there had to be a better way. With our background in data science and our shared passion for endurance sports, we set out to build a platform that could unify all this information and transform it into intelligent, personalised coaching decisions. That was the starting point for Vekta.

Can you tell us a bit about the technology behind Vekta, specifically the AI part?

The core of Vekta is our AI engine, which is purpose-built for endurance training. We’ve developed advanced models that go far beyond simple tracking. They enable deep analytics and powerful automation for both coaches and athletes. For example, our system automatically detects high-intensity intervals within a session, classifies them by type (tempo, threshold, VO2 max, anaerobic) and determines the primary training stimulus of the session. This enables smarter planning, instant comparison with similar past sessions, and more informed, real-time adjustments.

We’ve also created our own performance framework, including Vekta Volume, Intensity, and Load, along with dynamic estimations of an athlete’s critical power. Unlike traditional lab-based tests, our models update continuously using real-world training data. This allows athletes and coaches to monitor progress, training load and fatigue with precision without interrupting their routines. In short, our technology makes high-performance coaching a lot more intelligent, automated and personalised.

Where do you see the future of AI and sports? Do you believe AI will be beneficial to the sports industry, and if so, how?

I believe AI is going to transform the sports industry at every level and that we are really only scratching the surface. Its most immediate and impactful contribution lies in personalisation and decision-making. For athletes, AI means smarter and more adaptive training plans that evolve with them in real-time. It helps reduce injury risk, optimise recovery, and accelerate progress by identifying patterns that humans alone cannot detect.

For coaches, AI will increasingly act as a co-pilot by automating repetitive tasks, surfacing insights, and allowing them to focus on the human side of coaching, such as motivation, connection, and strategy. In the long run, AI will also reshape how teams manage performance, scout talent, and structure long-term athlete development.

What challenges have you faced so far in creating the training tool?

One of our biggest challenges has been balancing the speed of execution with the high level of quality we expect from our product. Building a training tool that serves both professional coaches and passionate amateurs means we need to be precise in the way we analyse and present data. That takes time, especially when working with advanced models and integrating feedback from elite teams.

Another challenge has been managing data fragmentation. Athletes use a wide variety of devices and platforms and ensuring seamless data aggregation across all of them is complex but essential. We’ve also had to educate some users on the value of AI-driven recommendations, especially those used to more traditional methods.

Finally, as a fast-growing company, scaling the team while staying aligned on our vision and product priorities has been an ongoing learning process. But every challenge has ultimately strengthened our platform and our team.

If you could start your entrepreneurial journey again, would there be anything you might change? If so, what adjustments might you make?

If I had to start again, I would probably spend even more time upfront talking to coaches and athletes before building the first version of the product. We did a lot of user research early on, but in hindsight, going even deeper would have helped us validate certain priorities faster and avoid a few unnecessary iterations.

I think I would also invest earlier in building a strong brand and community. In a space like endurance sports, trust and credibility matter just as much as product features. Creating those connections from day one can make a big difference in how quickly the solution is adopted.

That said, part of the journey is learning through doing. Every mistake taught us something important, and I would not trade that experience for the world.

If you could offer three pieces of advice to entrepreneurs in the sports tech space, what would they be?

The first would be to stay as close as possible to your users. Their real needs should drive every product decision. Start with a very specific niche, serve it exceptionally well, and expand only once you’ve built something truly valuable.

I think it’s also essential to surround yourself with people who are competent, committed, and passionate. You need a team that can challenge you as much as they support you. And above all, stay agile. The sports tech space evolves quickly, and being able to pivot or adjust your direction is key to staying relevant.

Finally, collect as much feedback as you can, but don’t follow every opinion blindly. Trust your deep intuition and what you observe directly on the ground. Often, the best decisions come from lived experience, not just spreadsheets or surveys.

And finally, what do you believe the future holds for Vekta?

We believe the future of Vekta lies in becoming the reference platform for endurance training worldwide. Our goal is to empower coaches and athletes with the most advanced, intelligent, and personalised tools available, without sacrificing usability or human connection. In the coming years, we’ll continue expanding into new sports, integrating more data sources, and refining our performance models to stay at the forefront of innovation.