Life after rugby: Trimble builds planning platform for pro clubs

Moving on: Andrew Trimble chairing a panel at the One Zero 2019 sports business conference. Photo: Alan Rowlette

Shawn Pogatchnik

Former Ireland rugby winger Andrew Trimble says he's happier building a business than he would be competing at the World Cup.

Mr Trimble, the 34-year-old founder and chief executive of sports planning platform Kairos, is emphatic when asked if he misses the glory days of his 70 Irish caps or his 223 appearances for Ulster.

"No way. Not a chance," he said as his firm shared the Aviva Stadium spotlight yesterday at the One-Zero business of sport conference.

"I'm very happy being in a new chapter with new challenges and new people, and being more creative," he said. "The challenges, experiences and people in my rugby career were amazing, It played a big part in making me who I am, so I'm thankful for that - but I'm also very thankful it's over."

He says Kairos, an athletic performance and organisation app he is building with a team of six in Belfast, has 10 club clients, including Ulster Rugby, Old Belvedere, Down GAA, the Northern Ireland football squad and a couple of soccer clubs in England and the US he is keeping confidential. The start-up has raised £700,000 (€800,000), chiefly via Invest Northern Ireland and affiliates.

Kairos - Greek for a critical moment of opportunity - provides a one-stop shop for athletes trying to manage myriad demands and content channels, from training sessions and one-to-one appointments with physios and coaches to diet and training goals and graphic analysis of training.

Mr Trimble says his inspiration comes from his own struggles to stay organised at Ulster. He recalls how coaches posted schedules on Apple's calendar app, appointments on the physio room whiteboard and other information on gym programmes and PR events by WhatsApp, email, text or paper.

"It was way more complicated than it had to be," he said.

Now, Kairos clients receive all of their planning and training goals through the platform. "We're developing a real level of trust in the product," Mr Trimble said.

He says life as a tech innovator means more time with wife Anna, son Jack and daughter Molly.

"With Ulster I would train hard all week, I'd get my head kicked in on Friday night and I'd be limping around the rest of the weekend, all to start over again on Monday.

"I loved it but now we've got kids, and I just want to play with them on the weekends. It's a really nice balance I didn't have before."