Zenkai Sports raises $1 million from strategic investors

By

Jennifer Braun

Published
Dec 13, 2022

Sustainable performance apparel brand Zenkai Sports has closed a $1 million funding round.

The funding round was led by strategic advisors from the apparel, entertainment and pro sports fields, including Chris Overholt, former CEO of the Canadian Olympic Committee, and Matt Shearer, a 20-year executive at Under Armour. The investment is expected to support the company’s growth and product development.

Founded by former pro hockey player Doug Lynch and 40-year apparel industry veterans Raj and Akhil Shah, the brand is recognized for its eco-friendly performance apparel and is backed by athletes across the NHL, NBA, NFL, MLB, NWSL and MMA, as well as business and film industry leaders.

Zenkai offers a full men's and women's line created from Zenkai's filium-activated natural materials, which requires less washing and offers increased thermoregulation. Zenkai apparel is equally biodegradable and is shipped in compostable packaging.

"Raj and I instantly connected over our shared love of performance apparel and eco-friendly innovation." said CEO and co-founder Lynch. "The human body is the ultimate technology, and we are harnessing the power of sweat to boost performance. We created Zenkai because we didn't see an option in the apparel industry that benefits both humans and the environment."

Raj Shah added: ”We are passionate about the environment and the future of the planet. We invested years of research and millions of dollars to develop Filium which we believe to be a better, more sustainable performance technology."