It all started with a technology gadget idea and little golf experience. Swingbyte, a 3-year-old Chicago-based company started by two friends from business school gave visitors the opportunity to swing a golf club and get immediate feedback through a one ounce attachable device in the Connected World Pavilion at this year’s Chicago Auto Show.
Alex Pendenko partnered with Nathan Wojtkiewicz to create the technology Pendenko discovered and chose to aim toward the golf industry, despite the fact that he had never played the game. The small attachable hardware called Swingbyte allows a golfer to analyze a swing by attaching the device to any driver or putter beneath the grip.
The Swingbyte will pair to smartphones or tablets through Bluetooth. Once the device is matched to a mobile device a 360-degree view of a swing can be analyzed as well as speed tempo, club path and angle and acceleration. All of the information gathered can be uploaded to the Cloud and shared via social media and email.
Swingbyte cost $149, all downloadable apps are free and it is rechargeable with a USB port. The company plans on continuing to enhance the product by adding new features in the future. In 2012, Swingbyte had the opportunity to participate in the PGA Trade Show and was named one of the 12 coolest items by Golf Digest. Swingbyte has a development team of 10 people and five people running the office located in River North, Chicago.
