Sports
Nix Biosensors Raises $10M for Smartwatch Sweat Tracking
The company plans to license hydration algorithms to sports watches to estimate fluid and electrolyte loss.
Nix Biosensors has raised $10 million to bring hydration tracking directly to sports watches. The company aims to use algorithms to estimate fluid and electrolyte loss without requiring on-skin sensors.
Hydration could be the next major metric integrated into sports watches. Startup Nix Biosensors has raised $10 million to expand its technology beyond proprietary hardware and deliver fluid intake recommendations directly to running watches and apps.
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From Physical Sensors to Wrist Algorithms
Currently, Nix sells a sports arm patch that analyzes sweat in real time to calculate fluid loss rates and electrolyte concentration during workouts. With this new funding, the plan is to license its algorithms to third-party platforms. This will allow sports smartwatches to recommend the exact timing and volume of fluid a runner should drink during activity without strictly relying on a skin patch.
There is, however, a crucial technical distinction: without an on-body biosensor analyzing actual sweat, the watch will not make a direct measurement. Instead, the device will rely on mathematical estimates, cross-referencing athlete profiles, training history, and real-time environmental conditions during the run.
The Shift from Lab Tests to Gadgets
Sweat rate testing has long been a valuable tool for hot-weather and marathon racing strategies, historically conducted in laboratory environments—such as sweat testing by Care Club or occasional single-use patch initiatives from Gatorade. Nix's approach aims to turn that complex logistics into a practical, accessible daily solution for athletes.
Between Watch Alerts and Thirst Perception
The development also reignites the debate surrounding endurance hydration protocols. While traditional wisdom advises drinking before feeling thirsty to prevent dehydration, evolutionary physiology proponents argue that thirst remains the best biological guide. Precise monitoring becomes even more critical by guarding against unbalanced overhydration, helping prevent severe cases of hyponatremia—a dangerous drop in blood sodium levels caused by drinking excessive plain water without electrolytes.
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