Ice hockey, downhill skiing and cycling are just a few examples of sports where nobody questions the need for a helmet anymore. But in football, the world's biggest sport, head protection is very rare.
“We’d like to help change that norm, especially in youth soccer, where players are particularly vulnerable,” says Daniel Björkman, one of the founders of DAJE Prevent, which is developing a new type of head protection.
The inspiration behind the head protection that DAJE Prevent is developing comes from Daniel’s own experiences as an elite soccer player. During that time, he suffered several concussions that forced him to stop playing and also meant he needed to protect his brain from further injury when he returned to the field.
Daniel was looking for a headgear adapted for footballers, but couldn't find anything he liked, so he started thinking about developing his own. He mentioned the idea to his friend Jesper Åman, also a soccer player, who immediately got to work.
- He said "let's go, let's do it" and that was that.
Daniel and Jesper booked a start-up meeting with Dalarna Science Park's business coaches and since the fall of 2022 they both participate in Dalarna Science Park's incubator program, Daniel full-time and Jesper part-time.
- A big reason why we dared to invest was the contact with Dalarna Science Park. We received support for our idea and it gave us the verification we needed to take the plunge. Without the incubator, we would never have been where we are today," says Daniel.
Changing a standard
Head injuries in football are very common and it is not only the hardest hits that risk damaging the brain, even repeated minor impacts have been shown to pose health risks.
- We have read many research studies and have engaged scientific advisors, so I would say we have done the job. We know that head protection could make a big difference, not least for children and young footballers who are particularly vulnerable as their brains grow," says Daniel.
Today, head protection in football is used almost exclusively by players who have already been injured and need to avoid further injury. This means that Daniel and Jesper not only need to develop a new product, they also need strategies to change a norm.
- When I played floorball, the coach said that everyone had to wear glasses, otherwise you couldn't play. That's pretty much how we want head protection to be introduced in football, via coaches and clubs. So that we build from below. Then I see no other way out than for the Football Association to introduce a requirement for head protection for children and young people, because the problem is that serious.
In parallel with product development, Daniel continues to work on business strategy and calculations, monitors the state of research and scans the world around him.
- Initially, we were a bit naive and thought that product development would be relatively quick, but now we know that it is a process. We are not in a hurry either, the most important thing is that we get a high quality protection that really meets the criteria we have set.
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DAJE Prevent is one of the companies participating in Dalarna Science Park’s incubator program, which is funded by the European Union and Region Dalarna.
