Invest in the future of athlete progression and UGC

The world of action and adventure sports is fueled by media. Skiers, snowboarders, mountain bikers, and others depend on user generated content (UGC) for inspiration and progression, and increasingly want to share their own experiences with the world.

But...

It can be wildly impractical—sometimes even impossible—to capture footage of yourself while you're skiing, boarding, or biking.

Meet the end-to-end action media platform

We were sick of taking turns playing cameraman. We wanted to spend our days on the mountain riding, not filming from the sidelines.

And so we built Hightag: an automated, end-to-end video capture and delivery system. We partner with ski resorts, mountain bike parks, and other sport destinations to install Hightag's smart cameras throughout their facilities. These cameras automatically film video clips when one of our users rides by, then instantly deliver that footage to the user's account in the Hightag app.

---

How It Works

Hightag makes capturing epic moments dead simple. Users start a recording session in the mobile app, which streams their location data to our network. Our cameras use that data to extract clips at the right moments and deliver them to the right user. The experience is seamless and the installation is minimal.

A note for our pilot users

For anyone reading this who is familiar with our pilot operation: This is a significant evolution from our original RFID-based system. While this approach successfully captured thousands of clips and currently powers many of our existing installations, we're actively transitioning to the new GPS-based technology and phasing out the older hardware as we upgrade our network.

Both systems deliver the same core value to users: automatic capture and delivery of their most epic moments. And this won't be the last evolution—we're committed to constantly improving Hightag's tech to expand coverage while delivering a frictionless experience for users more efficiently.

Building for massive scale & lasting impact

We're building the next generation of how people capture and share their best moments. We've heard from climbers, golfers, basketball players, divers, Little League coaches, and more—all who want an easier way to capture footage of their activities. For decades, device manufacturers have competed to sell more cameras and equipment when people really want personal photographers and filmers. And the opportunity to fulfill that universal need is enormous.

Potential exit pathways

As we scale, strategic acquisition by sports media brands, tech companies building tools for creators, or social media platforms becomes a natural pathway. There's also potential for an IPO in this space, as others in our industry have demonstrated. Ultimately, we're missionaries, not mercenaries—we plan to pursue the opportunities that will maximize Hightag's long-term impact.

Industry valuation comps

• GoPro: $2.96B valuation at IPO (2014)
• Insta360: $9.9B valuation at IPO (2025)
• Hudl: Estimated ~$800M valuation at latest fundraise (2024)
• Strava: $2.2B valuation at latest fundraise (2025)

What athletes are saying

"Having cameras on the mountain is going to change skiing and action sports... Hightag's technology is going to expedite progression for athletes everywhere. As a kid this is something that I would dream of, and the fact that everyone is going to have access to their own footage without a filmer—it's really amazing."

"Hightag will improve athletes' lives, letting them look back at how they're riding and immediately get feedback on what they're doing right or wrong. It gets me excited because I know I have a camera that's grabbing videos for me and I don't have to ask a friend, 'Hey, do you mind filming?' It's already right there."

B2C offerings

Users can purchase Day Passes or ongoing Memberships to make use of Hightag's cameras. Once activated, users can capture unlimited footage at any location equipped with Hightag's cameras. They then have unlimited access to view, download, and share their captured media—forever.

Current pricing & growth strategy

Today, we offer Day Passes for $7 and annual Memberships for $70—pricing we established to encourage adoption during our pilot phase. As our network expands and our value proposition strengthens, we plan to adjust pricing accordingly. (In fact, many of our users have told us our current pricing is below what they'd expect to pay for such a service.)

Our pricing structure mirrors familiar models in the action sports industry, where access-based pricing scales with network value. At scale, we're tentatively targeting price points of approximately $15 for Day Passes and $120 for annual Memberships with expanded coverage and geographic reach.

---

B2B offerings

Our B2B strategy prioritizes rapid expansion by installing cameras at top-tier destinations at no cost to partners, minimizing barriers and maximizing athlete access.

Once installed, we offer premium add-on features for our partners:

Growth & Competitive Analytics: Parks gain unique insights into visitor behavior patterns and detailed profiles—data that's difficult to capture but invaluable for operations and marketing decisions.

Content Marketing Suite: Parks can easily access footage captured throughout their facilities for marketing use, with AI-powered indexing to easily find specific clips.

"Shot Sponsorship" Platform: Parks can monetize each camera installation by offering sponsorship opportunities to brands, opening up new shared revenue streams.

This approach transforms our services from a cost center into a revenue generator, giving parks enhanced visitor insights, ready-made marketing content, and new income—all without an upfront installation investment.

$10B+ market opportunity

A quick look at the status quo

Point-of-view (POV) cameras like GoPro are great for capturing what the athlete sees, but not the athlete themselves. Even 360° cameras require setup for every shot and only work for athletes willing to carry and operate additional equipment, limiting their usefulness in hazardous environments like ski slopes or mountain bike trails.

The potential for Hightag

Hightag doesn't just offer a better camera—it removes the barriers that prevent most athletes from capturing footage at all. By eliminating equipment, setup, and planning, we expand our reach to professionals, weekend riders, families, and anyone wanting to capture their highlights.

Our service-based model also shifts spending from one-time hardware purchases to recurring usage, creating higher lifetime customer value while making action capture accessible to entirely new user segments.

Backed by VC, angel, and strategic investors

We're thrilled to have heavyweight supporters who see the same future we do: one where athletes have the power to capture, relive, and learn from their moments. We're not just creating souvenirs—we're creating tools for athletes to realize their abilities and progression.

Why Republic?

Hightag was built by and for athletes. We've been blown away by the enthusiasm of our early users. Now, we're giving our users and supporters the ability share in Hightag's ownership and future.

Republic allows us to grant ownership to people who deeply understand what we're building—athletes and enthusiasts who know the thrill of big moments and the value of capturing them. We want partners who are invested emotionally, not just financially, because they've experienced the problem we're solving firsthand. We're looking for investors who are as committed to our mission as we are.

Product evolution

We're building far more than a network of smart cameras—we're creating the comprehensive media platform that the sporting world has been waiting for. Our team has been in both the athlete's and the operator's seats, and we've uncovered the gaps to transform how athletes train, connect, and progress.

Here's a taste of what we're cooking up:

• AI-Powered Pan & Zoom—Intelligent tracking of the subject within video to simulate human camera operator movement
• Coaching Tools—Features for coaches to manage and instruct teams of athletes
• Social Platform—In-app community enabling users to follow others' activities and share their own
• Events Integration—Enable parks and brands to host special events, contests, and giveaways on Hightag's platform
• Progression Platform—AI-powered analytics for self-guided athlete progression over time
• Facility Insights—Competitive and visitor behavior insights to help park operators better serve their core audience
• Rapid Deployment Tools—Internal systems enabling faster camera installation and geographic expansion
  
  

---

Geographic expansion

Our strategy focuses on maximizing coverage in key markets rather than sparse deployments. We're targeting "foothold" facilities within major geographies, with the goal of rapidly creating an environment where users can capture footage at every mountain or park they visit in their region. This makes our offerings compelling and sticky—users see immediate and ongoing value from Hightag at their favorite spots.

---

Target verticals expansion

We're expanding systematically across sports categories, beginning with downhill sports like skiing, snowboarding, and mountain biking. These environments present unique challenges for traditional filming: steep terrain, high speeds, and long descents make it wildly impractical—if not impossible—to position human photographers effectively, creating immediate demand for our automated solution.

We'll then expand to broader action sports including skateboarding, motocross, wakeboarding, and others. Many existing users already participate in these activities, cementing Hightag as the definitive action sports capture platform. At the same time, we'll explore opportunities within other adventure sports like climbing and kayaking—sports that follow similar patterns to our core markets and create opportunities for meaningful collaboration with outdoor industry leaders.

We're already seeing opportunities to bring Hightag's offering to more mainstream sports later on. We recognize that everyone participates in something they're proud of and wants captured—from weekend baseball leagues to golf tournaments. Expanding into these mainstream activities dramatically increases our addressable market and opens doors for transformative partnerships across the entire sports industry.

Meet our high-powered team

We've stacked an incredible team of industry veterans and experts in the specific fields of our technology and operations. We have serial entrepreneurs on the team with multiple successful exits to boast, and even have experience serving Republic investors from past campaigns. We're also passionate skiers, snowboarders, mountain bikers, and skateboarders—all committed to driving progression in the sports we love.

---

Alex de la Fuente
Founder, Chief Executive Officer

Through Alex's career of product and brand leadership, he's brought about the rise of multiple category-defining companies. Following the successful acquisition of his brand strategy and product development firm, he joined the leadership team at Cart.com where he helped scale the company from startup to unicorn in its first two years of operation. He's led brand transformation and growth initiatives for tech businesses in across a spectrum of industry segments including consumer, cybersecurity, transportation, clean energy, and many more. Alex is also a lifelong skateboarder, mountain biker, and snowboarder.

---

Jonathan de la Fuente
Founder, Chief Technology Officer

Jonathan leads technical direction and development at Hightag, applying his expertise in hands-on engineering and data-driven design. During his time at engineering firms including NASA, Bosch, and Aptiv, he worked on a range of projects including autonomous systems design, emissions control, and even IoT camera development. He holds degrees in mechanical and electrical engineering from Cornell University and the University of Michigan, and has formal experience with machine learning, data science, and visualization. Outside the lab, Jonathan is an avid photographer, mountain biker, and snowboarder.

---

Sam Parks
(Frac.) Head of Software

Sam is a serial technical founder who has built and scaled numerous IoT, AI, and deep tech companies. These include, among others: AI accounting platform for small businesses, DayZero; smart outlet and enterprise energy management provider, Sapient Industries; political fundraising platform, Senio (acquired in 2019); in-orbit manufacturing facility, General Orbital; AI-driven point-of-care diagnostics company, HueDx... the list goes on. Sam is also an extremely passionate mountain biker, and has claimed several podium spots in enduro races while wearing his Hightag jersey.

---

Mikayla Stannard
(Frac.) Head of Marketing

With fifteen years of global brand marketing experience, Mikayla Stannard is a dynamic leader in action sports, media, and consumer engagement. She has held executive roles at industry powerhouses like Woodward, Disney, and Oakley, driving multi-million-dollar growth through innovative brand storytelling, strategic partnerships, and go-to-market execution. A passionate advocate for action sports, Mikayla has spearheaded initiatives to foster inclusivity, mentorship, and next-gen athlete development. Her track record in building high-performing teams and delivering results makes her a key driver of growth and innovation in the space.

---

Whitney Cleland
(Frac.) Head of Digital Marketing

With a proven track record crafting and implementing omni-channel marketing strategies, Whitney has excelled at transforming strategic plans into actionable results across a wide array of platforms. She has held marketing leadership positions at brands like Woodward, Bouldering Project, and Ripken Baseball, where she developed and executed campaigns that elevated brand visibility and engagement. As a life-long athlete with a passion for sports and lifestyle brands, Whitney brings a dynamic, hands-on approach to marketing, ensuring that every campaign delivers measurable success and lasting impact.