208. Bootstrapped, Profitable (€2.2M) & Paying Dividends: How HackMotion Turned a Niche Golf Gadget Into a Global Hardware Business w/ Atis Hermanis
Description
Atis Hermanis is the co-founder of HackMotion. With a Ph.D. in electronics, sensor systems, and signal processing, Atis brings a research background to the company’s wrist-worn tech for golf swing analysis. HackMotion has bootstrapped to profitability, hitting €7.3M revenue in 2024 (160% growth) and 476% profit increase, while pioneering paying €30K in dividends to employees in H1 2025. Winners of the Baltic E-Commerce Star award, they’ve scaled globally, partnering with PGA Tour pros and focusing on amateur precision improvement—proving scrappy Baltic innovation can conquer a competitive niche.
On this episode we talk about:
- HackMotion’s founding, turning golf swing pain points into wearable tech
- Atis’s journey from prototype to serving PGA pros, key milestones like €7.3M revenue in 2024, and balancing B2C e-commerce with global scaling challenges.
- Exploring AI’s role in swing analysis (e.g., real-time feedback), why not all use cases fit AI hype, and staying focused on client value amid tech trends.
- Atis’s strategies for 160% revenue growth without VC, including employee dividends (€30K in H1 2025), efficiency in marketing, and lessons for Baltic founders on sustainable scaling.
- Visions for AI-driven precision in golf, navigating hardware pitfalls, and scrappy tips for turning technical expertise into a profitable
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