Serious back injuries in the workplace are often preventable. The logistics, manufacturing, and construction industries have long struggled to prevent worker injuries, which impact the quality of life for workers and collectively cost companies billions of dollars each year. In fact, workers in warehousing and transportation who are keeping our supply chains afloat are also the most vulnerable for overexertion and fatigue, leading to back injuries and life-long musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). Recently, innovative wearable technology has become a more recognized solution with a growing body of evidence.
Enter the exosuit: HeroWear’s flexible, elastic Apex2 exosuit has been proven to significantly reduce injuries, improve productivity, and decrease discomfort for workers, resulting in a substantial return on investment for companies.
Setting the foundation
HeroWear’s ultimate mission is to protect the health of workers in physically demanding jobs who quite literally put the economy on their backs. Cofounder and Chief Scientific Officer Karl Zelik was experiencing his own back pain as the result of carrying around his two small kids and happened to be in a unique position to do something about it. Karl was co-director of a Vanderbilt University biomechanics lab and challenged his students to come up with a solution for back strain that was “as invisible as possible.” The outcome of that work yielded an exosuit that was both effective and surprisingly comfortable and easy to use. So, he teamed up with his eventual cofounders Mark Harris (Chief Executive Officer) and Matthew Yandell (Chief Innovation Officer) and they began their journey to commercialize what is now an industry-leading exosuit, saving the backs of workers at companies all around the world.
HeroWear began this journey in 2019, spinning off from Vanderbilt and continuing R&D and building an organization in Nashville. The response from the market was strong, allowing the company to double its business each year since inception. Now, HeroWear’s Apex 2 is considered one of the most validated exosuits on the market and is used daily by thousands of workers worldwide, and is well on its way to achieving its goal of helping millions.
Proven relief from work-related back strain
In one customer case study, the Apex 2 exosuit was found to increase worker productivity by 8%, with a 30% decrease in work-related discomfort among workers—81% of whom expressed a desire to continue using the exosuit voluntarily.
Another groundbreaking case study across three customers found backstrain injuries were reduced to zero through more than 281,000 hours of work. These DCs would have normally expected 10.5 back strain injuries during that time, based on their historical data.
The design of the exosuit is elegant in its simplicity: the modular exosuit functions as an extra set of back muscles with a patented “on/off” function. The design prioritizes comfort, ease of use, and range of motion for the worker. Comfort and breathability were recurring themes in the initial feedback from exosuit users, so HeroWear responded with a textile-based, breathable design that reduced heat retention. Today, the Apex 2 exosuit reduces muscle fatigue and strain by up to 40% with every lift.
The most compelling data might not be in numbers, but in the feedback heard from workers. “My back doesn’t hurt nearly as bad when I get home,” said one retail worker. “I can actually sit down and relax and not have to move around to get comfortable.” Another worker said, “It helped with lifting, it really helped. I didn’t really feel like I was hurting my back at all.”
Eyes on growth and innovation
The Nashville-based startup continues to grow, with the company raising $5 million in Series A investment to further R&D and innovation in 2025, while maintaining high-quality client service and onsite training for the expanding install base of the Apex 2 exosuit. HeroWear was recognized on Inc.’s 2024 Best in Business List for Innovation and Technology and has partners supporting more than 30 countries, with thousands of users and a customer portfolio that includes the US Army, the Royal Australian AirForce (RAAF), Whole Foods, DHL, Toyota, General Motors, and many more.
“Seeing how the Apex 2 has directly improved the quality of life of workers has been incredibly impactful,” said Mark Harris. “As we continue to grow, we’re excited to work with new companies who are dedicated to prioritizing their worker’s health and safety.”
