Draper Associates-backed CUDIS has partnered with UCLA Athletics for a year-long collaboration to promote web3 smart rings among students and athletes.

The web3 wellness company CUDIS has announced a one-year partnership with UCLA Athletics, a Californian collegiate sports program, to promote its AI-powered smart rings. According to a Thursday press release shared with crypto.news, the collaboration will feature campus activations, where CUDIS will showcase its rings to UCLA students and sports fans.

Additionally, CUDIS plans to sign name, image, and likeness agreements with student-athletes from various UCLA teams, including men’s and women’s tennis, golf, basketball, women’s gymnastics, and football, the press release.

“This initiative aims to spark conversations around healthy lifestyles, performance tracking, and data ownership, while allowing student-athletes to leverage their image and share the product across their platforms.”

CUDIS

Under the partnership agreement, CUDIS will also engage with UCLA fans through interactive campaigns, including lucky draw promotions at sporting events, allowing CUDIS to use UCLA Athletics’ branding to connect its smart rings to the university’s athletic culture.

One blockchain ring to rule them all

CUDIS chief executive Edison Chen says the collaboration “holds special meaning for us as we give back to the community that helped launch our vision,” adding further that “UCLA is where our journey began.”

The company’s smart ring uses blockchain technology to monitor various health metrics, including heart rate, sleep, stress, and calories burned. Built on the Solana (SOL) network, the ring gives users full ownership of their health data and offers personalized wellness advice through an AI coach. The wearable also features a dynamic rewards system that encourages users to make healthy choices by earning passive rewards for positive actions.

In September, CUDIS raised $5 million in a funding round led by Draper Associates, with additional investment from Skybridge, Penrose, SNZ, Mozaik, NGC, Foresight Ventures, OGBC, Monke Ventures, and DraperDragon.