Former Scotland international footballer Steven Naismith is backing a Glasgow-based sport-tech platform. Naismith, who won more than caps for the Scotland national team before retiring from playing in 2021, has provided a six-figure funding injection to ScribePro, an app and online portal that records medical interactions in real-time for athletes and clinicians. In addition to his investment, the former Heart of Midlothian manager will take on an ambassadorial role with the company, introducing the system to football clubs and national associations from his experience as both a player and coach. He will also consult on the technology’s future development. The fresh funding injection will enable ScribePro to progress its expansion plans, which include increasing its market share and enhancing the platform’s features. Recent additions to the software include custom reports that can be sent between national associations and clubs, while an upcoming update will include using data to provide average return-to-play timelines for specific injuries. The venture was founded by Jonny Gordon, a consultant in emergency medicine and Scotland Men’s A team doctor, and David Lowe, an academic consultant in emergency medicine and co-director of EmQuire Research. Naismith said: “I’ve had a good relationship with Jonny for a long time, working with him right through youth and senior levels with the Scotland team and then into management and coaching. The demand on players has never been greater and the margins of winning are finer than they have ever been, which only makes products like ScribePro more important. “From my experience as a player - when I had some injury problems myself - I know the process of sharing or even accessing fitness and injury data could be clunky, to say the least. And I’m looking forward to helping develop the platform further, supporting the decisions managers make with players and working with clinicians on recovery programmes and availability. “More players are beginning to understand they have a short career and, while they might make good money, they retire and still have half their lives ahead of them. In the age of social media there are so many opportunities for players to get involved with, but it’s important they get involved with something they believe in.” ScribePro is currently used by 11 national associations across football, rugby and cricket, including the Scottish Football Association and Scottish Rugby Union. The team has also successfully delivered projects for the FIFA Club World Cup and the Rugby League World Cup. Internationally, nine national football associations use the platform while the company recently signed its first partnership in American football. Since its last investment round in 2022, ScribePro has grown from two contractors to a team of eight full-time staff and a 260 per cent increase in the number of squads covered. The firm also moved into new offices in central Glasgow. Gordon, chief executive of ScribePro, said: “I’ve known Steven for about 20 years and his experience in football as a player and a manager at both club and international levels are exceptional. His career reflects many of the fundamental parts of our business - innovation, excellence, and player care - making him a perfect match for us. It’s a real privilege to have him involved with ScribePro and he will input into the service’s future design, helping take us to that next level. “While football and rugby are our main focus, the technology can be used across any sport. Clubs and national associations across the world have been very receptive to using the platform and we have received fantastic feedback, which also helps to drive further development of the product.” He added: “Steven’s investment and new role are testament to what we’re trying to achieve with ScribePro, making it the number one choice for digital medical management in sport.” Smart shorts Meanwhile, another Scottish sports tech start-up has raised £1.2 million and teamed up with Xander Schauffele - two-time major winner, Olympic gold medallist and the world’s number three ranked golf player. The move will see Glasgow-based Theo Health continue the development of a smart clothing platform designed to empower elite athletes and their strength and conditioning coaches with lab-grade data in real time. Schauffele joins the venture as both an investor and one of the founding “Alpha Athletes” in an elite testing programme that aims to support athletes around injury prevention and recovery. Theo’s chief executive and founder Jodie Sinclair had been scouted for a US soccer scholarship before suffering an injury that side-lined her for three years and ended her competitive sporting career. She said: “There was no feedback during my recovery - I had no way of knowing if I was doing the right thing, or making it worse. Theo is the system I wish I had when I was injured, one that makes recovery measurable, progress visible and elite performance possible again. “After a couple of years in stealth mode where we deliberately stayed under the radar, focusing on IP protection, product development and building a world-class team, it’s great to now be back in the spotlight.” The firm’s first product - the Theo Alpha Shorts - embed inertial measurement units within high-performance compression wear to track movements in real time: from depth and tempo to balance, symmetry and knee alignment. Each garment connects seamlessly to a modular “brain” - a compact, removable unit that delivers “elite-level insights”. Sinclair added: “The Alpha Shorts are just the beginning - we’re building a product line designed to deliver full-body analysis.” Healthtech firm focused on medical treatment of sportspeople scores six-figure funding boost