The idea behind VETTEX began with a problem Mike Pullen remembered from his own days playing football: Arm sleeves protected players from turf burns, but they could also make the ball harder to secure. As a high school receiver, Pullen saw firsthand how athletes were often forced to choose between protection and performance.
Years later, while studying biomedical engineering at Georgia Tech, that problem resurfaced in an unexpected place: a classroom.
Pullen was enrolled in Materials Science and Engineering of Sports, a course taught by materials researcher Jud Ready, that explored how engineering principles and materials influence athletic performance. For the course Capstone project, students were challenged to design a novel, rules-compliant piece of sports equipment.
Pullen immediately returned to the problem he had experienced on the field.
Working with his co-founder, Mat Quon, another Georgia Tech biomedical engineering student, he began developing a grip-enhancing arm sleeve designed to help football players maintain ball security while still protecting their arms from turf abrasion.
At the time, starting a company wasn’t on his radar.
“I had absolutely no desire to ever be an entrepreneur,” said Pullen, founder of VETTEX and a 2020 Georgia Tech graduate. “I kind of just fell backwards into it.”
Encouraged by Ready to continue developing the concept beyond the classroom, Pullen and Quon began exploring whether the idea could extend beyond a class project. That encouragement led them to CREATE-X, a Georgia Tech program that helps students launch startups through its accelerator, Startup Launch.
Building the Company Through CREATE-X
For Pullen, CREATE-X became the entry point to build a company and learn how to operate as a founder. “CREATE-X opened the door to just being an entrepreneur in general,” he said. “It gave us the foundation and support to actually figure out how to build something real.”
Through the program, Pullen and Quon received hands-on support in business strategy, customer discovery, fundraising, and pitch development. CREATE-X also connected them with mentors, coaches, and investors who helped them begin transforming their class project into a viable business.
“It’s not like they give you a couple of PowerPoint presentations and send you on your way,” Pullen said. “It’s true hands-on coaching and assistance, which is immensely valuable.”
In the years after CREATE-X, the team focused on refining the product, securing manufacturing partners, and getting the equipment into athletes’ hands for feedback. In 2021, the company raised its first round of funding, supported largely through connections within the Georgia Tech ecosystem, including an investment from GTF Ventures and various alumni funding.
As the company entered this next phase of growth, Pullen was introduced to the Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC), Georgia Tech’s statewide startup accelerator.
Pullen said ATDC became a natural continuation of the support system he first experienced through CREATE-X. “ATDC has been a really valuable support system for us as we’ve continued to grow. They’ve helped us refine our approach, strengthen how we present the business, and connect with the right partners.”
Through ATDC, VETTEX has received support to refine investor materials, review company financials, and build connections with industry partners and potential investors.
Originally launched as LZRD Tech, the company began with a football-specific product. Over time, however, Pullen and his team saw an opportunity to expand beyond a single sport.
The company recently rebranded as VETTEX, reflecting a broader pivot into sports and technology applications, including a partnership with Markwort Sporting Goods, a company with Georgia Tech alumni ties. Today, VETTEX is expanding into baseball and basketball while continuing to explore how advanced materials and product design can improve performance, protection, and recovery for athletes.
One of the most valuable aspects of Georgia Tech’s commercialization ecosystem for Pullen has been the long-term support it provides founders. Years after first entering CREATE-X, he still sees both CREATE-X and ATDC as active parts of the company’s journey.
“CREATE-X doesn’t just spit you out into the world,” Pullen said. “They’re always there to help you. Same thing with ATDC.”
Through Georgia Tech’s broader entrepreneurship ecosystem, startups like VETTEX demonstrate how ideas that begin in the classroom can grow through mentorship, funding, and community support as they move toward commercialization.
The experience has reshaped how Pullen thinks about taking risks and building something of his own. “I’d always wonder what would have happened if I didn’t try,” he said.
Years later, that decision continues to shape the company’s growth.
