Sporty Peppers tackles sedentary lifestyles through video games
Article by BigMedia-BPI France
A member of SporTech, Sporty Peppers has set itself the mission of getting the French moving through gamification. With less than a year to go before the Olympic Games, we spoke to its president, Nathalie Paquet.
«There are two risk factors in terms of public health: inactivity, i.e. doing less than 30 minutes' activity a day, and a sedentary lifestyle, i.e. spending 7-8 hours in a chair. The most serious is a sedentary lifestyle» confided Yannick Guillodo, sports physician at Brest University Hospital, a few weeks ago. While the fight against sedentary lifestyles is a government commitment, notably through the famous «eat, move» campaign, there is no shortage of private initiatives. Such is the case of Sporty Peppers, a playful solution to encourage physical activity, launched by Nathalie Paquet in 2021.
Sporty Peppers promotes and «spices up» physical activity
«At Sporty Peppers, we spice up sporting activities with video games»says Nathalie Paquet, a sociologist by training and entrepreneur for over ten years. «My quest for meaning boils down to bringing something useful to people. Gamification creates self-confidence and enables individuals to surpass themselves.»
The Paris-based startup thus uses the codes of video games to promote physical activity at home, while 73% of French people are gamers, according to the Syndicat des Éditeurs de Logiciels de Loisirs (SELL) report dated 2021. The principle is simple: just download the application to your phone or computer, choose one of the games on offer (Dragon Duelsit, Juga Ball, Winter Rush...) and get moving via an avatar. «Our sports video games are played without dedicated equipment. The smartphone or computer camera captures the player's gestures, and the avatar performs the same movements as the player» explains Nathalie Paquet. The application also enables people with injuries or disabilities to use Sporty Peppers, relearning how to perform certain movements or strengthen their muscles.
Taking advantage of the Olympic Games to grow and make sport a part of everyday life
Sporty Peppers is riding the post-Covid wave to prevent occasional athletes from reverting to their sedentary habits. However, there's no question of talking about training to avoid demotivation. «We're in the fun business to make people want to do sport» adds the start-up's president. «We were born with the idea of getting people moving. We know the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle, and that's why we're looking to motivate people to get moving through games.»
As the two major sporting events in France approach, Sporty Peppers is buzzing with excitement. «Tournaments like the Olympic Games or the Rugby World Cup are clearly gas pedals for SporTech startups like us» enthuses Nathalie Paquet. «We are currently creating video games for the Olympics and Paralympics. It's a unique opportunity to support the movement and practice of sport.» Sporty Peppers has a few surprises in store between now and 2024. «And, of course, we're continuing to implement our solution in living and healthcare environments, with an extension of the service to the home.» concludes the entrepreneur.
