META Platforms has acquired a nearly 3-percent stake in eyewear maker EssilorLuxottica, a source told Reuters on Tuesday, amid growing consumer interest in artificial intelligence (AI)-powered wearable devices.

Sprucing up its wearable technology with artificial intelligence capabilities could help Meta attract new users as it invests billions of dollars in bolstering its AI infrastructure.

EssilorLuxottica declined to comment, while Meta did not immediately respond when contacted by Reuters.

Meta bought a stake worth around 3 billion euros ($3.52 billion) in EssilorLuxottica at the current market price and is considering further investments that could build its share to around 5 percent over time, according to Bloomberg News, which reported the development earlier in the day.

The social media giant teamed up with Oakley to release AI-powered smart glasses last month, expanding its push into wearable tech after the success of Ray-Ban Meta glasses, millions of which have been sold since their launch in 2023.

The “Oakley Meta HSTN” will feature a hands-free high-resolution camera, open-ear speakers, water resistance and Meta AI capabilities.

EssilorLuxottica planned to boost its production capacity for smart glasses and hopes to expand its collaboration with Meta to other brands, Chief Executive Francesco Milleri had said in February.

07/09/2025 – 02:15 PM

First comprehensive sell-side report on TRNR cites more than 800% growth in expected 2025 revenue

Valuation driven by stock-for-stock M&A model and potential crypto-treasury upside

AUSTIN, TEXAS / ACCESS Newswire / July 9, 2025 / Interactive Strength Inc. (Nasdaq:TRNR) (“TRNR” or the “Company”), maker of innovative specialty fitness equipment under the Wattbike, CLMBR and FORME brands and pending acquirer of Sportstech, today announced that Maxim Group LLC, a leading New-York-based investment bank, has initiated equity research coverage on TRNR with a “Buy” recommendation and a price target of $15.00 per share, based on its independent assessment of the Company’s potential operating performance and valuation relative to peers.

The inaugural report was authored by Thomas Forte, CFA, Managing Director & Senior TMT Analyst, following several months of due diligence on TRNR’s specialty-fitness roll-up strategy and AI-focused Digital Asset Treasury Strategy. Forte wrote in the 12-page initiation note that:

“Interactive Strength’s acquisition of Wattbike and the pending purchase of Sportstech take the company to a much larger scale for sales and adjusted-EBITDA earnings potential. We expect revenue to ramp from $5.4 M in 2024…to $105 M in 2026, and we are initiating coverage with a Buy rating and a $15 price target.”

Trent Ward, TRNR Co-Founder & CEO, commented that “Maxim Group’s coverage marks our entry into the formal sell-side research ecosystem and validates the increased investor interest we’re seeing in TRNR. Analyst coverage is often the first step toward greater liquidity and more appropriate valuation for emerging public companies, and we’re pleased to have a seasoned TMT analyst recognize the strength of our model.”

Highlights from Maxim’s initiation

• Buy rating; $15 target – implies ~130 % upside from the July 8th, 2025 closing price.

• Key drivers: Wattbike & Sportstech contributions, margin expansion as scale builds within a large and growing addressable market, and upside optionality from the AI-focused $FET Digital Asset Treasury Strategy.

• Catalysts: Sportstech closing, international expansion, new partnerships and corporate wellness offerings.

Access to the report

Maxim Group research is available only to the firm’s clients. Interested investors should contact their Maxim Group sales representative directly or reach out to ir@interactivestrength.com in order to be introduced in order to access the report.

TRNR Investor Contact
ir@interactivestrength.com

About Maxim Group

Maxim Group LLC is a full-service investment bank and wealth-management firm headquartered in New York City, providing a range of financial services to emerging-growth companies and institutional investors. The firm is a member of FINRA, SIPC and Nasdaq.

About Interactive Strength Inc.:

Interactive Strength Inc. produces innovative specialty fitness equipment and digital fitness services under two main brands: 1) CLMBR and 2) FORME. Interactive Strength Inc. is listed on NASDAQ (symbol:TRNR).

CLMBR is a vertical climbing machine that offers an efficient and effective full-body strength and cardio workout. CLMBR’s design is compact and easy to move – making it perfect for commercial or in-home use. With its low impact and ergonomic movement, CLMBR is safe for most ages and levels of ability and can be found at gyms and fitness studios, hotels, and physical therapy facilities, as well as available for consumers at home. www.clmbr.com.

FORME is a digital fitness platform that combines premium smart gyms with live virtual personal training and coaching to deliver an immersive experience and better outcomes for both consumers and trainers. FORME delivers an immersive and dynamic fitness experience through two connected hardware products: 1) The FORME Studio Lift (fitness mirror and cable-based digital resistance) and 2) The FORME Studio (fitness mirror). In addition to the company’s connected fitness hardware products, FORME offers expert personal training and health coaching in different formats and price points through Video On-Demand, Custom Training, and Live 1:1 virtual personal training. www.formelife.com.

Forward Looking Statements:
This press release includes certain statements that are “forward-looking statements” for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements do not relate strictly to historical or current facts and reflect management’s assumptions, views, plans, objectives and projections about the future. Forward-looking statements generally are accompanied by words such as “believe”, “project”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “intend”, “strategy”, “future”, “opportunity”, “plan”, “may”, “should”, “will”, “would”, “will be”, “will continue”, “will likely result” or similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the comments made by the Maxim analyst, including, achieving a $15 share price, more than 800% growth in 2025 revenue, having potential crypto-treasury upside, completing the pending acquisition of Sportstech, achieving much larger scale for sales and adjusted-EBITDA earnings, achieving revenue of $105 million in 2026, as well as having increased investor interest, greater liquidity and more appropriate valuation in the future or the relative strength of the Company’s business model, margin expansion and growing addressable market. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements.

These statements are based on current expectations of future events. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections of the Company. Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to: demand for our products; competition, including technological advances made by and new products released by our competitors; our ability to accurately forecast consumer demand for our products and adequately maintain our inventory; and our reliance on a limited number of suppliers and distributors for our products. A further list and descriptions of these risks, uncertainties and other factors can be found in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. To the extent permitted under applicable law, the Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

# # #

SOURCE: Interactive Strength Inc.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

Sports Officiating Technologies Market growth is propelled by demand for real-time decision accuracy, AI-powered video review, sensor integration, fan trust, and broadcast enhancements.

Austin, July 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sports Officiating Technologies Market Size & Growth Insights:

According to the SNS Insider,“The Sports Officiating Technologies Market was valued at USD 3.52 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 16.06 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 20.9% from 2025 to 2032.”

This growth is driven by the need for precision, transparency, and impartiality in sports decisions. With the rising technology with VAR, goal line systems, and AI motion tracking, these may be embraced across professional leagues. Change is driven by increasing investments by sports organizations and fan expectations for error-free officiating. Moreover real-time data analytics and technology innovations are empowering referees to make quicker and smarter decisions further improving the game integrity and viewer satisfaction.

The U.S. Sports Officiating Technologies market was valued at USD 0.93 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 3.95 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 19.82% from 2025 to 2032.

Get a Sample Report of Sports Officiating Technologies Market Forecast @ https://www.snsinsider.com/sample-request/7031 

Leading Market Players with their Product Listed in this Report are:

Sports Officiating Technologies Market Report Scope:

Report Attributes	Details
Market Size in 2023	USD 3.52 Billion
Market Size by 2032	USD 16.06 Billion
CAGR	CAGR of 20.9% From 2024 to 2032
Report Scope & Coverage	Market Size, Segments Analysis, Competitive  Landscape, Regional Analysis, DROC & SWOT Analysis, Forecast Outlook
Key Segmentation	•By Technology (Video-based, Sensor-based, Tracking, Communication) •By Application (Decision review systems, Boundary detection, Timing and scoring, Player/ball tracking, Foul detection, Equipment compliance) •By Sports Type (Bat & ball sports, Ball sports, Racket sports, Racing sports, Track & field sports, Combat sports, Other sports)

Purchase Single User PDF of Sports Officiating Technologies Market Report (20% Discount) @ https://www.snsinsider.com/checkout/7031 

By Technology, Video-Based Segment Leads Sports Officiating Technologies Market, Sensor-Based Segment to Grow Rapidly

In 2024, the video-based segment held the largest market share at 38.41%, due to the wide adoption of technologies such as VAR and Hawk-Eye in most of the popular sports around the globe. Such technologies improve officiating accuracy with high-speed slow motion and other 3D replays. Leading players such as Hawk-Eye Innovations and ChyronHego are launching next-gen video solutions, enhancing the speed and accuracy of decision-making processes thus driving further adoption of technology across professional sports leagues.

Story Continues

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8: One minute review

Every time I try a big-name smartwatch these days, I’m slightly disappointed. Not because they’re bad devices (they’re certainly not) but because all too often, they tend to be very similar to their predecessors with very incremental, minor changes, such as a new software feature or slightly brighter screen, which isn’t the most exciting thing to write about.

However, not so this year. Samsung has decided to buck the trend with a comprehensive redesign, extending from its hardware to its software. The watch itself is thinner with a brighter screen and bigger battery (although battery life is still allegedly the same), keeping the round display but adopting a Watch Ultra-style metal cushion in an attempt to give Samsung watches a distinctive brand identity

Georgia Tech has named Ryan Alpert, a seasoned collegiate athletics executive and one of the nation’s most respected leaders in revenue generation and athletic operations, as its next vice president and director of athletics, the school announced Tuesday.

Alpert currently serves as senior deputy athletics director and chief revenue officer at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

Alpert brings to Georgia Tech nearly two decades of leadership experience across the Southeastern Conference and beyond, with a track record of success in fundraising, capital project management, external affairs and strategic planning. He will officially begin his new role later this month.

“Today’s announcement is a reflection of Georgia Tech’s commitment to elevating the competitive profile of our athletic programs on par with our academic profile,” said Georgia Tech president Ángel Cabrera. “Ryan Alpert is a dynamic, forward-thinking leader who understands what it takes to build a winning culture on a strong financial foundation. He brings deep operational expertise and a clear passion for student-athlete development. We are thrilled to welcome him to Georgia Tech.”

At Tennessee, Alpert played a central role in the Volunteers’ rise to national prominence across multiple sports. He helped lead the department to its highest-ever finish in the Learfield Directors’ Cup and to three consecutive SEC All-Sports Championships. As a senior executive, he oversaw business and finance, development, marketing, ticketing, capital projects, sponsorships and more — collectively helping Tennessee Athletics increase its annual revenue by over $100 million since 2022. In fiscal year 2024 alone, the department generated a record $228 million in operating revenue and raised nearly $140 million through the Tennessee Fund.

Alpert also served as the lead on the Neyland Entertainment District, a transformative public-private partnership that is revitalizing Knoxville’s riverfront and enhancing the game day experience around Neyland Stadium.

“I’m incredibly grateful to President Cabrera and the search committee for the opportunity to serve as the next athletic director at Georgia Tech,” said Alpert. “As college athletics continues in a period of rapid transformation, I’m excited about all the Institute has to offer and what we can accomplish together. Georgia Tech’s visionary leadership, combined with its world-class academics and commitment to competitive excellence, provides a strong foundation for the future. My family and I can’t wait to get to Atlanta and join the Yellow Jackets.”

Alpert’s previous leadership roles include deputy athletic director at the University of Missouri and Florida Atlantic University, where he helped engineer record-setting fundraising results and led strategic initiatives across external operations. He also served in development and leadership positions at the University of Memphis, where he played a key role in securing some of the largest gifts in the school’s athletics history.

Originally from Columbia, South Carolina, Alpert holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Carolina and a master’s degree from the University of Memphis. He and his wife, Rebecca, have two daughters, Mary Margaret and Annie.

Alpert first began his time at Mizzou in February 2016 as an associate AD. He then was promoted to senior associate AD for the final year and a half of his two-year tenure before he left for FAU.

He then returned in April 2020 for his second stint at MU. During his time he led the Tiger Scholarship Fund, was in charge of growing and forming revenue streams and was the sport administrator for both men’s and women’s basketball. Under his guidance, the TSF produced an MU record $50.4 million supporting Mizzou Athletics during the 2016-17 fiscal year.

Alpert also oversaw ticketing, fundraising and marketing as well as being the liaison to Mizzou Sports Properties.

Before becoming a Missouri Tiger, he was a Memphis Tiger for five years.