Strava Announces Collaboration with Stanford University Researchers to Bring Leading Sports Science to 195 Million Athletes

SAN FRANCISCO — June 30, 2026  Strava, the app for active people with more than 195 million athletes in more than 185 countries, today announced a new collaboration with Stanford Lifestyle Medicine, and the Stanford Female Athlete Science and Translational Research (FASTR) program, supported by the Stanford Center for Digital Health.

Strava believes everyone is an athlete, and that the athletic journey is rarely a straight line. It starts with building confidence and a routine, grows through hard work, friendly rivalries, segment leaderboards, and race-day finishes that once seemed out of reach. But a fitness journey also bends around life’s breaks, sport changes, and injuries. Recent releases of a re-designed Strength Training experience and Physical Therapy as recordable activities reflect Strava's commitment to a platform that supports athletes at every stage of that journey. 

Today's announcement is part of that commitment, bringing current sports science research into how Strava designs features that athletes use every day.

Grounding Product Development in Sports Science

Athletes increasingly want their digital tools to do more than track, and they expect those insights and guidance grounded in credible science. As Strava continues to build and refine features that guide training, progression, and recovery, it is engaging Stanford faculty to help ensure those features reflect the latest research in human performance. The collaboration is funded by Strava; any research conducted with Stanford faculty will be independent and follow standard academic publication practices.

"Strava is evolving from a platform where athletes record what they did to one that helps shape what they do next," said Debs Schrimmer, Strava's Head of Public Policy, U.S. and New Markets. "Working with Stanford lets us meet growing demand for more personalized insights, while making sure the tools we build reflect how people actually progress across a lifetime in sport." 

"Sports science has always moved faster than it reaches the people it's meant to help. This collaboration is a chance to close that distance and put research in front of a global community of athletes at the moment they're making decisions about their fitness journey," said Michael Fredericson, MD, Director of PM&R Sports Medicine in the Stanford Medicine Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, and Founder of Stanford Lifestyle Medicine.

“The gender gap in sports science has left too many questions unanswered about how to best support girls and women in training, recovery, performance, and injury prevention. This collaboration is a meaningful step toward changing that. By bringing female athlete science into Strava, we can help girls and women stay in sport for the long game,” said Emily Kraus, MD, Director, (FASTR) Program, Clinical Assistant Professor, Stanford Department of Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine.

"The Stanford Center for Digital Health brings an interdisciplinary scientific approach to evaluating the technologies that people use every day. We look forward to collaborating with Strava to help ensure that science continues to inform how people stay healthy,” said Eleni Linos, MD, DrPH, Director, Stanford Center for Digital Health, Associate Dean for Research and Professor, Stanford University.

Next Steps

Today's announcement is the first step in a longer investment in sports science at Strava. Beyond this initial collaboration, Strava intends to explore opportunities to support independent academic research and expand its engagement with the broader scientific community. Strava will share updates on research engagements and relevant product developments as they progress.

About Strava 

Strava is the app for active people. With over 195 million athletes in more than 185 countries, it's more than tracking workouts — it's where people make progress together, from new habits to new personal bests. No matter your sport or how you track it, Strava's got you covered. Find your crew, crush your goals, and make every effort count. Start your journey with Strava today. 

Join the Strava Club or follow Strava on Instagram, X, Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Visit www.strava.com for more information.

About Stanford Lifestyle Medicine

Stanford Lifestyle Medicine, a program within the Stanford Prevention Research Center (SPRC), is dedicated to translating scientific insights into actionable behaviors that enhance health, performance, and longevity through seven lifestyle pillars: movement and exercise, healthful nutrition, restorative sleep, stress management, social engagement, cognitive enhancement, and gratitude and purpose. Our faculty members uphold the highest standards of practice and transparency in health guidance, ensuring that all shared information is rooted in credible research and expert consensus. Learn more at: lifestylemedicine.stanford.edu.

About FASTR

The Stanford Female Athlete Science and Translational Research (FASTR) Program advances the health and performance of girls and women through research, education, clinical translation, and innovation. Powered by the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance, FASTR works to close the gender gap in sports science by translating research on female athlete physiology, injury prevention, REDs and low energy availability, bone health, menstrual health, and endurance performance into practical tools for athletes, coaches, clinicians, and sport organizations. Learn more at: https://fastr.stanford.edu.

About Center for Digital Health

The Stanford Center for Digital Health (CDH), is building a future where innovation meets health in a way that benefits everyone. CDH aims to bring together the brightest minds in technology, academia, policy, and medicine — from Stanford, Silicon Valley, and the rest of the world — to tackle the most pressing questions in medicine and health with scientific rigor and integrity. In addition to publishing new findings in academic journals, CDH aims to solve problems and have real-world impact. One of the key roles of CDH is to build and nurture vital connections between Stanford and the broader ecosystem of industry, government, and research organizations. Learn more at: https://cdh.stanford.edu.