Z Athlete Group Announces Pending Acquisition of All Assets of Biopods Inc. and Barefoot Science
- Public Relations
- Dec 20, 2025
- 3 min read
Intellectual Property, Launching “Fitness from the Ground Up” Initiative
Las Vegas, NV — December 20, 2025: Z Athlete Group, Inc. announced today that it has entered into two separate asset purchase transactions. The first is with Biopods Inc. for the acquisition of all Biopods assets, including intellectual property, product designs, molds, tooling, and inventory. The second is with Roy Gardiner
for the acquisition of all intellectual property and patent assets associated with Barefoot Science.
The assets will be integrated into Z Athlete Group’s Fitness from the Ground Up initiative, which focuses on addressing dysfunction that originates in the feet—the foundation of human movement—and currently includes the company’s FitFeet in-shoe activation products. The transactions include issued patents and pending patent applications in the United States and internationally, covering foot stimulation, neuromuscular activation, and biomechanical systems designed to support balance, stability, and functional movement.
“The feet are the most important yet most neglected part of the body when it comes to our exercise programs,” said Zig Ziegler, Chairman and CEO of Z Athlete Group, Inc. “Much of the pain, instability, inefficient movement, and performance limitations people experience can be traced back to the feet. By adding both Barefoot Science and Biopods to our portfolio of products, we now control the intellectual property, inventory, and technology needed to deliver real solutions at scale—for everyday people, athletes, and clinical populations.”
By acquiring both Barefoot Science and Biopods in full, we now control the intellectual property, inventory, and technology needed to deliver real solutions at scale—for everyday people, athletes, and clinical populations.”
Barefoot Science was originally launched in the late 1990s by Canadian inventor Roy Gardiner, based on the principle that activating the intrinsic muscles and sensory receptors of the feet can restore natural movement, balance, and stability. Gardiner later expanded this work with the invention of Biopods, a sensory stimulation system designed to further engage neuromuscular pathways in the feet.
Ziegler, who began distributing Barefoot Science products in 2012, was already deeply familiar with the platform’s effectiveness, having supported more than 10,000 customers through its use prior to the acquisition.
“I’m excited to continue the legacy started by an amazing inventor,” Ziegler added. “Roy’s work laid the foundation for what we’re building with Fitness from the Ground Up.”
“I created Barefoot Science and Biopods to help people reconnect with how their bodies are meant to move," added Gardiner. "These products don’t force correction—they offer the kind of input that helps the body rediscover its own natural rhythm. I’m honored to see this work carried forward by Z Athlete Group, a team that understands both its science and its deeper purpose.”
Together, the combined platforms integrate stimulation, activation, and biomechanics to support functional movement across wellness, rehabilitation, and performance environments.
The acquisition further strengthens Z Athlete Group’s broader human movement intelligence ecosystem by connecting physical products with biomechanics, artificial intelligence, and performance analytics, including Motion DNA Signature Tracking. Future initiatives will combine in-shoe solutions with data-driven insights to
better understand and optimize human movement from the ground up.
New product integrations and programs launching under the Fitness from the Ground Up initiative are expected to roll out in 2026, subject to customary closing processes.
About Z Athlete Group, Inc.
Z Athlete Group, Inc. is a human movement intelligence company focused on optimizing how people move through biomechanics, artificial intelligence, and real-world validation environments across sport, wellness, and performance.
About Fitness from the Ground Up
Fitness from the Ground Up is Z Athlete Group’s initiative focused on addressing movement dysfunction at its foundation—the feet—through stimulation, activation, biomechanics, and data-driven insight. The program currently includes FitFeet in-shoe activation products and is expected to expand across wellness, rehabilitation,
and performance applications.
About Barefoot Science
Barefoot Science is a neurosensory foot strengthening system originally developed
by Canadian inventor Roy Gardiner. The product delivers progressive stimulus to the foot’s sensory receptors—providing the brain with the feedback required to activate the body’s natural ability to maintain balance, stability, and coordinated
movement—without the need for artificial support or to restrict movement.
About Biopods
Biopods are dynamically responsive footwear and insole technologies designed to stimulate the foot’s neuromuscular system through adaptive tactile signals. These systems can be integrated into a wide range of footwear and footcare products. Invented by Roy Gardiner, Biopods reflect the body’s natural capacity to adapt—
offering stimulus that invites ease, rhythm, and natural responsiveness in movement, with a reduced risk of injury.
Media Requests: pr@z-athlete.com
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