On the surface, Anthony Katz is not your stereotypical tech company founder. No North Face vest or Arc’teryx athleisure in sight. When I met Katz at the Hyperice headquarters in Irvine, California, on an “off day,” he was, in fact, working. Unassuming in all-black shorts and a tee, Katz was warm, welcoming, and ready to dive into the inner workings of his Hyperice empire.
When we last saw Katz, he was being honored at the Daytime Beauty Awards (DBAs), receiving The Inventor’s Award. Celebrating the science behind beauty, health, and wellness, the DBAs were recognizing Katz’s “mission to help everyone on Earth move better, live better, and be better” with the Hypervolt massage gun, Normatec compression legs, and now a slew of recovery tools.
Katz calls Hyperice a movement brand. The tools, which can appear intimidating at first glance for some, are not just for professional athletes. He aims for the inventions to help the everyday person eager to get off the couch on a Sunday and get moving.
“I really think that there is beauty in youth. One of the things that we do when we’re young is move. I have two young kids, and I watch them play—and they’re constantly moving. As we get older, we kind of slow down. We don’t move as well. I don’t think that has to be… I think that with technology, we can use it to help our bodies move better,” Katz said when he accepted his award on stage.
His Hyperice journey began in 2009, when he dreamed up a wearable ice compression device. Katz’s creation caught the attention of NBA legend Kobe Bryant, who helped to test the beta product. Anthony later named the brand after the iconic basketball player’s Hyperdunk Nike shoe.
Hyperice was born one year later with the Hyperice Knee, a neoprene wrap that uses compression to hold an antimicrobial ice cell on targeted areas of the body.
In a room filled with Normatec boots and products for guests to test, Katz placed a quote from Bryant in large text on the wall:
“For me, I see recovery as preparation. When the game ends, my mind is already focused on what I need to do to get my body ready for the next game. It’s a cycle that never ends,” Bryant told Katz.
Katz’s work is very much inspired by the ‘Mamba mentality.’ There was a time when recovering just meant healing from injury, but he sees recovery as cyclical. You should have the proper recovery tools because you need to perform again and again in life and in sports. In order to move and play well, you need to properly recover.
“In the NFL, you gotta do it 17 times a year. In baseball, you’ve got to do it 162 times a year. In the Olympics, maybe you do it a handful of times,” Katz said.
Before diving into the world of technology, Katz was more of a purist. Growing up, he spent his days riding his bike and playing outside. As an adult, he’s drawn to the ocean. Despite being fascinated by the very first iPod, he found the new era of mobile tech overwhelming.
“Having a cell phone was intrusive to me. I didn’t want anyone to call me while I’m living my life. I feel like this urge to create something came later,” he said.
Ironically, it was Apple that became somewhat of an inspiration for Katz.
“My first computer in college was the iMac; I got the iPod—they were making things that were making my life better,” he added.
That concept was what led him to build Hyperice from scratch. He always loved sports and wanted to find a way to create products that could help make life better, but in a way that would ‘hack your body.’ Instead of the fountain of youth, Katz built a fountain of recovery.
The company continues to raise the bar with products like the Hyperboot by Nike × Hyperice, which premiered at the Paris 2024 Olympics after testing 100+ prototypes. As Katz has watched tech wearables become smaller and transform into items we wear, he dreamt up the Hyperboot while driving from basketball. With the goal of preventing injury and protecting the ankles and Achilles, he took the idea to his team, and they brought the vision to fruition.
“My team is always up for the challenge,” Katz said.
“We commercialized the project in 2025. It was the hardest thing we’ve ever had to do and, for me as a kid growing up, to be able to see [my] logo side by side with Nike is super gratifying,” he added.
An artist at the core, he and his creative team take great pride in the visual projects they produce for Hyperice releases. More like short films, Katz’s love for cinema is reflected in the quality and detail of each product image and video produced.
You rarely hear Katz say “I” without ending with “we.” Always crediting his team, he’s well aware that they are a vital part of the Hyperice journey, which promises to continue inventing and innovating.
“Without them, these are just ideas in my head,” Katz concluded.
