Garmin announces historic research collaboration with King's College London

Rhea-AI Summary

Garmin (NYSE:GRMN) has announced a landmark research collaboration with King's College London as the exclusive smartwatch provider for the EMBRACE program. The research initiative will collect biometric data from up to 40,000 adult participants, making it Garmin's largest research institution partnership to date.

The EMBRACE program will utilize Garmin smartwatches to monitor physiological metrics including heart rate, sleep patterns, and Body Battery™ data. The collected data will support AI-based clinical studies focused on conditions like gestational diabetes, pregnancy hypertension, and perinatal depression. The research aims to develop machine learning models to identify digital biomarkers for personalized interventions in maternal and baby health care.

Positive

• Largest research collaboration to date between Garmin and a research institution
• Exclusive smartwatch provider status for a major healthcare research program
• Access to large-scale health data from 40,000 participants
• Strategic positioning in the digital health and maternal care markets

Negative

• None.

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Strategic agreement leverages Garmin biometric data for digital health research

OLATHE, Kan., Sept. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Garmin (NYSE: GRMN) today announced a major collaboration with King's College London during the Garmin Health Summit at the New York Stock Exchange. The agreement identifies Garmin as the exclusive smartwatch provider for the Enhanced Maternal and Baby Results with AI-supported Care and Empowerment (EMBRACE) program of research, which will collect smartwatch and fitness tracker data from up to 40,000 adult participants – comprised of women and their partners – worldwide¹. This is the largest collaboration to-date between Garmin and a research institution.

"King's College London – a preeminent university in life sciences and medicine – is at the forefront of integrating wearable technology into its world-class research studies, and the Garmin Health team is proud to have a strategic collaboration with King's College London and be a part of the EMBRACE program of research and its other initiatives advancing the role of smartwatches in health monitoring. This is an important milestone for Garmin, underscoring our rigorous standards for data quality, integration and privacy."
–Jörn Watzke, Senior Director of Garmin Health

To enable personalized and continuous monitoring, each EMBRACE adult participant will be equipped with a Garmin smartwatch or fitness tracker capable of recording key physiological metrics like heart rate, heart rate variability, sleep patterns, physical activity, energy expenditure, Body Battery^™ and beat-to-beat intervals. With user consent, data collected through Garmin smartwatches will be utilized by AI in a program of clinical studies to help address health conditions like gestational diabetes, pregnancy hypertension and perinatal depression, as well as provide ongoing post-natal care recommendations. Using data from Garmin devices, smartphones and self-reporting, an AI-based prediction algorithm will be developed. And with machine learning, it is hoped that the model will identify key digital biomarkers to support personalized interventions and improve health outcomes for mother, her partner and the baby – the ultimate goal of the EMBRACE. 

"King's is committed to utilizing new and evolving technologies – like AI and wearables – to not only further academic research, but also provide critical insights needed to address policy and healthcare challenges around the world. In the case of the EMBRACE program of research, this means developing data-backed solutions for care during and after pregnancy. We are excited to be collaborating with Garmin on this important research to improve health outcomes for mothers and babies."
—Josip Car, King's College London Professor of Population and Digital Health Sciences

The EMBRACE program of research is made possible by support from philanthropic research organization, Inkfish. Earlier this year, Inkfish made the largest donation by a single donor to date in the University's history to transform maternal, child and lifelong health through a personalized human and artificial intelligence (AI) intervention.

Garmin Health empowers innovative third-party digital health solutions with the Garmin Health Ecosystem, comprised of the Garmin product portfolio and its data integration services. By leveraging the Garmin Health API and SDKs, organizations can receive real-time or existing biometric data – with customizable levels of granularity – in accordance with their specific privacy policies. Garmin Health is a globally focused division of technology leader Garmin, collaborating with entities in areas like healthcare, research, employee benefits, insurance, fitness and defense. For more information, email our media team, connect with us on LinkedIn or visit us online at garmin.com/health.

¹Activity tracking accuracy. Garmin smartwatches and fitness trackers utilized in the EMBRACE project are only for pregnant women and their partners. Information will be gathered from up to 20,000 infants without Garmin devices, bringing the total participant number to 60,000.

About Garmin International, Inc. Garmin International, Inc. is a subsidiary of Garmin Ltd. (NYSE: GRMN). Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in Switzerland, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. Garmin and Body Battery are registered trademarks of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries.

All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

About King's College London
King's College London is amongst the top 35 universities in the world, 11^th for Life Sciences and Medicine, and 5th best in the UK (QS World University Rankings 2026), and one of England's oldest and most prestigious universities.  With an outstanding reputation for world-class teaching and cutting-edge research, King's maintained its sixth position for 'research power' in the UK (2021 Research Excellence Framework).     

King's has more than 33,000 students (including more than 12,800 postgraduates) from some 150 countries worldwide, and 8,500 staff.   

For nearly 200 years, King's students and staff have used their knowledge and insight to make a positive impact on people, society and the planet. Focused on delivering positive change at home in London, across the UK and around the world, King's is building on its history of addressing the world's most urgent challenges head on to accelerate progress, make discoveries and pioneer innovation. Visit the website to find out more about Vision 2029, which sets out bold ambitions for the future of King's as we look towards our 200th anniversary.    

World-changing ideas. Life-changing impact: kcl.ac.uk/news   

Notice on Forward-Looking Statements:
This release includes forward-looking statements regarding Garmin Ltd. and its business. Such statements are based on management's current expectations. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur and actual results could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting Garmin, including, but not limited to, the risk factors listed in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 28, 2024, filed by Garmin with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission file number 0-31983), and the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 28, 2025 filed by Garmin with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission file number 001-41118). Copies of such Form 10-K and Form 10-Q are available at https://www.garmin.com/en-US/investors/sec/. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and Garmin undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Elliott Scott
913-397-8200
media.relations@garmin.com

 

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SOURCE Garmin International, Inc.

FAQ

What is Garmin's new research collaboration with King's College London?

Garmin has become the exclusive smartwatch provider for King's College London's EMBRACE program, which will collect biometric data from up to 40,000 adult participants to study maternal and baby health outcomes.

How many participants will be involved in Garmin's EMBRACE research program?

The program will collect data from up to 40,000 adult participants (women and their partners) using Garmin devices, plus data from 20,000 infants without devices, totaling 60,000 participants.

What health conditions will the Garmin EMBRACE program study?

The program will study gestational diabetes, pregnancy hypertension, and perinatal depression, using AI-based clinical studies to develop personalized interventions.

What type of data will Garmin devices collect in the EMBRACE study?

Garmin devices will collect heart rate, heart rate variability, sleep patterns, physical activity, energy expenditure, Body Battery™, and beat-to-beat intervals from participants.

How will Garmin's collaboration with King's College London use AI?

The collaboration will use AI to develop prediction algorithms based on smartwatch data, smartphone data, and self-reporting to identify digital biomarkers for personalized maternal health interventions.