PORTEFEUILLE

In today's digital age, there is an abundance of health and fitness advice, yet groundbreaking sports science research, often funded by taxpayers, remains inaccessible behind the paywalls of scientific journals. As a senior scientist at ETH Zurich with a PhD in exercise sciences, I recognized this gap and launched @wod_science on Instagram, successfully translating complex studies into concise, easy to understand posts for 115,000 followers over 4.5 years. However, with the rise of video content and evolving platform preferences, I see an opportunity to transition from Instagram's static posts to engaging YouTube videos with Wod-Science 2.0. With support from the Gebert Rüf Stiftung, I seek to expand this vision, creating an engaging, but informative video experience. This funding will ensure consistent, quality content, enable collaboration with freelance professionals, and support high-quality video production. By becoming self-sustainable within 8 months, my focus will remain unbiased, a key requisite of this project. Wod-Science 2.0 will not only deliver research-based knowledge but will also promote Switzerland, showcasing Swiss athletes and facilities. The goal is to reshape how sports science is perceived, making it accessible to all, while highlighting Swiss contributions to the field.

The WOD-Science 2.0 project, initially inspired by my experiences and research at ETH Zurich and made possible through funding from the Gebert Rüf Stiftung (GRS), has successfully transformed from a passion project into a revenue-generating business. The transition from Instagram content @wod_science to dynamic YouTube videos has been a major success, with the channel gathering nearly 10,000 subscribers and over 350,000 views within the first year. This growth far exceeded initial expectations and has played a pivotal role in establishing Wod-Science as a credible platform for evidence-based insights on fitness, nutrition, and sports science.
A significant milestone of the project has been the founding of my own sole proprietorship, WOD-Science by D'Hulst, now registered in the Swiss commercial registry. This has opened doors for new business opportunities, including partnerships and consultancy roles. Notably, I secured an 8-month advisory contract with Adidas to assist in developing a new shoe for the functional fitness market, and I also became shareholder in the startup WODmotions, which will launch its first product in early 2025.
The specialty ‘Trainer development Course,' which is part of the broader business model, is also set to launch, combining live events and masterclasses on fitness coaching and health. The first live seminar is already sold out, demonstrating the strong demand for such content.
Without the financial support from GRS, none of this growth would have been possible. The funding enabled me to dedicate the necessary time and resources to YouTube content creation, which has been instrumental in building credibility, engaging a broader audience, and turning this project into a sustainable business.