Every innovation starts with a personal experience
From Ross Comerford, Founder & CEO
My daughter Lexi was excited about starting her college search. She had real questions about financial aid, housing, student life, and picking the right major.
But instead of clarity, we found:
Lexi got overwhelmed. She gave up searching.
As a parent, I was frustrated—but also curious.
As I dug deeper, I discovered something alarming:
Universities had no idea Lexi had ever struggled.
Universities spend billions to attract and support students, yet they're completely blind to experiences like Lexi's.
Without feedback loops, they can't see what's working, where students fall through the cracks, or where resources should actually go.
For us, it was Lexi. For you, it's thousands of students slipping through the cracks every day.
NavIQ ensures no student gets lost in the system again.
From VHS Tapes to 40,000 Customers
Ross' journey began as a college athlete in the late 1990s, when he saw an opportunity to change how organizations, teams, coaches, and athletes accessed information. In 2004, with $1,000 and a laptop at his parents' kitchen table, he founded FastModel Sports. What started as a bold idea evolved into a breakthrough platform that automated scouting workflows, giving coaches and players the tools to prepare more effectively.
Over two decades, the platform grew from its first customers—Duke University and the Boston Celtics—to serve over 40,000 organizations across 80 countries. In March 2025, Fast Model was acquired by Hudl,creating the world's first one-stop platform for coaches, players, and organizations.
Same Passion, Different Arena
Just as FastModel transformed sports by making information accessible, efficient, and actionable, NavIQ is reimagining the student experience with AI. Ross' passion has always been empowering people with information while solving complex problems at scale. First, it was athletes, coaches, and teams. Now it's students, families, and universities. NavIQ is here to end the digital maze of higher education and build a brighter, more connected future for the next generation.
"In sports, we learned that the right information at the right time changes everything—it's the difference between winning and losing. In higher education, it's even more critical. It's the difference between a student finding their path or dropping out. We're applying the same principles that transformed sports to ensure every student gets the support they need, exactly when they need it."
— Ross Comerford