Why ZLiX Exists
Swimming has been a defining part of the life of Valentin Milkov. From competitive swimming and international coaching to educational innovation, the goal has always been to contribute meaningfully to the global swimming community.
Experience at institutions such as Indiana University — one of the most successful varsity swimming programs in the United States — shaped a deep understanding of both elite performance and structured coaching systems.
Later, becoming a World Record Holder with the University of Manchester Swimming Club reinforced the belief that swimming is not only about elite competition but about lifelong participation, health, and community.
From SwiMMinD to ZLiX
The original concept began with the SwiMMinD initiative, which received recognition from organizations including the International Olympic Committee, Google, and Alibaba Cloud.
When external funding did not materialize, Valentin Milkov chose to build the first working version independently using Unity and modern AI tools.
The result was the creation of ZLiX — a simplified but functional MVP capable of recognizing swimming skill execution from uploaded videos.
The Technology
ZLiX uses AI-based video recognition to detect whether a swimmer successfully performs specific swimming skills.
The goal is not to replace coaches, but to assist swimmers, parents, and instructors with accessible skill tracking and learning feedback.
The long-term mission is clear: ZLiX should remain free and accessible to swimmers everywhere.
International Level Structure
ZLiX learning levels incorporate best practices from internationally recognized swimming education systems used in the United States, Australia, and Europe.
Inspiration also comes from educational innovations developed by Lida Milkova, whose experience across multiple continents helped shape structured learn-to-swim programs in Bulgaria.
The guiding question behind ZLiX is simple: structured swimming education should be available to anyone in the world — regardless of location or financial resources.
What Comes Next
The first MVP version will launch on Android. Future development may include iOS and expanded AI recognition capabilities.
ZLiX is not simply a startup experiment. It represents a lifelong commitment to the sport of swimming.
Swimming gave everything to Valentin Milkov. ZLiX is his way of giving something back.