In 2010, Patrick Whaley won the InVenture Prize competition with a weighted workout shirt called TITIN. Four years later, TITIN has hit Hollywood.

In the new movie “The Expendables 3,” actor Kellan Lutz wears the gear as part of a combat outfit. That means people around the world will see TITIN, the brainchild of CoE alumnus Whaley, on the silver screen.

“The costume designer loved our brand,” explained Whaley, a mechanical engineering graduate who is now the CEO of TITIN Inc.

His eight-pound shirt was designed to make workouts tougher and help wearers gain strength. Lutz, who is a friend of Whaley, uses TITIN himself, and he asked Whaley’s permission to adapt the gear for his movie costume.

In the film, Whaley said, TITIN looks almost exactly as it does in real life. The costume designer simply enlarged its logo and added red and black accents to match the movie’s color palette.

With all the exposure TITIN is receiving, Whaley is looking ahead to even bigger things. His company is planning a product line aimed at women and children, and a newly signed deal with Dick’s Sporting Goods could place TITIN in those stores around Christmas. The product, Whaley said, quickly earns customer loyalty thanks to its high-quality fabrics and design.

“It also doesn't hurt,” he added, “that you look like your favorite superhero when you wear TITIN.”