TL;DR:
- SportsVisio secures $3 million seed funding for its AI-driven sports analytics platform.
- The company uses image-based deep learning to bring augmented reality to amateur sports, allowing real-time streaming, statistics review, and highlights creation on smartphones.
- The platform employs cost-effective AI and computer vision, eliminating the need for additional hardware.
- Founded by industry veterans, the company aims to redefine player training, coaching, and league competition.
- Sapphire Sport leads the investment round, aligning with SportsVisio’s goal of democratizing access to sports video and analytics.
- The investment signifies the growing demand for tech-driven solutions in the sports analytics market.
Main AI News:
In a move that’s set to reshape the landscape of sports analytics, SportsVisio has successfully raised $3 million in seed funding. This groundbreaking AI-powered software company is pioneering image-based deep learning within the sports analytics realm. Leading the investment round is Sapphire Sport, an innovative early-stage investment platform that intersects technology, media, entertainment, and sports.
SportsVisio’s cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology introduces augmented reality to the realm of amateur sports. This pioneering system empowers players, coaches, and parents by allowing them to record games and live events on their smartphones. The recorded content can then be seamlessly streamed, statistics reviewed, insightful analytics accessed, and highlights created – all in real-time. What sets SportsVisio apart is its cost-effective, platform-agnostic approach. It leverages artificial intelligence and computer vision to automate statistical analysis and content creation without requiring additional hardware, resulting in faster and more seamless processes.
Established in 2021 by CEO Jason Syversen and a seasoned team, SportsVisio boasts an impressive leadership lineup. Syversen, alongside COO Samuel Corbitt, previously co-founded Siege Technologies. Meanwhile, CTO Dan Oblinger, a DARPA alumnus, has been involved in numerous startup ventures. The $3 million seed round, spearheaded by Sapphire Sport, will be instrumental in advancing their next-generation AI technology. Furthermore, it will fuel the expansion of their sales team as they continue to scale their revenue operations, which already encompass partnerships with prominent leagues and media entities.
Jason Syversen, Founder, and CEO of SportsVisio, remarked, “AI is the future of how we develop technology to create more seamless, integrated products for a generation of consumers who expect professional capabilities in the palm of their hands.” He emphasized that their innovative product will redefine player training, coach recruitment, and league competition at all levels. Syversen expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration with Sapphire Sport, highlighting their shared commitment to democratizing access to sports video and analytics.
Doug Higgins, Co-Founder of Sapphire Sport, emphasized the demand for a novel solution that caters to the evolving needs of the next generation of athletes. He stated, “SportsVisio is developing a next-generation product and tapping into the future of how amateur and collegiate athletics are utilizing content to better their game.”
The SportsVisio platform capitalizes on the capabilities of artificial intelligence and computer vision to automate analysis and content creation. This technology-driven approach benefits observers, participants, and coaches alike. By seamlessly collecting and presenting highlights, SportsVisio enhances user experiences. Moreover, the system delves into individual player and team statistics, creating comprehensive profiles and “lockers” for storing and distributing games and highlights across various social media platforms. Beyond this, the technology provides a collaborative coaching functionality, empowering teams and players to enhance their skills.
Sapphire Sport, a pioneering early-stage investment platform, unveiled a second fund vehicle valued at $181 million earlier this year. The fund is geared towards investments in companies that utilize technology to shape the next phase of consumer behavior across sports, media, and digital commerce. This marks Sapphire Sport’s second investment from Fund II, building on their initial fund’s successful backing of companies such as Overtime, Fevo, and Tonal.
Conclusion:
SportsVisio’s successful seed funding round led by Sapphire Sport marks a significant development in the sports analytics market. Their innovative approach to integrating AI, computer vision, and augmented reality promises to reshape how players, coaches, and leagues engage with sports data. The investment underscores the market’s appetite for advanced technological solutions in the realm of sports analytics and signals a transformative shift towards more data-driven and accessible sports experiences.
