Oslo-based sports tech startup SportAI, which offers a platform for instant, precise, and scalable sports technique analysis powered by AI, has raised $1.8 million in a seed funding round to grow the company's workforce and scale its technology development.
- Founded in 2023 by Lauren Pedersen, Trond Kittelsen, Andreas Thome, and Felipe Longé, SportAI creates an AI-powered platform for real-time analysis of sports techniques in tennis, padel, and golf.
- The startup uses Computer Vision and Machine Learning to process video from mobile phones, courts, and broadcast feeds, delivering personalized feedback directly to users. This approach not only enhances athletic performance but also reduces costs and manual tagging, offering valuable insights for sports facilities, coaches, broadcasters, and manufacturers.
Details of the deal
- The fresh funding was led by Skyfall Ventures, an Oslo-based investment management firm that invests in early-stage Nordic technology companies. The firm's portfolio includes 35 startups, 54 investments, and 8 exits, featuring companies such as Poption, Otovo, Vibrent, and Nabobil.no.
- Dekel Valtzer, a tennis pro and startup founder, and Magnus Carlsen, the world's top-ranked chess player, have joined SportAI's pre-seed round. Carlsen will serve as both an investor and an advisor.
- With the investment, SportAI plans to accelerate the reach of its sports analytics, expand its workforce with additional technical, commercial, and sporting expertise, and announce its first commercial contract.
"Securing a seed round of $1.8 million gives us the resources we need to push forward with technical and commercial development, bringing us closer to our vision of democratizing sports technique analysis —making it objective, affordable, and accessible to everyone," CEO and founder of SportAI, Lauren Pedersen, commented.
