January 2025 Investment Recap
Record-Breaking Start: Sports Tech Investment Soars Past 2024 Totals
Hello sports tech enthusiasts 👋🏼
Welcome to the new monthly investment recap! Each month, I'll be tracking and analysing investment activity across the sports tech ecosystem. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this record-breaking start to 2025 and what you think about this new monthly format. Let me know what additional investment metrics you'd like to see covered in future editions!
January 2025 has kicked off with unprecedented investment activity in the sports tech ecosystem, with total investment volume already surpassing all of 2024. A staggering $3.9 billion in investments was recorded, primarily driven by two major deals: Infinite Reality and DAZN.
Breaking down January's investment activity:
Week 2 (6th-13th):
Scrum Ventures closed its first sports tech fund at $68 million
KIBI Sports raised $100,000 from angel investors
AO Ventures announced plans to raise $30 million for tech-led sports investments
Week 3 (13th-20th):
Eternal (athlete longevity clinic) raised $13.25M seed round
London-based Accelerate Ventures invested in Playerdata
US firm Enfield partners launched a $4 billion global sports investment fund
Week 4 (20th-27th):
The Snow League secured $15 million led by Left Lane Capital
Men in Blazers Media Network raised $15 million Series A
Springbok Analytics closed $5 million Series A round
EP Golf Ventures invested in Evenplay
Week 5 (27th-3rd Feb):
Satisfi Labs secured new growth financing
Output Sports closed €4.5 million pre-A funding round
Strike announced $7.6 million fundraising round
Geographic Distribution
North America dominated with the month's largest deal ($3B), representing the bulk of January's funding
Significant activity in Europe, particularly with Output Sports' €4.5M round
Growing interest in the Indian market with KIBI Sports' angel investment
Sector Analysis:
'Fans & Content' sector received the majority of funding, continuing its dominance from 2024
Notable M&A activity occurred across other sectors
Major deals: Infinite Reality ($3B) and DAZN ($827M)
The ecosystem's momentum is further evidenced by:
New Fund Announcements: Scrum Ventures ($68M) and AO Ventures ($30M)
Cohort Programmes: AO Startups launch and applications opening for Apex & Barça Innovation Hub
Innovation Initiatives: FIFA's relaunched innovation programme
This exceptional start to 2025 suggests we're entering a new phase of maturity in the sports tech investment landscape. The concentration of capital in the Fans & Content sector indicates continued confidence in digital fan engagement and content monetisation strategies.
The magnitude of investment, particularly the mega-rounds for Infinite Reality and DAZN, demonstrates that investors see sports technology not just as a niche sector, but as a fundamental driver of the future sports economy. This shift is crucial because it suggests that technology is no longer viewed as merely supplementary to sports businesses – it's becoming the core infrastructure upon which modern sports organisations are built.
Looking ahead, this investment pattern signals several key trends:
The continued digitalisation of sports consumption and engagement
Growing confidence in technology's ability to create new revenue streams
The emergence of institutional investors viewing sports tech as a mature investment category
Increased appetite for large-scale technological transformation in traditional sports organisations
The diversity of investment vehicles – from traditional VC funds to sports-specific accelerators and innovation programmes – also indicates a maturing ecosystem that can support companies at every stage of growth. This comprehensive funding landscape is essential for sustaining long-term innovation in the sector.
Track the Trends. Spot the plays. Shape the game.
Thanks for reading,
Dean