Founded in 1997, Earlybird invests in all development and growth phases of technology companies. Among the most experienced venture investors in Europe, Earlybird offers its portfolio companies not only financial resources but also strategic support plus access to an international network and capital markets. With EUR 2 billion under management, eight IPOs and 30 trade sales, Earlybird is one of the most established and active venture capital firms in Europe.

Earlybird Venture Capital

Union Square Ventures is a private equity and venture capital firm focused on early-stage, growth capital, late-stage, and startup financing. The USV portfolio companies create services that have the potential to fundamentally transform important markets.  It exclusively invests in the internet world, focusing on the applications layer of the web, internet services, and web services that create large networks as well as the mobile sector. Some of its invested companies are based in New York, San Francisco, London, Berlin, and places in between. It typically makes a starting investment in portfolio companies of $1 million. In certain Series Around cases, the firm may make a starting investment between $2.5 million to $3 million. It typically invests up to $20 million in any single company. Union Square Ventures was founded in 2003 and is based in New York, United States.

Union Square Ventures

Lakestar is a venture capital firm investing in technology companies led by exceptional entrepreneurs. Early investments included Skype, Spotify, Facebook, and Airbnb. Since raising the first fund in 2013, Lakestar manages an aggregated volume of over EUR 1bn across three early-stage funds, and more recently a growth fund.  The company has expanded and broadened its portfolio and holds investments in the likes of Opendoor, Oscar, GetYourGuide, Glovo, Sender, Eigen, Five, Revolut, and Hometogo to name a few. Lakestar has a presence in Berlin, Zurich, and London. Lakestar helps companies to identify new markets and expand into them rapidly, with a focus on the US and Europe. The team advises and supports portfolio companies in business development, recruitment, technology, and marketing. The investments range from early-stage companies to those in their growth stage.

Lakestar

June Fund is a global technology investor. The firm was discontinued in 2022 and is no longer actively investing.

June Fund

Evolution Media is a multi-stage investment firm that partners with passionate entrepreneurs who are building the next generation of technology, content, lifestyle, media, and sports businesses. Evolution leverages its global platform and relationships to accelerate the growth of its portfolio companies while helping them reshape and disrupt their industries.

Evolution Media

Adidas strives to be the leading sports brand in the world an ambitious yet realistic goal. One major lever to achieve this is the brand broad and unique product portfolio spanning from apparel and footwear for professional athletes to premium fashion. It allows adidas to address multiple consumer needs, tackle market opportunities from various angles as well as be less affected by one-dimensional market risks. This product portfolio as well as adidas commitment to excel in all relevant segments differentiates the brand from competitors and ensures solid market growth, while staying true to the brand values. Currently, the brand focuses on five global priorities: Football, Running, Training, Basketball and Originals.

Adidas

Liberty City Ventures is a seed-stage fund headquartered in New York City. They invest in startups that are innovating at the cross-sections of technology, media, and commerce. Liberty City Ventures began operations in the summer of 2012 and is led by experienced technology executives and investors. They start backing promising startups at an early stage so they can provide value and resources throughout their lifetime and fuel further growth. They commit a percentage of each partner’s time to provide value-added services to their portfolio companies using our expertise in PR, marketing, management, and operations. In addition to its general fund, Liberty City Ventures also has a dedicated Digital Currency Fund with a focus on Bitcoin. They invest in and support companies that are building the infrastructure, products, and services that will become the foundation of a new digital currency.

Liberty City Ventures

RIT Capital Partners plc is an investment trust listed on the London Stock Exchange with net assets of some £1.9 billion. It is chaired by Lord Rothschild, whose family interests retain a significant holding. For 2011 it won the Best Large Trust award from the Investment Trust Journal, for its outstanding performance.

RIT Capital Partners

Senator Investment Group is a hedge-fund firm providing services to pooled investment vehicles. It specializes in the fields of financial services and investment management. It was formed in 2008 and headquartered in New York, United States.

Senator Investment Group

DAH Beteiligungs GmbH operates as a subsidiary of Service Innovation Group GmbH

DAH Beteiligungs GmbH

Quiet Capital is a technology investment firm.

Quiet Capital

Dapper Labs, the company behind NBA Top Shot, uses blockchain technology to bring NFTs and new forms of digital engagement to fans around the world. Since it was founded in 2018, Dapper Labs has given consumer enthusiasts a real stake in the game by bringing them closer to the brands they love, building engaged and exciting communities for them to contribute to, and producing new pathways for them to become creators themselves.

Dapper Labs

Alsara is an international private investment company.

Alsara

ABACON CAPITAL is a family-owned investment firm focused on Sustainable Energy Transition, New Age Mobility, Deep Tech, and Real Estate. Over decades, our investment platform has expanded across all stages in public and private markets. We believe in co-elevating people, purpose, and profit for a prosperous society and planet.

ABACON CAPITAL

OneFootball

NFT Genius is a digital experience and marketplace technology company. They provide services for storytellers and innovators. An online inquiry form is available on the company's website.

Zigazoo is a rapidly growing social media brand featuring the recently launched Generation Z-focused Zigazoo app and Zigazoo Kids, which launched in 2020 and has since become the world’s largest social network for Generation Alpha.  Zigazoo makes screentime healthier, safer and more creative.  The video-first apps have empowered millions to express their authentic selves within a positive social media environment and has become a priority destination for top tier creator talent, celebrities, and best-in-class brands including the NBA, Warner Brothers, Paramount Pictures, Amazon, Apple TV+, Netflix, and WWE. Since launch in 2020, Zigazoo has been backed by the NBA, Liberty City Ventures, MaC Venture Capital, Causeway Media Partners, Serena Ventures, Talis Capital, Wheelhouse Entertainment, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Charli & Dixie D’Amelio, and Jimmy Kimmel, and many more tech and entertainment heavyweights.

The home of Living Assets: NFT 2.0. Evolving - Scalable - Multicurrency - Sustainable - Certifiable. Freeverse’s mission is to bring true ownership of 'living' digital assets (such as NFTs) into the mainstream. Born from a simple idea of allowing gamers to trade their in-game assets among themselves, legally, for real money, Freeverse's ambition is to revolutionize the concept of 'digital ownership', where users truly own their digital assets, yet permitting companies and content creators the right to control how those assets are used within their applications. To accomplish our mission, we have created a platform that allows the creation of 'Living Assets' - NFTs that can be traded freely among users, but whose properties are regulated by their initial creators. We go beyond the concept of 'static'-NFTs (collectibles) and permit NFTs to evolve and change according to how they are actually used. We are funded by leading European tech VCs.

Fancurve is a digital sports fashion platform that empowers fans to express their passions, personalities and connection through premium digital sports wearables. It develop unique collaborations that bring together global communities through their shared passion for football (soccer), culture and fashion.

OliveX is a digital lifestyle company with a focus on the health and fitness industry. It operates as a subscription-based business, providing applications, smart technology, and a user experience that is built on artificial intelligence, gamification, and premium content. With users in over 170 countries including Hong Kong, Australia, and China, OliveX enables brands, influencers, and fitness coaches to engage with their consumers when at home.

Concept Art House is a leading art service provider and original IP studio.

OneFootball is an app and platform that provides comprehensive coverage of over 100 international soccer leagues and competitions. It includes live scores, news, and video highlights. The app caters to soccer enthusiasts with features like fixtures, stats, and a calendar of all competitions worldwide, making it a must-have for fans. OneFootball partners with various organizations, including Major League Soccer, to deliver content globally, ensuring fans stay updated on their favorite leagues.

OneFootball is a Berlin-based media platform that provides football (soccer) content to fans worldwide. The company's core offering is a web and mobile application that allows users to access live scores, stats, news, highlights, and video streaming of matches from various leagues and competitions. OneFootball's platform is designed to cater to the preferences of Gen Z fans by delivering personalized content on-demand without requiring a subscription.

OneFootball — No one gets you closer

Serie A Partners With German Media Platform OneFootball on NFTs

OneFootball and Bundesliga in two

OneFootball retains two key streaming contracts

DAZN, OneFootball strike distribution deal for Germany, Austria

Sports Tech

OneFootBall

MLS invests in OneFootball digital media platform

NFT Genius

Fundamental Labs

Commonwealth Asset Management

Spartan Labs

Unibanco-Uniao de Bancos Brasileiros

Spartan

Zigazoo

National Basketball Association

Lightspeed Venture Partners

Animoca Brands

Causeway Capital Management

Freeverse.io

Target Global

Adara Ventures

4Founders Capital

Fancurve

Greenfield

Acequia Capital (AceCap)

Shima Capital

6th Man Ventures

Olivex

Bombora

PANONY

The Spartan Group

Chingona Ventures

Double Peak Group

GBV Capital

SMO Capital

SkyVision Capital

Block Hype

Formless Capital

MADworld

Eden Digital Holdings

Darkpool Ventures

Blocore

Concept Art House

AppWorks

Protocol Labs

Fabric Ventures

Mask Network

Hashkey Exchange

PKO VC

Gala Games

Blockchain Coinvestors

Redbeard Ventures

Polymorphic Capital

OneFootball is a Berlin-based media platform that provides football (soccer) content to fans worldwide. The company's core offering is a web and mobile application that allows users to access live scores, stats, news, highlights, and video streaming of matches from various leagues and competitions. OneFootball's platform is designed to cater to the preferences of Gen Z fans by delivering personalized content on-demand without requiring a subscription.
The company's business model revolves around partnerships with sports organizations, broadcasters, publishers, clubs, leagues, federations, and players. OneFootball leverages the value of its partners' content to attract a large user base, which in turn becomes valuable for the partners. This creates a mutually beneficial cycle where content providers can reach a wider audience, while OneFootball can offer more engaging experiences to its users.
In addition to its core platform, OneFootball has ventured into the Web3 space by collaborating with entities like Serie A (Italy's top football league), Bundesliga (Germany's top football league), and CONMEBOL (South American football confederation) to create and commercialize digital collectibles, including NFTs and digital video moments. These partnerships allow fans to collect, trade, and own licensed digital assets related to iconic moments, players, and clubs.
As of May 2023, OneFootball reported over 100 million monthly active users worldwide. The company has also secured exclusive streaming rights for certain leagues and competitions in specific regions, such as the Bundesliga in Brazil (until the end of the 2022-23 season) and the Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana highlights in Brazil and Latin America (from 2023 to 2026).

Hexoskin is a company that manufactures smart clothing, specifically smart shirts that monitor various health metrics. The Hexoskin smart shirts are embedded with textile sensors that can track heart rate, breathing rate, minute ventilation, blood oxygen levels, steps, calories burned, and sleep patterns. The shirts connect to the Hexoskin Connected Health Platform, which collects and transmits the health data securely. Users can view their data in real-time on the Hexoskin app via Bluetooth connectivity.
Hexoskin's smart shirts have been extensively used in scientific research, with over 100 publications featuring them. They are particularly valuable for research in the fields of cardiac, respiratory, activity, stress, cognitive, and sleep studies. Renowned organizations like NASA, SpaceX, and the Canadian Space Agency have employed Hexoskin's technology for research purposes, with the company's Astroskin product receiving the 2022 International Space Station Research Innovation Award for Human Health in Space.
In terms of product offerings, Hexoskin's smart shirts are machine-washable and come with a connected device that provides up to 36 hours of battery life and 100 days of recording capacity. The company's shirts have found applications in various industries, including healthcare, sports and fitness, military and defense, industrial, and entertainment.

Hexoskin

Athos is a technology company that has developed a patented system for smart clothing that measures muscle activity using electromyography (EMG). The Athos garments, which include shirts and shorts, are embedded with sensors that detect the electrical signals produced by muscles during exercise. These signals are transmitted to a core unit that connects to a mobile app, providing real-time feedback on muscle effort, fatigue, and imbalances.
The Athos system is designed to help athletes of all levels optimize their training and performance. By visualizing muscle activation patterns, users can identify areas of weakness, correct form issues, and monitor progress over time. The app includes a library of exercises and leverages AI to provide personalized insights based on the user's muscle data.
Athos was founded in 2012 by Christopher Wiebe and Dhananja Jayalath, two electrical engineering students who recognized the potential of EMG technology to revolutionize fitness tracking. The company's mission is to empower athletes with unprecedented insights into their body's movement and performance, enabling them to train smarter and more effectively.
In October 2020, Athos Group, the parent company of Athos, reported significant growth and expansion in the off-duty law enforcement market through its subsidiary companies, including Summit Off Duty Services and RollKall. RollKall, a comprehensive off-duty staffing solution acquired by Athos Group in May 2020, had powered over 1.97 million hours of off-duty jobs across the country as of October 2020.

Athos

Atavus is a leading sports technology company specializing in tackling education and player safety solutions. Their flagship product, the Atavus Tackle System, offers a comprehensive training program that focuses on developing proper tackling techniques aimed at improving performance and reducing the risk of injuries. This data-driven approach emphasizes shoulder-led tackling, which eliminates unnecessary head contact during tackles, thereby minimizing the likelihood of concussions and other head-related injuries.
The Atavus Tackle System provides coaches with an extensive online library of coaching resources, including drill videos, practice plans, and detailed tackle plans tailored to help players master the shoulder-led technique effectively. By prioritizing fundamentals and skill acquisition, Atavus empowers coaches to instill safe and efficient tackling habits in their athletes from the grassroots level.
Atavus initially started as a rugby skills platform in 2011 before transitioning into the football domain, where it has gained widespread adoption among professional, collegiate, and high school programs. Notable early adopters of the Atavus Tackle System included the Seattle Seahawks, the University of Washington, and Ohio State University football teams. In 2019, Atavus was acquired by Phoenix Sports Partners, a sports technology and data investment fund.
Under the leadership of Kerry Carter, a former professional football player who assumed the role of CEO in January 2024, Atavus has expanded its offerings to include a software-as-a-service model, making its tackling education platform accessible to a wider market. The company has also forged strategic partnerships, such as the one announced with Hudl in April 2024, to combine Atavus' player safety expertise with advanced performance tracking technologies.

Atavus

Rank One is a company specializing in sports team management applications for K-12 athletic directors, certified athletic trainers (ATCs), and coaches. The company's flagship product, Rank One Sport, is a FERPA-compliant platform used by nearly 2,000 K-12 schools across Texas and over 1,000 schools in 25 other states. Rank One Sport offers a comprehensive suite of features designed to meet the needs of Athletic and Fine Arts directors, including schedule management, roster access, student information management, and form handling.
In September 2018, Rank One expanded its offerings with the launch of Rank One Health, a mobile application integrated with Rank One Sport. Developed in collaboration with the Children's Health Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, Rank One Health aims to standardize student-athlete injury documentation nationwide and reduce risk for schools. The app provides a secure communication system between ATCs, team physicians, healthcare providers, and school administrators. It improves reporting and tracking of student-athlete injuries for sports medicine professionals in K-12 school systems. Rank One Health's injury documentation software is based on nationally recognized standards and evaluation methodology recommended by the Children's Health Andrews Institute.
Key customers and partnerships
Rank One's primary customers are K-12 schools, with a strong presence in Texas and 25 other states. The company collaborated with the Children's Health Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine to develop Rank One Health, leveraging their expertise in pediatric orthopaedics and sports medicine. This partnership aimed to implement a standardized, user-friendly mobile application for managing sports-related injuries in school settings.

Rank One

TeamSnap is a leading provider of sports management software and the online community for everything related to youth sports. Its platform serves as a comprehensive solution for sports organizations, teams, coaches, players, and parents, offering a suite of integrated tools to simplify and streamline various aspects of managing sports programs.
The company's core offering, TeamSnap for Business, is designed to help sports organizations support and grow programs for families and athletes. It provides a centralized workspace where administrators can manage registration, collect signups, organize and collect program fees, launch websites, update content, create and share schedules, communicate with members, source sponsorships, and organize tournaments. This solution caters to organizations of all sizes, from small clubs to large associations.
TeamSnap also offers TeamSnap for Teams, a web and mobile application tailored for coaches, administrators, players, and parents to manage team activities, communication, and logistics. This user-friendly platform simplifies administrative tasks involved in managing a sports team, such as scheduling, communication, and tracking player availability.
Furthermore, TeamSnap for Brands is an innovative suite of products that revolutionizes how brands can engage with families through youth sports. It combines TeamSnap's digital audience of over 25 million youth sports parents, players, coaches, and administrators with its network of sponsorable leagues and tournaments. This offering allows brands to run digital, physical, national, and local campaigns at scale, reaching over 25 million parents, coaches, and athletes, representing more than USD 2.4 trillion in spending power.
In November 2022, TeamSnap acquired LeagueSide, America's leading community sports sponsorship platform, further enhancing its ability to connect brands with youth sports communities both online and in local communities.

TeamSnap

Technology solution providers for sports venues, which includes solutions for stadium management, connectivity and entertainment, and video assistant referee (VAR) technology

Platforms and devices that aid the training process and/or measure player statistics and other metrics, such as health and movement data, to improve player performance

Platforms that assists the management of teams, leagues, tournaments, and other sporting events

Providers of sports data for other sports-related platforms

Online media platforms that distribute sports-related content

Online sports betting platforms and platforms where virtual teams composed of proxies of real players of a professional sport compete based on player performance in actual games

Companies that develop apparel products equipped with technology to track and improve performance

Platforms that enable fans to engage with sports brands and other fans, and developers of solutions such as audience behavior and sentiment analytics, and audience engagement

Some solutions in the "team and league management platforms" segment operate a B2B SaaS model

Used by platforms to simulate real game scenarios in training

Used by platforms to spot trends in tactics, athlete performance, and training

Some stadium tech solutions and training support/performance analytics solutions offer a certain level of personalization

OneFootBall

Sources

About EDGE

Contact Us

Resources

Area of Focus

Technology Research Made Effortless