15 Top Sports Startups to Watch in 2024

Every year, new startups pull to the forefront of their industry through exciting innovation and industry-disrupting business models. We’ve rounded up the best sports tech startups of 2024 that startup lovers, investors, and aspiring entrepreneurs should follow. 

Disclaimer: With so many exciting sports tech startups launching and growing worldwide, we aren’t able to cover them all. Furthermore, the startups that are listed below are not officially ranked and are listed in no particular order.

• Location: London, United Kingdom
• Founders: Chaitanya Shah, Jonathan Carr-Harris
• Founded In: 2018
• Funding: Debt Financing, $205.2 Million
• Investors Include: Octopus Ventures

CRED is not your typical sports company. Rather than focusing on leagues and equipment, this forward-thinking startup focuses on predicting the future of sports through data-centric intelligence. By identifying and tapping into underserved markets, CRED is able to introduce products and services to help athletes and clubs achieve better outcomes in the sports they’re involved in. Their unique blend of expertise in sports, technology, and finance makes them a key player in changing the sports industry for the better.

Their approach involves a global first mindset backed by a great team to capture new opportunities on a global scale. While many companies focus on short-term wins, CRED prides itself on its commitment to making long-term positive impacts.

• Location: Stockholm, Sweden
• Founders: Eno Polo
• Founded In: 2021
• Funding: Private Equity, $273 Million
• Investors Include: Triton Partners

LeDap is an international conglomerate of padel (a game similar to tennis/squash) companies committed to popularizing and growing this racket sport worldwide. With an extensive network of Padel clubs across multiple countries, LeDap is looking to serve as a leading platform that drives the growth, innovation, digitalization, and professionalization of Padel.

Their ambitious goal includes expanding the Padel infrastructure by building more courts and growing the player base. They aren't just stopping at providing access but are aiming to enhance the entire padel value chain by developing superior courts, rackets, balls, and tournaments. LeDap's vision of uniting passionate padel players within one digital ecosystem redefines what it means to be a very promising sports startup.

• Location: San Francisco, California
• Founders: Anshum Bhambri, Kushagra Kohli
• Founded In: 2021
• Funding: Series A, $117.4 Million
• Investors Include: Insight Partners, Tiger Global Management, Courtside Ventures

Born with a vision to build the metaverse for cricket, FanCraze is revolutionizing how cricket fans engage with their favorite sport. Through strategic alliances and partnerships with top-ranked cricketers and teams like Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, CSK, and Delhi Capitals, they've launched officially licensed digital collectibles catering to a cricket-loving audience.

Within a remarkably short time, Faze has created a unique platform where cricket fans can acquire collectibles, interact, and even play games, stimulating an unprecedented level of fan engagement in the sports industry. Raising an impressive $100 million in funding and generating millions in revenue thus far, Faze is definitely among the best sports startups to watch.

• Location: Montecarlo, Italy
• Founders: Kazim Atilla
• Founded In: 2019
• Funding: Debt Financing, $109 Million
• Investors Include: Lux Media Investments

IQONIQ is a unique entrant to the sports startup scene with its one-stop fan engagement platform. The platform caters to the engagement needs of fans, athletes, and clubs, offering personalized content and opportunities for fans to interact with their favorite athletes and celebrities.

The platform has a goal to engage fans more meaningfully by rewarding their dedication through loyalty programs and membership schemes. Not only does IQONIQ bridge the gap between fans and their favorite sports personalities, but it also promotes causes important to athletes and organizations in an open and transparent manner.

• Location: Annapolis, Maryland
• Founders: Jeff Brunelle
• Founded In: 2020
• Funding: Series D, $115.2 Million
• Investors Include: Salt Partners, HarbourVest Partners

Fivestar is a unique mobile platform that builds connections between athletes and fans through sports highlights. This innovative app not only notifies users of remarkable performances by their favorite athletes in real time but also hosts a leaderboard to spotlight top athletes based on varying parameters. What truly sets Fivestar apart is its authentic sports-centric design, which guarantees a seamless and engaging user experience while sharing and discovering highlights.

Ultimately, this startup is revolutionizing the way athletes and sports fans interact and offering athletes a dynamic platform to upload their highlights and receive immediate feedback from their peers. Fivestar's ultimate goal is to become the leading sports app for highlights and ratings, making it easier than ever for fans and athletes to analyze and appreciate sports.

• Location: Miami, Florida
• Founders: Jake Paul, Joey Levy
• Founded In: 2022
• Funding: Series A, $85 Million
• Investors Include: IA Sports Ventures, Eberg Capital, Fuel Venture Capital

Betr is an ambitious startup that's shaking up the sports betting industry with its innovative platform. Offering “pick'em” style DFS games and introducing the groundbreaking concept of microbetting, Betr allows fans to bet on individual moments in live sports and deliver instant gratification. With major funding backing its development, Betr now offers services in Ohio and Massachusetts with plans to expand.

Betr was born out of the vision of co-founders Jake Paul and Joey Levy to disrupt the sports betting industry by adopting a direct-to-consumer microbetting approach. This startup sees potential in independently monetizing sports content and intellectual property, making the legal sports betting market more sustainable and dynamic than ever before.

• Location: Austin, Texas
• Founders: Chris O'Dowd, Dan O'Dowd
• Founded In: 2018
• Funding: Series A, $48.8 Million
• Investors Include: Spectrum Equity, LAGO Innovation Fund

WIN Reality is reshaping sporting training with its virtual reality system that promises to transform how baseball and softball players hone their batting skills. This system, which is designed by former major leaguers, provides swing analysis and coaching and offers hundreds of game-speed pitchers for players to practice against, with the idea of enhancing their real field proficiency.

It's not just about the technology, though; WIN Reality is about providing a sophisticated yet accessible tool for players to work on their timing, make adjustments, and gain confidence at the plate. With its immersive VR batting experience and the freedom to train solo or with teammates using a mobile app, WIN Reality is rising as a game-changer in sports training.

• Location: Los Angeles, California
• Founders: Katlyn Gao, Kevin Wong, Peter Hirschmann
• Founded In: 2019
• Funding: Series B, $60 Million
• Investors Include: Left Lane Capital, Ares Management

League One Volleyball (LOVB) is on track to redefine the future of volleyball in the United States. With an aim to establish a first-of-its-kind professional volleyball league built on a grassroots foundation, LOVB stands for the development of volleyball athletes at every stage.

LOVB's vision is not only about supporting a vibrant club and youth ecosystem for volleyball but also empowering aspiring coaches to lead future generations of players. As volleyball emerges as the most played girls' sport in the US and the national women's team clinches Olympic gold, LOVB hopes to stake its claim to transform volleyball with a full-season professional league and mark a new era for this popular sport.

• Location: Silicon Valley (San Jose, California)
• Founders: Bilal Mekkaoui, David Lee, Philip Lam, Reggie Chan, Tony Sung
• Founded In: 2017
• Funding: Series B, $42 Million
• Investors Include: Blue Pool Capital, Samsung Ventures, Transform Capital

HomeCourt is a cutting-edge NBA training partner that’s changing the way athletes train and hone their skills. This digital platform gives people a chance to improve their basketball game through interactive drills and challenges that were modeled after the moves and techniques of elite NBA players. It's a seamless blend of sports and technology with artificial intelligence that recognizes the rim, counts shots made, and provides instant feedback on performance. 

This also opens up opportunities for trainees to engage in virtual competition with players across the globe. To use HomeCourt, you can establish a workout in mere seconds; all it takes is positioning a smartphone or tablet camera on a basketball court.

• Location: New York, New York
• Founders: Jon Patricof, Jonathan Soros
• Founded In: 2020
• Funding: Venture, $30 Million
• Investors Include: 35V, Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies

Athletes Unlimited is a professional sports league that emerged from the drive to empower female athletes. The concept operates without fixed teams or locations, shifts the focus onto athletes, and makes sure that fans and athletes are part of the organizational decision-making process. Athletes Unlimited collaborates closely with athletes and values their input in shaping various facets of the league, from uniforms to policies.

The founders' vision expands beyond running a sports league; they’re looking to build an enduring community that supports athletes across various sports and generations. The ultimate objective is to bring in sustained change and be recognized for an environment that lifts up both athletes and fans. Also, by sharing profits with the athletes and empowering them in decision-making processes, Athletes Unlimited is completely changing the common conception of a sports league.

• Location: Perth, Australia
• Founders: Jon Gregory
• Founded In: 2018
• Funding: Series A, $26.1 Million
• Investors Include: Larsen Ventures, TEN13

Vitruvian Form's signature product, Trainer+ brings in a whole new dimension to home workouts. This digital home gym is a comprehensive resistance training platform that removes the need for bulky equipment. It brings resistance of up to 440 pounds through an adjustable weight system that adjusts to the user's requirements in real time. Trainer+ allows fitness enthusiasts to access a wide range of weight training options via one compact device.

Leveraging artificial intelligence and advanced technology, Trainer+ adapts its weight according to the user's movements, with modifications up to 1,000 times per second. An accompanying V app offers personalized and optimized workouts and various training modes. This is certainly one to watch when it comes to sports and workout startups changing the game.

• Location: New York, New York
• Founders: Michael DePietro, Robert Bryan
• Founded In: 2017
• Funding: Venture, $18 Million
• Investors Include: Alpha Wave Global, M13, Delphi Ventures

As a full-contact karate league that integrates live karate fighting with immersive CGI environments, Karate Combat provides a unique experience in the sports entertainment industry. Elite black belt competitors, including Olympic medalists, fight for the title of Karate Combat World Champion across eight weight divisions. The league is currently displaying these matches in more than 100 countries worldwide.

Karate Combat is owned by Sensei Foundation, which is collaborating with Unreal Engine to create immersive environments that blend live karate action with virtual production. The league offers a unique blend of traditional and tech-advanced elements, giving viewers exciting high-stakes competitions that are as much about spectacle as they are about sport.

• Location: Miami, Florida
• Founders: Matias Rivera Larrain
• Founded In: 2017
• Funding: Series B, $17 Million
• Investors Include: 777 Partners, Rhombus VC, True Capital Management

Fanatiz, the sports-focused streaming platform, is revolutionizing the way fans engage with their favorite teams and games. As a user-centric platform, it allows easy customization based on fans' preferences, which includes updates on game times, player stats, and highlights. 

This kind of personalization brings a new dimension to the sports fanatic's experience, delivering content across multiple devices, including desktops and mobile apps. In an internet-driven world, Fanatiz's goal to provide high-value channels for sports fans anywhere is a trailblazing move in the sports industry.

• Location: London, United Kingdom
• Founders: Dan Plant
• Founded In: 2017
• Funding: Series A, $14 Million
• Investors Include: Private Investment

RHEON Labs has taken a unique approach to reshaping the sports landscape by focusing on the development of energy-absorbing materials for enhanced sportswear and protective gear. The revolutionary superpolymer RHEON is designed to deliver unparalleled energy-absorbing performance. 

The cutting-edge technology behind RHEON is focused on harnessing energy rather than waste, a design principle that has caused this material to be incorporated into diverse sports products, from Rapha's Trail knee pad to Xenith's Shadow XR helmet. RHEON Labs' innovative move to combine comfort, freedom of movement, and performance is poised to change the future of sports gear.

• Location: Atlanta, Georgia
• Founders: Brian Davis, Fitzalan Crowe, Gagan Chaudhari, Jay Robbins, Phil Southerland, Todd Furneaux
• Founded In: 2019
• Funding: Venture, $13.5 Million
• Investors Include: Mica Ventures, Swiss Startup Group, Chang Corporation

Effective management of energy is crucial for athletes, and Supersapiens has developed a technology that provides brand-new solutions to track and optimize it. Using glucose tracking and biosensor technology, Supersapiens provides real-time data on an athlete's energy levels, shedding light on the impacts of nutrition, sleep, and training intensity on performance. 

This data-driven approach to managing energy and metabolism empowers athletes to achieve their goals faster and more efficiently. Supersapiens ultimately embodies the future of endurance sports and shows the importance of informed decision-making when going after maximum athletic achievement.

Recommended: Check out our full list of the top startups to watch!