Courtside Ventures

Courtside Ventures is a New York-based venture capital firm founded in 2015 that concentrates on early-stage investments in startups operating at the crossroads of sports, technology, media, lifestyle, and gaming. The firm emphasizes partnerships with management, leveraging its industry networks and domain expertise to provide ongoing strategic support across operations, product, and growth. It targets companies in sports, lifestyle, esports, gaming, media, and related information technology and TMT sectors, and positions itself as a professional partner for founders seeking long-term value beyond capital. The firm operates as a registered investment adviser.

Brian Hermelin

Partner

Vasu Kulkarni

Partner

Oliver Ressler

Associate

Past deals in Sports

Eternal

Seed Round in 2025
With a mission to keep athletes active and thriving in their chosen sports for as long as possible, Eternal provides members with a holistic understanding of their health, fitness, and benchmarks for key markers of the aging process along with guidance from high-performance care teams to support every stage of an athlete’s journey.

Matchday

Seed Round in 2023
Matchday is a gaming platform tailored for football enthusiasts, offering a unique experience where users can collect and trade digital cards within a marketplace. By merging video games, sports, and Web3 technology, Matchday creates an engaging ecosystem for casual football games. The platform empowers users with true ownership of the cards and digital items they acquire, allowing them to build their dream teams and participate in gameplay seamlessly. Through this innovative approach, Matchday caters to the interests of football fans while promoting an interactive and dynamic gaming environment.

Jump

Series A in 2023
Jump is a technology platform that personalizes the fan experience and creates new revenue opportunities for teams. The platform integrates primary ticketing, white-labeled fan apps and websites, inventory management, and access control, enabling teams to manage the fan experience from ticketing to entry.

AC Momento

Seed Round in 2023
AC Momento is football's premier online auction house, bringing fans game-worn jerseys and memorabilia.

Xpoint

Seed Round in 2022
Xpoint provides geolocation security and geo-compliance solutions for the sports betting and online gaming industries worldwide, with a focus on regulatory adherence in the US iGaming market. Its technology detects and mitigates fraud, false data, spoofing, and device tampering, helping operators verify player location and protect against prohibited tools. In addition to fraud mitigation, the platform generates data that can support marketing efforts, enabling partners to navigate evolving compliance requirements and maintain trust in global iGaming operations.

Draftea

Series A in 2022
Draftea is a real-money gaming platform designed for Spanish-speaking users, specializing in daily fantasy sports. The platform allows users to select players based on their knowledge of the game, build fantasy teams, and earn points as players achieve various milestones in real matches, such as scoring goals or completing passes. Draftea provides a user-friendly interface for placing bets on sports teams, players, and matches, along with live updates during events, enhancing the gaming experience. By enabling users to create their own dream teams and compete against others, Draftea offers an engaging way for sports enthusiasts to win money while enjoying their favorite sports.

Veo

Series C in 2022
Veo offers a camera-based system that records and streams sports matches without a traditional cameraman, requiring only minimal setup. It enables football clubs of all sizes to automatically capture, edit, and share their matches, using two action cameras that recognize ball and player movement to create full video productions. The solution aims to simplify video creation and provide affordable access to game footage and highlights.

Draftea

Seed Round in 2022
Draftea is a real-money gaming platform designed for Spanish-speaking users, specializing in daily fantasy sports. The platform allows users to select players based on their knowledge of the game, build fantasy teams, and earn points as players achieve various milestones in real matches, such as scoring goals or completing passes. Draftea provides a user-friendly interface for placing bets on sports teams, players, and matches, along with live updates during events, enhancing the gaming experience. By enabling users to create their own dream teams and compete against others, Draftea offers an engaging way for sports enthusiasts to win money while enjoying their favorite sports.

Faze

Series A in 2022
Faze app is a Cricket NFT platform where fans can collect, use, play, and interact with cricket through NFTs. It combines NFTs, gaming, utilities, and real-world experiences to create a platform for fans to collect, use, play, and interact. It was founded in 2021.

Swoops

Seed Round in 2022
Swoops develops and creates a basketball simulation game with the help of blockchain technology. It allows users to create, manage, and build teams and their skills, and compete with other teams while earning digitally.

Faze

Seed Round in 2021
Faze app is a Cricket NFT platform where fans can collect, use, play, and interact with cricket through NFTs. It combines NFTs, gaming, utilities, and real-world experiences to create a platform for fans to collect, use, play, and interact. It was founded in 2021.

Nifty Games

Series B in 2021
Nifty Games Inc. is a mobile game developer based in San Francisco, California, specializing in the creation of head-to-head sports games. Founded in 2018, the company focuses on delivering quick-session gaming experiences tailored for sports enthusiasts, ranging from casual players to dedicated fans. Nifty Games aims to provide innovative and competitive gameplay by partnering with leading sports licenses, ensuring authentic experiences that resonate with a broad global audience. The company's offerings are designed for mobile and digital platforms, catering to the growing demand for engaging, free-to-play sports games.

Silofit

Series A in 2021
Silofit Inc. is a company that provides on-demand private fitness spaces through its mobile application. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Silofit specializes in converting small offices and storefronts into micro-gyms ranging from 350 to 1,000 square feet. Users can book these spaces by the hour, allowing for a private workout experience without the commitment of a traditional gym membership. The app enables individuals to unlock their reserved space with a pin code, and they may choose to exercise alone, with a friend, or with a fitness professional. In addition to the private fitness environment, Silofit offers gym equipment, towels, toiletries, showers, and refreshments, catering to a comprehensive fitness experience. The company also provides fitness professionals with the opportunity to rent these spaces at competitive rates, making it an attractive option for trainers and therapists.

ARENA

Seed Round in 2021
ARENA is a venture-backed startup focused on enhancing personal fitness through innovative design and engineering. The company develops and manufactures at-home training centers, combining advanced technology with user-friendly features to cater to individuals seeking to improve their strength and overall health. With a team of engineers and athletes, ARENA is dedicated to creating effective fitness solutions that empower users to achieve their health and wellness goals in a convenient setting.

Rei do Pitaco

Venture Round in 2021
Rei do Pitaco is a Brazilian daily fantasy sports mobile app that enables users to create fantasy football teams, join leagues, and compete for real cash prizes based on player performance in major football leagues. The service emphasizes fan engagement through round-based contests and rewards, allowing users to play individually or with friends.

Gainful

Series A in 2021
Gainful is a personalized sports nutrition company that serves athletes with tailored nutrition products delivered via subscription, including a Hydration line of electrolyte drink mixes and protein bars and powder supplements that are plant-based, gluten-free, soy-free, and naturally flavored with organic ingredients to support athletic performance and recovery.

Veo

Series B in 2021
Veo offers a camera-based system that records and streams sports matches without a traditional cameraman, requiring only minimal setup. It enables football clubs of all sizes to automatically capture, edit, and share their matches, using two action cameras that recognize ball and player movement to create full video productions. The solution aims to simplify video creation and provide affordable access to game footage and highlights.

Silofit

Seed Round in 2020
Silofit Inc. is a company that provides on-demand private fitness spaces through its mobile application. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Silofit specializes in converting small offices and storefronts into micro-gyms ranging from 350 to 1,000 square feet. Users can book these spaces by the hour, allowing for a private workout experience without the commitment of a traditional gym membership. The app enables individuals to unlock their reserved space with a pin code, and they may choose to exercise alone, with a friend, or with a fitness professional. In addition to the private fitness environment, Silofit offers gym equipment, towels, toiletries, showers, and refreshments, catering to a comprehensive fitness experience. The company also provides fitness professionals with the opportunity to rent these spaces at competitive rates, making it an attractive option for trainers and therapists.

VAULT

Series A in 2020
Flick, Inc. is a software company that has developed a chat application tailored for sports influencers and their fans. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Mamaroneck, New York, the platform allows sports influencers to connect with their most engaged followers, fostering a deeper level of interaction. Users can create branded hubs where they can communicate directly with fans, host quizzes, and provide live in-game statistics and events. The application is designed to enhance fan engagement through features such as polls, pre-game hype, and post-game analysis, making it a comprehensive tool for sports enthusiasts. Flick is also accessible via the App Store and Google Play, further expanding its reach within the sports community.

Religion of Sports

Series A in 2020
Founded in 2016 by Tom Brady, Michael Strahan, and Gotham Chopra, Religion of Sports is a Santa Monica-based media company that produces engaging sports content. It offers scripted and unscripted videos, podcasts, feature films, and social content, focusing on human-interest storytelling around the world of sports.

The Meta

Seed Round in 2020
The Meta is an e-sports training platform for players of first-person shooter games. It applies sports performance science, game development techniques, and machine learning to help gamers improve skill, reach higher levels of competition, and climb ranks.

Silofit

Seed Round in 2019
Silofit Inc. is a company that provides on-demand private fitness spaces through its mobile application. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Silofit specializes in converting small offices and storefronts into micro-gyms ranging from 350 to 1,000 square feet. Users can book these spaces by the hour, allowing for a private workout experience without the commitment of a traditional gym membership. The app enables individuals to unlock their reserved space with a pin code, and they may choose to exercise alone, with a friend, or with a fitness professional. In addition to the private fitness environment, Silofit offers gym equipment, towels, toiletries, showers, and refreshments, catering to a comprehensive fitness experience. The company also provides fitness professionals with the opportunity to rent these spaces at competitive rates, making it an attractive option for trainers and therapists.

Veo

Series A in 2019
Veo offers a camera-based system that records and streams sports matches without a traditional cameraman, requiring only minimal setup. It enables football clubs of all sizes to automatically capture, edit, and share their matches, using two action cameras that recognize ball and player movement to create full video productions. The solution aims to simplify video creation and provide affordable access to game footage and highlights.

The Athletic

Series C in 2018
The Athletic is an online media company founded in 2015 and headquartered in San Francisco, California. It operates a subscription-based platform dedicated to providing in-depth coverage of sports news, focusing on both local and national events. The service features a wide array of articles about various sports, including basketball and football, delivered by skilled journalists. The Athletic distinguishes itself by offering an ad-free experience, allowing subscribers to access authentic sports content without distractions such as pop-ups or auto-play videos. Through its comprehensive reporting and updates, the company aims to engage sports enthusiasts seeking detailed insights into their favorite teams and athletes.

TAPPP

Series A in 2018
TAPPP is a New York City-based company that facilitates access to sports content and betting through innovative payment solutions. By providing multiple payment options, TAPPP allows consumers to easily engage with sports streaming products, including those from major leagues like MLB and NFL. The company enhances the sports viewing experience by offering a gaming and transaction platform that delivers real-time, content-specific experiences across various devices. TAPPP's services include on-screen, at-event, and in-store products aimed at creating impactful and contextual commerce opportunities. This approach not only improves customer engagement but also supports companies in acquiring new customers and increasing their overall satisfaction. TAPPP's mission is to make sports content more engaging and accessible to fans while ensuring a safe and convenient betting experience.

Religion of Sports

Venture Round in 2018
Founded in 2016 by Tom Brady, Michael Strahan, and Gotham Chopra, Religion of Sports is a Santa Monica-based media company that produces engaging sports content. It offers scripted and unscripted videos, podcasts, feature films, and social content, focusing on human-interest storytelling around the world of sports.

The Athletic

Series B in 2018
The Athletic is an online media company founded in 2015 and headquartered in San Francisco, California. It operates a subscription-based platform dedicated to providing in-depth coverage of sports news, focusing on both local and national events. The service features a wide array of articles about various sports, including basketball and football, delivered by skilled journalists. The Athletic distinguishes itself by offering an ad-free experience, allowing subscribers to access authentic sports content without distractions such as pop-ups or auto-play videos. Through its comprehensive reporting and updates, the company aims to engage sports enthusiasts seeking detailed insights into their favorite teams and athletes.

LiveLike

Series B in 2018
LiveLike Inc., founded in 2015, provides a live streaming platform that enables broadcasters to deliver interactive content to users on mobile devices and virtual reality. Its platform offers sports viewing with replays, commentary, and statistics.

The Athletic

Series A in 2017
The Athletic is an online media company founded in 2015 and headquartered in San Francisco, California. It operates a subscription-based platform dedicated to providing in-depth coverage of sports news, focusing on both local and national events. The service features a wide array of articles about various sports, including basketball and football, delivered by skilled journalists. The Athletic distinguishes itself by offering an ad-free experience, allowing subscribers to access authentic sports content without distractions such as pop-ups or auto-play videos. Through its comprehensive reporting and updates, the company aims to engage sports enthusiasts seeking detailed insights into their favorite teams and athletes.

The Athletic

Seed Round in 2017
The Athletic is an online media company founded in 2015 and headquartered in San Francisco, California. It operates a subscription-based platform dedicated to providing in-depth coverage of sports news, focusing on both local and national events. The service features a wide array of articles about various sports, including basketball and football, delivered by skilled journalists. The Athletic distinguishes itself by offering an ad-free experience, allowing subscribers to access authentic sports content without distractions such as pop-ups or auto-play videos. Through its comprehensive reporting and updates, the company aims to engage sports enthusiasts seeking detailed insights into their favorite teams and athletes.

LiveLike

Series A in 2016
LiveLike Inc., founded in 2015, provides a live streaming platform that enables broadcasters to deliver interactive content to users on mobile devices and virtual reality. Its platform offers sports viewing with replays, commentary, and statistics.

Drone Racing League

Seed Round in 2016
Drone Racing League Inc., established in New York in 2015, specializes in staging professional drone races for top-tier pilots. The company hosts thrilling tournaments featuring first-person perspective drone racing, where elite pilots navigate custom-built drones through intricate, themed 3D courses. DRL generates revenue by selling tickets to these events and offering media services related to its high-octane competitions.

TAPPP

Venture Round in 2016
TAPPP is a New York City-based company that facilitates access to sports content and betting through innovative payment solutions. By providing multiple payment options, TAPPP allows consumers to easily engage with sports streaming products, including those from major leagues like MLB and NFL. The company enhances the sports viewing experience by offering a gaming and transaction platform that delivers real-time, content-specific experiences across various devices. TAPPP's services include on-screen, at-event, and in-store products aimed at creating impactful and contextual commerce opportunities. This approach not only improves customer engagement but also supports companies in acquiring new customers and increasing their overall satisfaction. TAPPP's mission is to make sports content more engaging and accessible to fans while ensuring a safe and convenient betting experience.

VSporto

Seed Round in 2016
VSporto, LLC is a sports-focused media company based in Ridgeland, Mississippi, founded in 2011. It operates an online platform that provides sports enthusiasts with access to a variety of audio and video content, including podcasts, news, opinions, and analyses related to their favorite teams. The platform features interviews with current and former players and coaches, fostering a deeper connection between fans and the sports they love. By offering an extensive array of quality content, VSporto aims to engage true sports fans and enhance their experience with the latest developments in athletics.

FocusMotion Health

Seed Round in 2014
FocusMotion Health is a company dedicated to advancing fitness and rehabilitation technology. It is the parent organization of TRAINR, a pioneering fitness software that automatically quantifies training workouts using wrist sensors. FocusMotion Health is focused on developing next-generation quantified-self fitness devices that monitor and guide resistance and sport-specific training. Additionally, the company offers an innovative orthopedic recovery technology, which includes a smart knee brace paired with an application that integrates with various smartwatches and fitness bands. This technology allows for comprehensive tracking of patient activity, capturing metrics related to walking and exercise. By utilizing advanced sensors such as gyroscopes, accelerometers, magnetometers, and electromyography, FocusMotion Health enables healthcare professionals to monitor user movements and performance effectively, thereby enhancing rehabilitation and fitness outcomes.
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