prabhuWe’re looking at the most valuable startups coming out of London. This week, we’re checking out startups operating in the sports world.
Everybody knows that there’s money in sports. Whether it’s at the top level, working with premier league football clubs, or a bit more accessible, like fitness apps or getting a good deal on sports equipment for a game of tennis at the park.
Looking at the top 10 most valuable sports startups, it’s clear that London entrepreneurs have thought of plenty more creative ways to make money in the current sports environment.
We used Tech Nation’s Data Commons to identify the most valuable sports companies, platforms and broadcasters younger than 10 years old. You can find our other lists, which have recently looked at Travel, Gaming, and MarTech startups, here.
1. 90min
90min.com is a technology-enabled football news platform. Driven by thousands of regular contributors providing hundreds of daily articles in 11 different languages, 90min.com serves over 100 million page views and millions of active users every month across Web, mobile and social networks. Investors include Battery Ventures, Gemini Israel Ventures, and Dawn Capital.
Founded: 2011
Value: At least £60 million
2. Copa90 media
Copa90 is a distributed media network that creates sports-related content for fans all around the world. The large independent football media business has over a billion views on their content, a network of over 250 million and over 500 creators in over 50 countries. They’ve had brand partnerships with the likes of Nike, UEFA, Adidas, Pepsi, Hyundai, ITV and Budweiser.
Founded: 2012
Value: £50 million
3. Sport.com
Sport.com creates mobile apps so that people can track and improve their health and fitness. Through combining sport and technology, the company creates some of the world’s most popular fitness apps, including Heart Rate Monitor, Moves Tracker, Calorie Counter Plus, 7-Minute workout and a number of Yoga apps among others.
Founded: 2012
Value: At least £43 million
4. Sportpursuit
Looking to get your hands on sports equipment on the cheap? SportPursuit is the leading sport flash sales site, often selling sports and outdoor brands at up to 70% off RRP. The members only platform requres sporty customers to create an acount before they can make use of the cheap prices.
Founded: 2011
Value: At least £38 million
5. Sweatcoin
Seemingly anywhere you go there’s someone wearing a watch or carrying a phone that measures the number of steps they’re taking per day. Sweatcoin turns those steps into a virtual curency. The ‘tech for social good’ company employs 43 people and claims to be the fastest growing health app ever. Users can exchange their sweatcoins for things like sportswear, Holiday packages, Yoga Classes and Apple Watches.
Founded: 2015
Value: At least £19 million
6. FitnessGenes
It’s very easy to forget that different people, with different body types or ages, are better suited to different diets and fitness plans. FitnessGenes is a startup that analyses genetic data to determine the best fitness and nutrition plans for individuals. The company has already earnt grants and awards from Innovate UK, the government, Microsoft and universities in Oxford and Birmingham.
Founded: 2013
Value: At least £16.5 million
7. Squawka
Sometimes sports fans want more than just watching the game. Fans today want statistics and social chat features to discuss what’s happening in-play and Squawka is a web-based second screen platform that does just that. With data provided by Opta, there are a number of quizzes and features which allow fans to compare teams or players.
Founded: 2012
Value: At least £9.9 million
8. Tifosy
Ever considered being more than just a sports fan? Tifosy is a global sports investment firm that provides specialised sports advisory and capital raising services across the sports industry, enabling investors worldwide to purchase a piece of sports. It’s regulated by the FCA and believes it can tranform how sports club finance themselves.
Founded: 2013
Value: At least £7.39 million
9. Tribe
Sporty and active people need nutrition to fuel their exercise. Tribe is revolutionising performance nutrition with their energy and protein bars, hydration drinks and protein shakes. Their products can all be customised and added to a standing order if the customer subscribes, or you can find them stocked by Boots, Ocado and others.
Founded: 2015
Value: At least £7 million
10. InCrowd Sports
InCrowd is a sports marketing startup that specialises in using insights to boost fan engagement, primarily on mobile. They work to help teams connect with their fanbase through applications, digital partnerships and cross-platform gamification. Teams also use InCrowd to improve fan experience through their mobile ticketing, live interactions and stadium screen offering.
Founded: 2015
Value: At least £7 million
