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SportsVisio raises $3M for AI-powered basketball analysis and more

Nancy Dahlberg
Nancy Dahlberg
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SportsVisio, a software startup bringing image-based deep learning to the sports analytics space, announced today that the Miami startup has raised $3 million in seed funding.

Founded in 2021 by CEO Jason Syversen, SportVisio provides artificial intelligence technology that brings augmented reality to the amateur sports level, allowing players, coaches and parents to record any game or live event on their smartphone and then enabling users to stream live, review statistics, access insightful analytics, and create highlights, all in real-time, the company said.

“AI is the future of how we develop technology to create more seamless, integrated products for a generation of consumers who expect professional capabilities in the palm of their hands,” said Syversen, who previously co-founded Siege Technologies and an alum of DARPA. “This product is going to change how players train, how coaches recruit and how leagues compete at every level of the game. We’re thrilled to have partners like Sapphire Sport on board who believe in democratizing access to sports video and analytics for everyone.”

SportVisio’s technology applies artificial intelligence and computer vision, with no additional hardware, to automate statistical analysis and content creation. That includes helping teams and players improve their abilities through collaborative coaching functionalities, the company said.

For instance, the startup’s first product, SV Hoops, uses AI and CV to automatically create stats, analytics and video highlights for basketball games and is used by universities, leagues, schools.

Syversen is well aware of the world SportsVisio serves. “I’ve been playing hoops for about 30 years, my kids all played, I’ve coached for a dozen years,” he told Sportico, which reported on the funding news. “And I had this idea to say, what if we could use AI to automatically create stats and highlights to help coaches do a better job, have parents get highlight clips of their kids, help players who want to get better, or just enjoy the game more?”

The seed round will be used to further develop their AI technology and to grow their sales team, as they continue to scale a revenue operation that includes current partnerships with leagues and media properties. SportsVisio is hiring for a senior backend architect, senior QA, sales, customer success and a devops person who can help deploy advanced AI/ML code, Syversen said.

“The market is crying for a new solution that captures the next generation of athletes and brings high-tech capabilities to the consumer sports analytics space,” said Doug Higgins, co-founder of Sapphire Sport, which led the round.

Sapphire Sport, an early-stage venture firm at the intersection technology, media, entertainment and sport, announced a $181 million second fund earlier this year to invest in companies like SportsVisio. The parent firm, Sapphire Ventures, recently said it plans to invest more than $1 billion in AI-related startups across business sectors, Sportico reported.

“SportsVisio is developing a next-generation product and tapping into the future of how amateur and collegiate athletics are utilizing content to better their game,” Higgins added.

Follow Nancy Dahlberg on X @ndahlberg and email her at [email protected]

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