#140 💸 Q3 Starts Hot: $2.3 Billion in July SportsTech Deals

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Sports tech dealflow is ticking along very nicely in 2025 with another $1 billion+ dealflow month. July makes it 5 out of 7 this year, a hit rate the ecosystem should be very happy with.

Sports Tech Monthly Investment Roundup

The data is a snapshot from our SportsTechDB. with only highlights included in this newsletter edition. Head there for more in-depth data.

July 2025 kicked off Q3 with strong momentum, generating $2.3 billion in total dealflow. The month was dominated by FanDuel's $1.76 billion acquisition and SharpLink's $413 million post-IPO round. Overall, investment activity reached $506.9 million across 14 funding rounds, while disclosed M&A totaled $1.8 billion over 3 acquisitions. Here's a quick summary:

• Geography: Funding was predominantly North America-based, with $96.2M of the total volume coming from the region.
  On the M&A side, Europe led with 66.7% of acquisitions by count, while North America contributed the remaining 33.3%.

• Sectors: Funding was once again dominated by ‘For Executives’, representing 81.5% of the capital raised, while ‘For Fans’ accounted for 16.6%.
  M&A activity was evenly split across all three segments - Athletes, Fans and Executives each making up 33.3% of deal count.

• Top Deals: SharpLink raised $413 million in a post-IPO equity round, the largest funding deal of the month. FanDuel was acquired by Flutter Entertainment for $1.76 billion, marking the largest M&A transaction of the year so far.

Note: Last week's newsletter ran into some unexpected delivery issues. In case you missed it, here's the lead story again:

Key Deals in Athletes Tech in 2025

After looking at smart fitness and wellness tech opportunities and the booming fan engagement space earlier this month, it's time to explore another core of sports technology - Athlete & Performance Tech.

So far in 2025, nearly $1.1 billion has flowed into athlete and performance-focused startups. After a strong 2024 that brought in nearly $2 billion in total funding for the sector, 2025 is tracking at a similar pace, showing that investor confidence remains rock solid.

Top 10 Funded Companies 2025 YTD (Athlete & Performance Tech):

1. STRIKR: Objectively evaluates sports performance using data – $50 million

2. TOCA Football: Smart football training equipment – $35 million

3. Epicore Biosystems: Hydration and sweat tracking wearable patch and app – $32 million

4. Somnee: Neurostimulation headband and app for enhanced sleep – $10 million

5. Geviti: Advanced telehealth platform creating personalized wellness plans – $8.5 million

6. imatra: Converts pedaled kilometers into a sustainable source of income – $5 million

7. Springbok Analytics: AI-powered platform transforming MRI data into 3D muscle analysis for precise performance insights – $5 million

8. Respo Vision: AI-powered football video analysis platform – $5 million

9. Output Sports: Comprehensive athlete performance optimization tool – $4.8 million

10. SportAI: AI-driven real-time, objective technique analysis for sports organizations worldwide – $3.3 million

2024 Investment Highlights:

Athlete & Performance Tech was a dominant focus in 2024, capturing nearly 50% of all funding rounds (distinct from total deal flow, including M&A and debt, where fan engagement led). 

Large-scale funding signaled strong consumer and investor appetite for accessible, digitally delivered athlete-focused fitness content. Notable investments included:

• Ladder: App-based fitness workouts and expert tutorials – $105 million

• TOCA Football: Smart football equipment and training solutions – $100 million

• Players Health: Athlete health and safety tracking platform – $60 million

• HealthifyMe: App enabling fitness and weight-loss goal achievement – $45 million

The consistent investment momentum in Athlete & Performance Tech over the last 5-10 years suggests stable investor confidence. This is driven by consumer trends toward precision training, data-driven performance analytics, and athlete-centric wellness solutions. As technology further integrates into athlete routines, areas leveraging AI, advanced biometrics, and personalized health interventions are coming out on the top. 

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Top News from the World of Sports Tech & Biz

⚽ MLS showcased cutting-edge sports technology and AI innovations at its All-Star Innovation Showcase, focusing on performance analytics, fan experience enhancement, and improved broadcast technologies.

🎮 Burnley FC and Rezzil launched the Premier League’s first-ever virtual reality matchday broadcast, providing immersive VR access for fans to experience live matches from virtual stands.

🏟️ Houston Texans owners Cal and Hannah McNair installed a new $35 million videoboard and sound system at NRG Stadium, significantly upgrading the fan experience.

🛌 Eight Sleep launched the Women's Sleep Initiative, introducing a dedicated "Hot Flash Mode" within its sleep-tracking technology aimed at improving sleep quality specifically for women experiencing menopause and other hormonal shifts.

⚽ MLS and TikTok relaunched the exclusive player-focused livestream "Messi Cam," offering dedicated coverage of Lionel Messi’s every move during Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup matches starting August 2, 2025.

🏌️ Golf Saudi announced a strategic partnership with Five Iron Golf, a global leader in immersive golf experiences, to launch advanced indoor golf venues across Saudi Arabia starting with Riyadh’s PIF Tower in 2026.

🤝 The Detroit Lions announced a multi-year strategic partnership with Bundesliga club 1. FC Köln, expanding global reach, enhancing fan engagement, and including initiatives like youth camps, cross-promotions, and fan activations in both the U.S. and Germany.

🏒 NHL and DAZN signed a multi-year international streaming deal aimed at expanding NHL.TV's global audience and boosting international fan engagement.

💧 Chicago Fire FC partnered with hydration-monitoring technology firm Nix Biosensors, implementing advanced wearable devices to optimize player hydration and overall health management.

🏀 The NBA considers adopting smart basketball technology featuring a valve-stem sensor that accurately tracks and records real-time shot data, with minimal effect on the traditional handling and performance of the ball.

⚽ The Women's Euro 2025 final set a new U.S. audience record with 1.35 million viewers and marked the tournament's highest English-language broadcast viewership ever, averaging 458,000 viewers across Fox's networks.

📺 The Women's Super League (WSL) confirmed plans to establish a regular Sunday noon kick-off slot on Sky Sports from next season, aiming to create a distinctive weekend tradition and amplify fan engagement.

Money Talks:

💰 Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) secured $40 million in Series C funding, led by Saudi-backed SURJ Sports Investment and investor Michael Moritz, to fuel the growth of professional triathlon globally.

💰 Collectibles marketplace Courtyard raised $30 million in a round led by Forerunner Ventures, as the NYC-based startup continues its rapid expansion selling $50 million worth of Pokémon and sports cards monthly.

💰 Esports and social gaming platform Brag House closed a $15 million PIPE financing round to fund business expansion, accelerate growth initiatives, and enhance its platform infrastructure.

💰 Sahha.ai raised $1.2 million to expand its platform that transforms raw wearable data into customer retention strategies for wearable brands.

🚴‍♂️ Indoor cycling platform leader ROUVY acquired BKOOL, a Spanish virtual cycling company, to consolidate its market dominance and expand immersive cycling experiences globally.

Recap from our content archive:

🔙 STX Article: New Leagues and Emerging Formats

✅ STX Monthly: Last month’s sports tech dealflow, in case you missed it.