Key Takeaways
- Otto Sport AI secured $16.5 million in seed funding co-led by Mamba Growth Equity and Rally Ventures
- The platform launches with three acquisitions: SportWrench (ticketing), University Athlete (recruiting), and Demosphere (club management)
- More than 1,000 clubs, nearly every college volleyball program, and thousands of tournaments are already using the platform
- The company focuses exclusively on volleyball, soccer, and lacrosse to build AI models with deeper sport-specific datasets
- Leadership team includes former executives from NCSA, NBC Sports Next, SportsEngine, and FloSports
Building an Integrated Youth Sports Platform Through Acquisition
Otto Sport AI is entering the market with an unusual approach for a startup: significant capital and an immediate customer base. The $16.5 million seed round supports both AI product development and the integration of three existing businesses that together cover key functions in youth sports operations.
SportWrench brings tournament ticketing capabilities, University Athlete adds recruiting platform functionality, and Demosphere provides club management tools. The combined platform now serves more than 1,000 clubs and thousands of tournaments across three sports.
“Our opening gambit here was to buy a few ecosystem-related point solutions, small businesses that we thought were just very powerful and could work together, and then to invest in a big AI team to bring those into an interconnected, AI-infused existence,” said CEO and co-founder Luke Zaientz.
Focusing on Three Sports to Power AI Development
Otto Sport AI is limiting its initial scope to volleyball, soccer, and lacrosse. This focused approach allows the company to build richer datasets within each sport rather than spreading resources across the broader youth sports landscape.
The platform’s AI product, Otto Pilot, is designed to process both public and private organizational information to automate administrative tasks and communication. Zaientz describes the sport-specific focus as the company’s “differentiation point” and notes that AI effectiveness depends on data depth.
“The power of AI and the power of an ecosystem is if you can bring all those things together, and you have a much more robust data set,” Zaientz explained. “The core bet of the company is that we can transform how youth sports platforms work and the experience for athletes and coaches with AI.”
Leadership Depth from Established Youth Sports Companies
Zaientz has worked in youth sports since 2014 when he co-founded Reigning Champs, which operated college recruiting brand NCSA until IMG Academy acquired it. He later served as Chief Strategy Officer at IMG Academy.
The executive team includes CTO Adam Hendel, CMO JL Vogelaar, CRO Travis Shives, and Head of Product Jordan Carlson, who collectively bring experience from NBC Sports Next, SportsEngine, and FloSports. This background provides the company with operational knowledge across club management, tournament operations, and athlete development.
Scale at Launch Sets Otto Sport Apart
Most youth sports technology companies emerge from stealth with limited customer bases and work to build adoption over time. Otto Sport’s acquisition strategy gives it immediate access to established user networks, including nearly every college volleyball program and thousands of tournaments already operating on its systems.
The size of the seed round, which is substantial for an early-stage youth sports technology company, reflects investor confidence in both the team’s track record and the platform’s potential to serve multiple stakeholders within each sport.
via: SBJ / Otto Sport Ai
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