ShotTracker raises $10.4M round featuring former NBA Commissioner David Stern
May 16, 2018 | Bobby Burch
Merriam-based ShotTracker is fueling its global expansion via a large funding round featuring several high-profile investors.
The sports tech company announced Wednesday that it raised a $10.4 million Series A financing round led by Ward.Ventures, NBA commissioner David Stern and two-time National League home run champion, Ryan Howard. The round also includes Greycroft, Elysian Ventures, KC Rise Fund, Irish Angels and SeventySix Capital.
ShotTracker co-founders Davyeon Ross and Bruce Ianni.
The injection of new capital brings ShotTracker’s total funding to more than $21 million, which includes an investment by NBA legend, Earvin “Magic” Johnson.
ShotTracker’s TEAM system tracks multiple players with an array of sensors — secured to each player, within each Spalding basketball, and in the rafters — plotting the games’ shots in real time.
ShotTracker will use the funding for growth and scalability to increase installations in courts around the United States and to solidify global partnership opportunities, said Davyeon Ross, co-founder and COO of ShotTracker.
“This additional funding allows ShotTracker to execute on its vision and accelerate the proliferation of our product across the market,” said Ross. “Whether you’re a fan, a player, a coach, a broadcaster or a market maker – ShotTracker is changing the overall experience of the game. There are significant changes happening in sports and ShotTracker is poised to capitalize on those industry changes with its real-time data.”
In March, the company released its new ShotTracker fan app for the Division 1 NAIA basketball tournament. The app combines real-time analytics with augmented reality in a first-of-its-kind fan engagement tool that displays game and player information on fans’ smartphones.
ShotTracker recently earned a bronze Edison Award in the category of “Digitized Data.” The tech is being used by the University of Kansas, the University of Oklahoma, TCU, Baylor and several other top collegiate basketball programs.
ShotTracker was co-founded by Ross and Bruce Ianni. To learn more about the firm, check out the video below.
2018 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Techstars firms to spread local roots via Brad Feld’s Kansas City home
More graduates of the Techstars-led Sprint Mobile Accelerator may be calling Kansas City home thanks to venture capitalist Brad Feld. Feld, co-founder of the international accelerator program Techstars, is making his Kansas City, Kan. home available to graduates of the local Techstars program rent free. “I’m very happy with how things have gone to date,”…
Subjective language is making your elevator pitch completely forgettable
Your elevator pitch is the single most important communication of you or your business and why you are relevant. Last month I wrote about how you can use your elevator pitch — or 20-second summary of your business — as a litmus test to determine if you are creating your own market or if you…
Kansas City dishes on diversity in the entrepreneurial community
It’s often said that two heads are better than one. But what if those two “heads” have the same socioeconomic, gender and racial compositions? What if their life experiences mirror one another so closely that they arrive at the same conclusions or generate the same general ideas? It’s no secret that diversity can foster the…
Funding roundtable (part II): Entrepreneurs compare KC investment scene to other cities
Welcome back to part two of our roundtable discussion on the early-stage investment sector in Kansas City. For a more formal introduction on this series and its five participants, please refer to part one on Kansas City’s investment culture and evolving economy. Check out the third and final installment of the series with the entrepreneurs’ advice for…