SportVot, a trailblazing sports broadcast and talent discovery platform, has secured ₹9.4 Crore in a Pre-Series A funding round, underscoring its commitment to digitising and democratising grassroots-level sports. The funding, led by Omidyar Network India and featuring participation from Anicut Capital, StartupLynk, Ventana Ventures, and existing investors Capital A, Ankur Capital, SucSEED Indovation Fund, and Marwah Sports, signifies a significant stride forward for SportVot’s mission to revolutionise sports through technology.
Established in 2019, SportVot has emerged as a comprehensive platform offering online services for streaming sports events and unearthing sports talent at the grassroots level in India. The platform has successfully brought investment to local sports associations, commercialised grassroots-level sports, and revolutionised sports broadcasting through the innovative use of cloud technology. Notable partnerships with entities like the Brahmaputra Volleyball League, Maharashtra State Kabaddi Association, Football Delhi Association, and Nashik District Cricket Association highlight SportVot’s commitment to making global sports dialogue accessible even in remote regions.
SportVot Co-founder Sidhhant Agarwal expressed his excitement about the funding, stating, “We are thrilled to have the backing of such esteemed investors. With this substantial investment, we aim to expand our technology and product offerings, not just within India but also internationally. Our goal is to make sports and advanced sports technology accessible to the millions of athletes and sports organisations across India and beyond.”
Rohan Vyavaharkar, Director at Omidyar Network India, echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the transformative potential of SportVot in democratizing talent discovery and nurturing grassroots-level sports. Vyavaharkar said, “SportVot is providing a platform for nurturing grassroot-level sports and democratising the process of talent discovery, especially those with limited opportunities such as the NHB. Its cutting-edge technology that allows anyone to broadcast from anywhere using any internet-enabled device with a camera makes it uniquely placed to help create impact. We believe in Sidhhant, Shubhangi, and Yash’s vision and that SportVot will play a pivotal role in helping transform significant aspects of the sports sector in India.”
The injected funds will serve to make live sports content and data capturing more accessible across all tiers of sports in India and globally. SportVot aims to promote a culture of playing, both professionally and casually, and commercialise sports at the domestic level. Over the past four years, SportVot has digitised over 95,000 games from more than 15 sports, providing visibility to over 350,000 athletes. With aspirations to increase these numbers to over 500,000, Sidhhant Agarwal remarked, “We’re ready to scale new heights. Our aim continues to be to bring unprecedented opportunities to emerging talents.”
This funding positions SportVot on the cusp of transformative growth, poised to elevate the landscape of sports digitisation and athlete visibility not only in India but also on a global scale. As Sidhhant Agarwal aptly concluded, “We’re just getting started. This funding round opens up new avenues for us to innovate and scale our impact, bringing us closer to a future where every aspiring athlete has the chance to shine.” SportVot’s journey promises to be a beacon of change, fostering inclusivity and accessibility in the dynamic world of sports.
