SportAI has grand plans for tennis analytics. The startup wants to not only enhance a player’s technique, but also the racket they swing.

The Norway-based business analyses sports footage in real-time. It then delivers instant, personalised feedback.

For tennis players, the system serves up coaching advice. For racket makers and retailers, the insights can return product recommendations.

“The AI analyses a player’s technique, identifying specific needs based on their style and level of play and recommends equipment that enhances their performance,” Lauren Pedersen, SportsAI’s CEO, told TNW.

“It can identify the need for specific racket weights, or specifications suited to advanced players compared to beginners, or suggest gear tailored to all-court players versus baseliners.”

Pedersen has an athletic interest in the benefits. Before co-founding SportsAI, she was an NCAA tennis player. She now represents Norway at the ITF Masters World Championships.

Originally from New Zealand, Pedersen moved to Oslo in 2007 and shifted her focus to startups.

After spells at tech firms Opera and Airthings, she co-founded SportAI in 2023.

Computer vision for tennis
The platform assesses individual tennis shots. Credit: SportAI

SportAI can analyse video from mobile phones, cameras mounted at courts, or broadcast feeds.

Through a combination of machine learning and computer vision, the system interprets the biomechanical data. Insights are then delivered straight to users.

The approach removes the need for manual tagging and specific hardware. Consequently, SportAI can cut the costs of advanced analytics.

The SaaS platform also promises to broaden access to athletic insights. Businesses can directly integrate the software with their coaching, equipment, and broadcast coverage.

A fresh cash injection — announced today — could accelerate the uptake. The $1.8mn seed round was led by Skyfall Ventures, a VC firm based in Oslo.

Further funds came from two sportsmen: Dekel Valtzer, a former tennis pro and now a startup founder, and Magnus Carlsen, the highest-ranked chess player of all time. Carlsen also led SportAI’s pre-seed round and is an advisor to the company.

With the new funds, SportsAI aims to accelerate the reach of sports analytics. The company also plans to soon announces its first commercial contract.

SportsAI isn’t ready to disclose the partner’s name, but Pedersen did offer clues.

She describes the mystery business as a “prominent global platform that connects over a million racket sports players” and “oversees thousands of courts.”

Through the collaboration, SportAI will provide “AI-driven enhancements,” such as “personalised technique analysis and detailed match statistics.” Watch this space for the results on the court.

Published August 19, 2024 - 4:18 pm UTC

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