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- Intake will work with NBC, Sky Sports and PGA Tour among others
- More than 90 startups applied to be in the class of 2023
Ten new startups have been admitted into the Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech accelerator, providing the early-stage companies with resources to develop their ideas, including opportunities to work with the media conglomerate’s broadcast operations and rights holders.
The class of 2023 includes startups from five countries and covers various segments of sports technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), fan engagement, media, and in-stadium.
A theme of this year’s intake was automated and scalable content creation tools, with photo-based AI media distribution platform GeoSnapShot, video content management system Quicc, and personalised video specialist Recut all included.
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Mobile ordering platform Rivalry Tech and Sheffield-based Tickets for Good, which offers free and discounted tickets to targeted groups, are working on enhancing the stadium experience, while FanSaves is a fan engagement platform that delivers fans discounts and deals from sponsors of their favourite teams.
FanFest is focusing on membership and token-based interactive programming, while Melbourne-based Aircast lets fans access near zero-latency video, audio and data feeds so they can customise their viewing experience
Rounding up the cohort are Einbliq.io, whose platform enables more cost and energy efficient streaming services, and Rizzar, which promises to connect brands with vetted creators.
All ten companies will receive access to experts and leaders from Comcast, NBC Sports and Sky Sports, as well as the likes of Nascar, WWE, the PGA Tour, US Ski & Snowboard, USA Swimming, and USA Cycling. This year’s programme has been expanded from a 12-week format to a six-month initiative, something which Comcast says will allow for more meaningful collaborations.
“As we evaluated how to bring even more value to our startups and SportsTech partners, a clear need emerged – more time collaborating to tackle complex business challenges,” explained Jenna Kurath, vice president of startup partnerships and head of Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech.
“The new six-month format creates additional space for focused testing and experimentation with a curriculum designed for business refinement while allowing the enterprise-ready startups we’ve selected to continue serving their existing customers.”
Since the accelerator launched in 2021, participants have participated in 90 pilots, partnerships, and commercial deals with consortium partners.
