Hanover-based sports startup iotis receives 2.15 million in funding for digitalization in ball sports!
The sports start-upiotis wasfounded with Angelinvestor and former national soccer playerFabian Ernst -champion, cup winner and former national player - and has set itself the goal of digitizing ball sports in the long term and adapting them to the needs of the next generation. The first product is a smart soccer designed to bridge the gap between the analog and digital worlds. Other ball sports such as golf and table tennis are already in the pipeline.
The concept of the Smartball, which is linked to an app that provides live feedback, has been convincing and has now raised 2.15 million euros in funding. The investors: IT group adesso and sports technology company Riedel Communications as well as strong partners from Lower Saxony, theMittelständischeBeteiligungsgesellschaft Niedersachsen (MBG)and theHannoverBeteiligungsfonds (HBF) from hannoverimpuls:"We are delighted to have hannoverimpuls on board as a strong partner in Hanover. With the new financial and strategic opportunities, we can now drive our vision of smart sports balls even further forward," says a delighted LennardtHachmeister, CEO and founder of iotis.
iotis relies on sensor technology and complex algorithms, which form the basis for the training platform. Users can connect the digital soccer with a training app and view data in real time. In addition to purely improving performance, a major focus is on sharing results with friends. Playful elements round off the training offer in the app.
"We are pleased that more and more large-scale early-stage financing is also taking place here in Hanover. iotis GmbH made a conscious decision to locate here and is receiving a strong tailwind in terms of employees and investors thanks to the strong network effects in the local ecosystem," summarizes ReinhardHinrichs, Managing Director of Hannover Beteiligungsfonds.
In addition to the financial opportunities to invest further in product development and the team, the new funding opens up a wealth of specialist experience and international sports networks for iotis. In addition, the original founding team of Lennardt Hachmeister and Christian Veit Sist has been expanded to include Marcel Isakowitz (former Asian Football Confederation and Entrepreneur First) and technical director Dr. Peter Blank (former University of Erlangen and Portabiles).
Contact:
About iotis GmbH
iotis GmbH (formerly Sport Technology Systems GmbH) has been working on the vision of connecting sports balls to the internet since March 2020. The aim is to generate relevant training data for athletes in order to meet the young generation's increasing demand for digital sports services. iotis GmbH is based in Hanover and Berlin.
iotis GmbH
Zeißstrasse 14
30519 Hanover
Lennardt Hachmeister
+4915204427319
The founding team of iotis (from left to right): Three of the four founders after the notarial certification in the HDI Arena: Marcel Isakowitz (COO), Lennardt Hachmeister (CEO), Christian Veit Sist (CEO)
About Hannover Beteiligungsfonds GmbH (Fund Manager EnjoyVenture Management GmbH)
HBF invests seed, venture and growth capital in innovative technology-oriented start-ups in the Hannover Region on behalf of the state capital and the Hannover Region under the economic development agency hannoverimpuls, using funds from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). In addition to capital, HBF also offers excellent access to the capital market and a wide range of support for start-ups through the external professional and long-standing fund manager EnjoyVenture.
The HBF has now invested in more than 50 companies from various technology segments, laying the foundations for well-known successful companies that are now internationalizing.
HannoverBeteiligungsfonds GmbH
Vahrenwalderstrasse 7
30165 Hanover
Reinhard Hinrichs, GF
reinhard.hinrichs@invest-impuls.de
https://www.wirtschaftsfoerderung-hannover.dedocument:1062
+49 511 300 33321
EnjoyVenture Management GmbH
Elberfelder Straße 2, 40213 Düsseldorf
Phone: +49 (0)211 239 551 70
Dr. Bert Brinkhaus, GF
E-Mail:info@enjoyventure.vc