CIOInsider India Magazine

If it were for those replay options or different angle view of athletes making a legendary move, sports fans wouldn’t be able to have an encore of their favorite moments. On the other hand, accurate targets in a match could be missed, let alone making decisions. That’s how deep technology has sprouted in the sports realm.

Technology solutions play multiple roles, with cloud providing real-time data eliminating the need for spreadsheets, crowd-funding through blockchain, and even media’s broadcasting done easier through 5G for that matter. But these solutions can neither be deployed according to the requirement or assessed to their full potential by coaches alone. That’s why tech startups that are solely for sports are required to get the job done.

When it comes to the very roots of training, startups are the unsung soldiers blowing those whistles behind the Hawk-eye tech locking its prey, blockchain enabling new revenue resources, AI providing voice commands. As technology is simply a solution that requires professional hands to steer them towards the right direction.

Dream 11- Title Sponsors of IPL 2020
Co-founded by Harsh Jain and Bhavit Seth in 2008, this startups is the one that created the freemium fantasy sports in India for cricket. Fantasy cricket, football, hockey, kabaddi, volleyball, handball, baseball, and basketball are all available to users. The title sponsorship of the 2020 Indian Premier League was awarded to Dream11. For the year 2020, Dream11 was placed seventh among India's Mid-Sized Workplaces.Users can create fictional teams. The catch is that users can earn money based on the performance of selected players on their teams during actual matches. Users receive monetary rewards for each good move made by the players. In addition, Dream11 allows its users to participate in sports such as cricket, football, kabaddi, and the National Basketball Association.

With an average of 4 crores+ users, Dream11 is one of India's largest sports gaming platforms. It's a fantastic opportunity for sports enthusiasts across the country to show off their expertise while also competing with other fans. Founded in 2008,the sports tech firm, was the first Indian gaming startup to join the unicorn club, having raised over $720 million to date.

MPL- India's Fastest Growing Esports Application
MPL is a mobile application that allows users to compete in skill-based sports and win real money. MPL was dubbed the country's fastest-growing e-sports platform and the fastest-growing application within seven to eight months. The online gaming platform Mobile Premier League (MPL) was valued at $945 million in February 2021. The Co-founder and CEO of Mobile Premier League, Srinivas Kiran Garimella, stated that they want to focus on distribution. The MPL platform's purpose is to provide consumers with a variety of games and formats. It undoubtedly helps that MPL's design and functionality are simple to use, keeping a user's motivation to play high and distraction-free.

Like Dream11, Octro, Nazara, Junglee Games, and others are among the Indian gaming companies that have found success in this data-rich environment. In September 2018, the Mobile Premier League (MPL), based in Bengaluru, joined the bandwagon and rapidly became a byword for skill-based mobile gaming platforms in the country. After adopting AWS, this company has more flexibility as it evolves its business and supports multiple users on its block.

Collectabillia.com - A Celeb Commerce & Auction Platform
A celebrity commerce site that allows fans to buy autographed memorabilia and items from their favorite celebrities. During the 2012 IPL season, it debuted its auction site, exclusively teaming with master blaster Sachin Tendulkar to auction limited edition products following his historic ‘hundredth, hundred'. Collectabillia's goal is to bring the worldwide memorabilia market to India, allowing people to own personalized items in the same way they can buy paintings, numismatics, and philately. It's also an online auction site where users can sell sports and celebrity memorabilia. Football, Cricket, Tennis, Hollywood, and other sports are among its product categories. Apparel, sports equipment, office supplies, posters, and other accessories are also included.

Techfront - Arena Management Solution Provider
An all time-service integrated technology and solutions company that specializes in offering cutting-edge Arena Management solutions to the Sports, Entertainment, and Media industries. It creates end-to-end integrated technology and solutions for the sports, entertainment, and media industries and is based in Chennai. Software, interactive spectator interaction, digital display systems, and more are among the company's offerings. LED, Software, Interactive, Connected Stadium, and Stadia Solutions are some of the company's goods and solutions.

Golf LAN - A Golfer's Go to Club
A subscription-based service that allows golfers without club memberships to book tee times. Buys golf course tee-time slots in bulk and then sells individual packages to its members based on their needs. Also available is a marketplace for golf equipment from 10+ vendors, which accounts for roughly 18 percent of the company's revenue. Apart from the tee-time booking service, which was introduced in early 2015, the company also provides a software solution to help golf facilities throughout the world digitize their booking system.

CitiBank, Deutsche Bank, Indian Oil, MetLife, and Skoda are among the banks and corporations that have partnered with it to allow their employees to use its services. In January 2017, Golf LAN bought Singapore-based competitor GolfGreedy in a part-cash, part-stock agreement, amassing 1,200 golf courses across 40 countries on its platform.

Azani Sports - Support done Best through Sports Products
Founded in 2018 and has quickly established itself as one of India's leading suppliers of sports products. The company is based in Bengaluru, Karnataka, and is one of the top sellers of the products on the list. Azani is a sportswear brand that started on the internet. Compression tops and bottoms are available for a variety of sports. Sub-zero technology, UV protection, moisture-wicking, and other proprietary technologies are claimed to be used in the company's performance wear. It also sells socks and sleeves, as well as bottles, backpacks, and other accessories.

SportzVillage - One-Stop Shop for Sports Management
It provides services in the areas of sports marketing, events, sports infrastructure, and sports ticketing. SportzConsult is a sports management company that primarily serves corporate institutions, and EduSports is a technology initiative that works with 400 schools across India to provide physical education and sports programs. MeraSport is a technology initiative that aims to improve sports user experience by leveraging new media technologies such as mobile, web, and IPTV. As of April 2016, they claim to be active in over 100 Indian cities.