#2 🎯 Competitive Entertainment & Socialization: Sharp Alpha’s Big Bets

Plus: Get Featured in our upcoming Global Sports Tech Ecosystem Report 2025

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SportsTechX
April 23, 2025

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You might have seen the headling about Poolhouse, the latest sports startup from the founders of TopGolf that raised $34 million.

In the second edition of our new newsletter, Featured by SportsTechX, we break down our conversation with the team behind the investment.

🎙️ Big Bets on Pool Tables, Prediction Markets and the Future of Fun!

What do you get when the founders of Topgolf, the creator of Hawk-Eye, and the backers of teams like the 76ers and Crystal Palace walk into a bar?

A pool table that lets you bet, order food, and play mini-games, all in one.

In last week’s podcast episode, we spoke with Lloyd Danzig, Managing Partner at Sharp Alpha, to unpack why they’re betting big on what he calls “competitive entertainment.”

It’s more than just gamification, it’s about creating highly engaging, outcome-driven experiences that keep fans on the edge of their seats (and coming back for more).

🔍 Highlights from the Episode

Why Pool is Getting a Glow-Up

Forget smoke-filled rooms. The Pool House concept is retrofitting old-school tables with computer vision and AR projection. Think Topgolf meets Billiards, backed by $34 million+ in funding led by Sharp Alpha and DMG Ventures.

“It’s not just about playing pool- it's about how many ways we can make you care about winning.”

Meet the New MVPs

Lloyd’s portfolio is stacked with startups that put fans in control:

🥋 Verdict MMA: where fan scorecards rival the judges

🏎️ GridRival: fantasy sports for motorsports die-hards

🧠 Kero Gaming: real-time predictions like “Will this shot be a 2 or 3?”

📺 C15 Studio: the streaming backend for Formula 1, UFC, and more

These aren’t just sports apps, they’re platforms that monetize attention and make fans feel heard.

💬 “Is This a Founder We’d Quit Our Job For?”

Sharp Alpha doesn’t just invest in ideas. They back founders who inspire conviction. Lloyd drops a powerful investor filter:

“Would we want to own a stake in this team’s future regardless of what they’re pitching today?”

What separates good founders from great ones?

  • Relentless resourcefulness

  • Clear-as-day vision

  • Emotional resilience

  • The ability to be your team's calm in chaos

🧭 Why This Matters

A new dawn for socialization: alcohol is out, activity is in. Consumers want competitive socialization - interactive venues where they can connect, play, and care about outcomes. Sharp Alpha is investing in the platforms, people, and places that deliver just that.

They’re not just chasing fan engagement.
They’re creating participation economies.

🎙️ Don't Miss This One If You're Into:

  • The next evolution of Topgolf-style venues

  • How to build sticky fan experiences

  • Venture-backed bets on the future of live entertainment

  • Strategic insights on prediction markets & active fandom

“It’s not about fans watching. It’s about fans participating. The companies that get this right will define the next decade of sports.” 

Lloyd Danzig

📝 Want to get featured in the Global Sports Tech Ecosystem Report 2025?

Your startup / product / announcement / fund/ initiative could be in 50k+ impressions and 2k+ downloads, from the top professionals in sports tech. (2024 edition here)

🕒 10 DAYS TO GO: Sports Tech Bootcamp 2.0

Only 20 spots in this cohort!

🔐 If you're interested to learn more about the fast changing sports innovation landscape and get an insider key into this industry, keep reading.

⏩ Starting this May, over 6 weeks, Team SportsTechX will help you get up to speed with the latest in sports innovation and technology.

✅ You will get:

  • 20+ hours of content

  • Live sessions with top industry experts who are leading global VC Firms, Sports Teams, Innovation Initiatives, Startups, Sports Orgs and more.

  • 1-on-1 career advice

  • Access to our exclusive Sports Tech Network

  • Lifelong networking access with participants from all Bootcamp cohorts

  • SportsTechDB (Database) access

  • Help with internship placements, if required

What content will we cover? Comprehensive overview of the Global Sports Tech landscape, key developments, investments, current and future trends in Sports Innovation, real world use cases, studies and live examples

How much does it cost? Priced at € 849.

Fill in the application form below and tell us why you're interested in this program.

Application Deadline: 1 May, 2025

📥 Download: Indian Sports Business and Tech Report 2025

Launched last month, our latest report delivers an in-depth look into India's fast-changing sports business and innovation landscape.

Key findings from the report:

  • India Ranks 2nd in Global Sports Tech Investment by Country since 2020.

  • 7000+ Total number of active Global SportsTech Startups, with 350+ from India, ranking 3rd in the world for number of startups.

  • 37 global unicorns in Sports Tech out of which 4 are from India.

  • Mumbai tops Sports Tech investment value in India with total deals over $1.8 billion.

  • Bangalore tops the total number of funded startups in India with 33 companies.

If you want to learn more about this underrated Sports Innovation ecosystem then be sure to…

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