Israeli AI-powered sports video content company WSC Sports announced today that it has raised $23 million in a Series C financing round led by Eyal Ofer's O.G. Tech Ventures together with NTT DOCOMO Ventures, HBSE Ventures, Maor Investments, ISF and Go4it Capital.
Roy Oron, Managing Director at O.G. Tech, will be joining the company's board of directors. In June, former NBA Commissioner David Stern and former ESPN VP digital media John Kosner joined WSC Sports as advisors.
This brings to $39 million the total funds raised by WSC. The new capital will be used to further expand WSC's growth across new sports, products and geographic regions.
WSC Sports AI technology generates personalized and automatic sports video content in near real-time. WSC has innovated the way sports and media owners create and distribute short-form video highlights at scale and works with tier-1 clients including NBA, Bundesliga, PGA Tour, US Open, Bleacher Report, Discovery, MLS, FIBA, Cricket Australia, WarnerMedia and many more. In 2018, WSC Sports analyzed more than 17,000 sporting events and produced more than 850,000 videos for its customers.
WSC Sports cofounder and CEO Daniel Shichman said, "I am thrilled that such strategic investors have joined WSC Sports and am incredibly appreciative that our existing investors believe in the company and continue to support us. I am proud of what we have built so far with our amazing team and unique culture, and confident this new round of funding will help us to continue to grow and impact the way sports media rights owners provide the best experience to their fans."
Ofer Global chairman Eyal Ofer said: "We are proud to be a part of WSC Sports' journey as it leads the way in revolutionizing the way in which people consume sports around the world. O.G. Tech's lead role is consistent with our strategic ambition of focusing on unique growth opportunities led by exceptional founders. We are delighted that this funding will help the company with its global expansion across new sports, products and countries." Existing investors also joined the funding round, including Intel Capital, Detroit Venture Partners (Dan Gilbert's venture capital firm), Elysian Park Ventures, WISE Ventures (Wilf family, owners of the Minnesota Vikings), 2BAngels and iAngels. The funding comes after a year of explosive growth for WSC Sports - doubling its customer base and revenue year over year for the last 3 years, growing to more than 100 employees worldwide and expanding its global footprint with offices in New York and Sydney.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on August 8, 2019
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