Inside German Football's Innovation Engine - Hendrik Weber, DFL #254

The Human Readiness Platform Winning Championships - Andrew Powell, Ethos #258

In this episode of the Sports Tech AllStars Podcast, we present Andrew Powell, CEO and Co-Founder of Ethos. The conversation explores how two college roommates built a human readiness platform out of a dorm room at UNC, why the mental side of sport remains the most underinvested edge in elite performance, and how the same technology that helped the Seattle Seahawks win a Super Bowl is now training US Air Force fighter pilots. Takeaways * The mental side of sport is still the most underserved performance lever * Ethos started as Duolingo for sports playbooks and has evolved into a full human readiness platform serving the NFL, NCAA, US military and enterprise clients * Coaches spend 95% of their time finding insights and only 5% ensuring players actually understand them - Ethos flips that ratio * Michigan credited Ethos insights with a game-changing interception in the national championship game * The translation from NFL playbook training to fighter pilot combat tactics was more direct than expected  * The majority of Ethos revenue now comes from the US Department of Defense, with sports and commercial clients each representing around 20% * AI agent workflows for coaching staffs are the next frontier  * NIL and the professionalization of college sports are creating new commercial opportunities that the industry is still structuring around * More data and better tools do not homogenise sport  To learn more, visit: https://www.ethosreadiness.comhttps://www.ethossystems.com/company Get in touch with Andrew Powell at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewpowell-ethoslinkedin.com/in/andrew-powell-15180731 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-powell-15180731/]  Hosted by ⁠Rohn Malhotra [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohnmalhotra/]⁠ from ⁠SportsTechX [http://sportstechx.com]⁠ - Leading source of Investment and Innovation insights in sports.  As promised, here's your small surprise: * Unlock your 30-day growth plan (worth €49) on the SportsTechX Intelligence Hub for free! * Simply verify your company details and you get access to 1,500+ investors, programmes, initiatives and events in the sportstech ecosystem. * Here's how to get set up [https://www.notion.so/Verify-Claim-Your-Company-31b00c6ab5bd8065a056cd47a39920f3?source=copy_link] and if you'd like a walkthrough of the platform, feel free to book a call here [https://cal.com/khyati/15min]. More from SportsTechX: * Explore the SportsTechX Intelligence Hub, an interactive database of over 8,000 sports tech companies, 8,000+ deals, 1,000+ investors, programs and events - HERE [https://intelligence.sportstechx.com/] * Download the latest Global Sports Tech Ecosystem Report - HERE [https://intelligence.sportstechx.com/reports/gster26] * Sign Up for the Sports Tech Weekly Newsletter for more news, features & insights on Sports Tech - HERE  [https://newsletter.sportstechx.com/] Stay Connected and follow for more: * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/sportstechx] * YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@SportsTechX] * Spotify [https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/sportstechx/] * Apple Podcast [https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-sports-tech-allstars-podcast/id1271329751] Chapters 00:00 Introduction  02:28 The Dorm Room Origin Story of Ethos  04:16 Why Athletes Are Drowning in Data But Starving for Clarity  05:09 The Learning Science Behind the Platform  06:45 How Coach Insight Data Changes Everything  08:37 Why Mental Readiness Is the Last Untapped Edge in Elite Sport  09:12 Working With the Seattle Seahawks on Their Super Bowl Run  11:55 Cognitive Development, Memory and the Underplayed Mental Game  12:45 From NCAA Basketball to NFL - The Sports Portfolio  14:49 Human Readiness Beyond Sport - The Rebrand From Learn to Win to Ethos  15:45 How NFL Playbook Training Translates to Fighter Pilot Combat Tactics  20:02 What Makes Ethos Different From Corporate Learning Management Platforms  21:23 Revenue Split: Military, Sports and Commercial  22:24 AI Agents for Coaching Staffs 25:06 Does More Data Make Sport Less Exciting? 27:39 Formula One, Adrian Newey and Why Better Baselines Create More Innovation  28:27 What the Next 12–18 Months Look Like for Ethos  29:55 Favourite Sporting Moment

The First All-Female Led Club in German Football - Lisa Währer, FC Viktoria Berlin #257

In this episode of the Sports Tech AllStars Podcast, we present Lisa Währer, Co-Founder and Managing Director of FC Viktoria Berlin. The conversation explores how six women with a startup mindset took over one of Germany's oldest football clubs and are building something that looks nothing like traditional German football - from bold branding and digital ticketing to securing the first European investment from Monarch Collective, the fund behind Angel City FC. Takeaways * FC Viktoria Berlin is Germany's first fully female-led football club, operating across both men's and women's sides * The startup mindset is not a marketing angle - several of the six co-founders come directly from the startup and angel investing world * Women's football creates a fundamentally different matchday atmosphere - more inclusive, more family-friendly, and commercially distinct from the men's game * Berlin had no dominant sports team and no professional women's football presence * Monarch Collective's first European investment signals growing institutional confidence in women's football as an asset class * The gender data gap in football is real  * Multi-club ownership models make particular sense in women's football where knowledge transfer and shared infrastructure accelerate professionalization * Germany's 50+1 rule continues to deter investors who can find more control  * The next 12 months are about scaling revenue, building toward profitability, and preparing for first division football To learn more, visit: https://www.fc-viktoria-berlin.dehttp://www.fcviktoria.com [http://www.fcviktoria.com/] Get in touch with Lisa Währer at: linkedin.com/in/lisa-währer-58a36058 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-w%C3%A4hrer-58a36058]  Hosted by ⁠Rohn Malhotra [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohnmalhotra/]⁠ from ⁠SportsTechX [http://sportstechx.com]⁠ - Leading source of Investment and Innovation insights in sports.  As promised, here's your small surprise: * Unlock your 30-day growth plan (worth €49) on the SportsTechX Intelligence Hub for free! * Simply verify your company details and you get access to 1,500+ investors, programmes, initiatives and events in the sportstech ecosystem. * Here's how to get set up [https://www.notion.so/Verify-Claim-Your-Company-31b00c6ab5bd8065a056cd47a39920f3?source=copy_link] and if you'd like a walkthrough of the platform, feel free to book a call here [https://cal.com/khyati/15min]. More from SportsTechX: * Explore the SportsTechX Intelligence Hub, an interactive database of over 8,000 sports tech companies, 8,000+ deals, 1,000+ investors, programs and events - HERE [https://intelligence.sportstechx.com/] * Download the latest Global Sports Tech Ecosystem Report - HERE [https://intelligence.sportstechx.com/reports/gster26] * Sign Up for the Sports Tech Weekly Newsletter for more news, features & insights on Sports Tech - HERE  [https://newsletter.sportstechx.com/] Stay Connected and follow for more: * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/sportstechx] * YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@SportsTechX] * Spotify [https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/sportstechx/] * Apple Podcast [https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-sports-tech-allstars-podcast/id1271329751] Chapters 00:00 Introduction  02:30 What Makes FC Viktoria Berlin Different  04:38 The Matchday Atmosphere and Why Women's Football Feels Different  06:01 Why Berlin Was the Right City for This Project  08:06 Berlin's Fragmented Sports Market and the Opportunity It Created  09:14 The Startup DNA Behind FC Viktoria's Six Founders  11:26 What the FC Viktoria Brand Actually Stands For  13:33 Tech and Innovation at the Club - From Digital Ticketing to Player Data  16:10 The Gender Data Gap in Women's Football  16:47 Working With Kinexon to Bridge the Data Gap  17:30 Multi-Club Ownership, Monarch Collective and the Investment Landscape  18:39 Where Women's Football Investment Is Heading in Germany and Europe  21:36 Why Women's Football Is a Better Early-Stage Investment Than Men's  22:31 What the Next 12–18 Months Look Like for FC Viktoria  24:33 Why This Is One of the Most Exciting Stories in Women's Sport  25:25 Favourite Sporting Moment

The World's Biggest Broadcaster You've Never Heard Of - Doron Gerstel, Pixellot #256

In this episode of the Sports Tech AllStars Podcast, we present Doron Gerstel, CEO of Pixellot. The conversation explores how one of sports tech's most recognised infrastructure companies is reinventing itself - moving from a hardware-led model to a content-as-a-service business, and why that shift is unlocking a far larger global opportunity across youth and amateur sports. Takeaways * Pixellot captured 1.5 million games across 30,000 venues in 2025 * The shift from camera company to content company * Pricing alignment is everything * Near-live personal highlights delivered mid-game via push notification are a proven engagement driver for parents and fans * On-device video processing reduces latency and improves quality * Business models must localise * The right local partner is the single most important variable when entering a new geography * AI and machine learning are replacing manual tagging * The real monetisation unlock is engagement To learn more, visit: https://www.pixellot.tv [https://www.pixellot.tv] Get in touch with Doron Gerstel at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dorongerstellinkedin.com/in/dgerstel [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dgerstel] Hosted by ⁠Rohn Malhotra [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohnmalhotra/]⁠ from ⁠SportsTechX [http://sportstechx.com]⁠ - Leading source of Investment and Innovation insights in sports.  As promised, here's your small surprise: * Unlock your 30-day growth plan (worth €49) on the SportsTechX Intelligence Hub for free! * Simply verify your company details and you get access to 1,500+ investors, programmes, initiatives and events in the sportstech ecosystem. * Here's how to get set up [https://www.notion.so/Verify-Claim-Your-Company-31b00c6ab5bd8065a056cd47a39920f3?source=copy_link] and if you'd like a walkthrough of the platform, feel free to book a call here [https://cal.com/khyati/15min]. More from SportsTechX: * Explore the SportsTechX Intelligence Hub, an interactive database of over 8,000 sports tech companies, 8,000+ deals, 1,000+ investors, programs and events - HERE [https://intelligence.sportstechx.com/] * Download the latest Global Sports Tech Ecosystem Report - HERE [https://intelligence.sportstechx.com/reports/gster26] * Sign Up for the Sports Tech Weekly Newsletter for more news, features & insights on Sports Tech - HERE  [https://newsletter.sportstechx.com/] Stay Connected and follow for more: * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/sportstechx] * YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@SportsTechX] * Spotify [https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/sportstechx/] * Apple Podcast [https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-sports-tech-allstars-podcast/id1271329751] Chapters  00:00 Introduction  02:25 What Pixellot Looks Like Under New Leadership  05:30 Why Automatic Production Bridges Demand and Cost in Youth Sports  08:02 Hardware as a Means to an End - The Content Company Shift  09:02 Will Pixellot Go Hardware Agnostic?  10:43 Near-Live Personal Highlights  12:16 The Content-as-a-Service Model  14:24 Target Markets: Youth and Amateur on the Media and Entertainment Side  15:56 Geographic Expansion  16:54 How Pricing and Business Models Localise by Market  19:01 Operating at Scale  21:47 On-Device Processing vs Cloud  24:23 What the Next 12–18 Months Look Like for Pixellot  26:26 Favourite Sporting Moment

Why Sports Scheduling Is Harder Than You Think - John Stewart, FastBreak AI #255

In this episode of the Sports Tech AllStars Podcast, we present John Stewart, CEO and Co-Founder of FastBreak AI. The conversation explores how a routing and scheduling engine built for field sales became the dominant infrastructure behind professional sports scheduling globally, and how FastBreak AI is now leveraging that same technology to transform the $70 billion youth sports market in the United States. Takeaways * Professional sports scheduling is one of the most complex combinatorial math problems in existence * FastBreak AI is the dominant player in pro sports scheduling globally * The company entered at the top of the market intentionally * Youth sports in the US is a $70 billion market ripe for consolidation, with private equity now arriving in force * Facial scan comparison to sexual predator databases is coming to youth sports ticketing * Continuous background checks are replacing point-in-time checks for coaches and volunteers working with children * AI-driven voice prompts may become the default user interface for consumer sports tech applications within the next two years * Affordability in youth sports is an emerging crisis that technology and smarter operator economics can help solve * Smart capital - not just more capital - is what changes the trajectory of the sports tech industry To learn more, visit: https://www.fastbreakai.com [https://www.fastbreakai.com] Get in touch with John Stewart at: linkedin.com/in/john-stewart-3528a38 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-stewart-3528a38] Hosted by Rohn Malhotra from SportsTechX - Leading source of Investment and Innovation insights in sports. As promised, here's your small surprise: * Unlock your 30-day growth plan (worth €49) on the SportsTechX Intelligence Hub for free! * Simply verify your company details and you get access to 1,500+ investors, programmes, initiatives and events in the sportstech ecosystem. * Here's how to get set up [https://www.notion.so/Verify-Claim-Your-Company-31b00c6ab5bd8065a056cd47a39920f3?source=copy_link] and if you'd like a walkthrough of the platform, feel free to book a call here [https://cal.com/khyati/15min]. More from SportsTechX: * Explore the SportsTechX Intelligence Hub, an interactive database of over 8,000 sports tech companies, 8,000+ deals, 1,000+ investors, programs and events - HERE [https://intelligence.sportstechx.com/] * Download the latest Global Sports Tech Ecosystem Report - HERE [https://intelligence.sportstechx.com/reports/gster26] * Sign Up for the Sports Tech Weekly Newsletter for more news, features & insights on Sports Tech - HERE  [https://newsletter.sportstechx.com/] Stay Connected and follow for more: * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/sportstechx] * YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@SportsTechX] * Spotify [https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/sportstechx/] * Apple Podcast [https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-sports-tech-allstars-podcast/id1271329751] Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:47 The Origin Story of FastBreak AI 04:24 How Scheduling Went From One Consultant to a Global Platform 06:42 Why Sports Scheduling Is One of the World's Hardest Math Problems 09:59 The NBA, Media Rights and Why Complexity Only Grows 11:15 Market Dominance 13:06 How European Soccer Adds Another Layer of Scheduling Complexity 14:10 Lessons From Selling a Company to Salesforce and Entering Sports Tech 15:10 Youth Sports Is Fragmented 17:09 Land and Expand 19:12 What's Next 22:08 The Wallet, Rewards and Payment Infrastructure Play 22:13 Big Trends for 2026 25:17 The Capital Flooding Into Sports Tech Right Now 27:05 Favourite Sporting Moment

Inside German Football's Innovation Engine - Hendrik Weber, DFL #254

In this episode of the Sports Tech AllStars Podcast, we present Hendrik Weber, SVP of Sports Innovation at the DFL (Deutsche Fußball Liga). The conversation explores how German football built the data infrastructure behind one of the world's most-watched leagues, how 3D markerless tracking is reshaping the broadcast product, and how the DFL thinks about its role in fostering sports tech innovation - from startup access to market consolidation dynamics. Takeaways * Centralised tech provision to all clubs lifts the competitive baseline across the entire league - not just the top * 3D markerless tracking is at a genuine inflection point, with EA Sports' acquisition of TRACAB signalling where broadcast storytelling goes next * Market consolidation in performance tech is natural, but monopoly dynamics create pricing risk - the DFL actively works to keep new entrants coming in * Invitation-only event formats change the depth of conversation and the quality of knowledge exchange * The betting and fantasy gaming segment is the next area to watch for a consolidation wave * The DFL sees performance and media as interconnected - stronger on-pitch product drives commercial upside * Sports Innovation in Düsseldorf has become a must-attend event because it combines live sport, real technology demos, and genuine cross-sport exchange To learn more about the DFL, visit: https://www.dfl.de [https://www.dfl.de] Get in touch with Hendrik Weber at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hendrik-weber-dfl [https://www.linkedin.com/in/hendrik-weber-dfl] Hosted by ⁠Rohn Malhotra [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohnmalhotra/]⁠ from ⁠SportsTechX [http://sportstechx.com]⁠ - Leading source of Investment and Innovation insights in sports.  As promised, here's your small surprise: * Unlock your 30-day growth plan (worth €49) on the SportsTechX Intelligence Hub for free! * Simply verify your company details and you get access to 1,500+ investors, programmes, initiatives and events in the sportstech ecosystem. * Here's how to get set up [https://www.notion.so/Verify-Claim-Your-Company-31b00c6ab5bd8065a056cd47a39920f3?source=copy_link] and if you'd like a walkthrough of the platform, feel free to book a call here [https://cal.com/khyati/15min]. More from SportsTechX: * Explore the SportsTechX Intelligence Hub, an interactive database of over 8,000 sports tech companies, 8,000+ deals, 1,000+ investors, programs and events - HERE [https://intelligence.sportstechx.com/] * Download the latest Global Sports Tech Ecosystem Report - HERE [https://intelligence.sportstechx.com/reports/gster26] * Sign Up for the Sports Tech Weekly Newsletter for more news, features & insights on Sports Tech - HERE  [https://newsletter.sportstechx.com/] Stay Connected and follow for more: * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/sportstechx] * YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@SportsTechX] * Spotify [https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/sportstechx/] * Apple Podcast [https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-sports-tech-allstars-podcast/id1271329751] Chapters 00:00 Introduction  01:38 What Sports Innovation Is and Why the DFL Builds It  04:30 The Innovation Games Format 06:30 3D Markerless Tracking and the EA Sports / TRACAB Integration  10:00 The DFL's Two Mandates  13:50 Centralised Club Tech and the Sky Germany Virtual Broadcast POC  17:30 Market Consolidation in Performance Tech  20:45 Where the Next Consolidation Wave Hits 22:00 Hendrik's Career  26:00 What's Next: Operationalising Event Learnings and the Project Pipeline  27:30 Favourite Sporting Moment