Best Startup
At Best Startup UK we track over 130,000 UK startups and over 500,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top London based Founder operating in the Sports space. If you think a Founder is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on editor@beststartup.co.uk.
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Companies House UK, Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Misha Gopaul
Founder of FATMAP
Misha is a serial entrepreneur with nearly two decades of experience founding and running successful technology companies. He started his first business, Fabric Technologies, building computers in his bedroom which grew to a team of over 120 people before a merger with a publicly listed competitor in 2011. He plays an active role in the European tech eco-system as an advisor, angel investor and mentor and currently serves on the Board at NEX Abide Financial and Workplace Fabric. In 2013, a chance meeting with adventurer and self-professed mapping geek, David Cowell sparked the beginning of his most ambitious project to date, combining his passion for mountains and technology – to build FATMAP, the world’s leading adventure platform and the most precise and detailed 3D map of the outdoors – a 1:1 map in virtual reality. Competing with established mapping giants has called for an innovative approach to business models and partnerships. Using gaming technology and disruptive models from the tech and music industry FATMAP is on a mission to map the world in human scale detail and build the highest resolution computational map of our planet.
Follow Misha Gopaul:
About CME Group Regulatory Reporting, FATMAP: FATMAP is an outdoor adventure platform for web & mobile.
_______
Philip Beahon
Co-Founder of Castore
Co-founder at Castore.
Follow Philip Beahon:
About Castore: Castore is a premium sportswear brand.
Thomas Beahon
Co-Founder of Castore
Follow Thomas Beahon:
About Castore: Castore is a premium sportswear brand.
Eric Min
Co-Founder and CEO of Zwift
Zwift Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Zwift. He was the Vice President at JP Morgan before co-founding and working as Chief Executive Officer at Sakonnet Technology, a commodities trading and risk management platform.
Follow Eric Min:
About Zwift: Zwift operates an online fitness platform used to transform monotonous solo indoor cycling into dynamic and social adventures.
Yevgeny Brener
Co-Founder & Chief Revenue Officer of 365Scores
Yevgeny Brener is the Co-Founder & Chief Revenue Officer at 365Scores.
Follow Yevgeny Brener:
About 365Scores: 365Scores is a cross-platform application that enables users to create their own personalized sports channel.
Sam Browne
CEO & Co-Founder of Let’s Do This
Sam Browne mainly work on hiring and developing relationships with distributors. If you’re a Javascript engineer I will definitely buy you dinner! I love races in the wild from ultras to adventure races and I used to be a race director at an expedition race series.
Follow Sam Browne:
About Let’s Do This: Let’s Do This is an online marketplace that features almost every endurance event on the planet.
Sam Mathews
Founder & CEO of Fnatic
Sam Mathews is an entrepreneur most known for his exploits in the gaming community. Best known for founding Fnatic, the worlds number 1 professional gaming team, managing over 25 professional video gamers with big name sponsors such as title sponsor MSI. He founded UGAME in 2008, a focused social network providing a complete gamer profile, as well as linking niche gaming content sites together through one user base and offering a platform to share user content around gaming.
Follow Sam Mathews:
About Fnatic: Leading esports performance.
Archie Woodhead
Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of InCrowd Sports
Archie Woodhead is a Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer at InCrowd Sports.
Follow Archie Woodhead:
About InCrowd Sports: Incrowd builds sponsorship activation platforms to give fans an in-stadia experience.
Nicolas Gonzalez Keller
Co-Founder of Banger Games
Nicolas Gonzalez Keller is the Co-Founder of Banger Games. He has a bachelor’s degree in Marketing at University of Westminster.
Follow Nicolas Gonzalez Keller:
About Banger Games: Banger is a blockchain-powered gaming platform that provides its users with an array of earning possibilities.
Nick Smith
Founder & CEO of SportStack
Nick is the Founder & CEO of SportStack – a sports focussed fin-tech company pioneering a revolutionary exchange to speculate on and trade professional athletes. Prior to founding SportStack he was an Executive Director within the macro trading division at Goldman Sachs & CitiGroup.
Follow Nick Smith:
About SportStack: The revolutionary betting exchange making fantasy sports REAL
Justin Wong
Founder & CTO of Battlefy
Justin has been fiddling around with computers since the age of 7 – dialling up to the Internet to adventure in his favourite MUD or to hack away on his websites with PHP 2.0. Justin graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Cognitive Systems degree. Because he’s a big gamer and sports fan, he worked at Electronic Arts helping to create the sports video games that he loves to play himself. Now, combining his passion for gaming and web development, he’s looking forward to revolutionizing the eSports competitive gaming genre as the founder and CTO of Battlefy.
Follow Justin Wong:
About Battlefy: Battlefy is the simplest way to find and manage esports competitions.
Melissa Blau
Co-Founder & Investor of SportAD
Melissa Blau has been in the internet gaming sector for over 15 years as both an operator and adviser. She is currently the founder and director of iGaming Capital, a leading iGaming consulting and advisory company. . Clients include casino operators, suppliers and regulators as well as gaming related companies including esport, daily fantasy sports and affiliates. Prior to gaming, Melissa co-managed a $450m MediaTech Venture Capital Fund.
Follow Melissa Blau:
About SportAD: SportAD is an innovative creator of new, simplified games for B2B daily fantasy sports and real-money sports gaming.
Ian Parkins
Senior Software Engineer & Co-Founder of SportAD
Follow Ian Parkins:
About SportAD: SportAD is an innovative creator of new, simplified games for B2B daily fantasy sports and real-money sports gaming.
Catherine Jung
Chief Software Architect & Co-Founder of SportAD
Follow Catherine Jung:
About SportAD: SportAD is an innovative creator of new, simplified games for B2B daily fantasy sports and real-money sports gaming.
Siobhan Myles
Program Mngt. & Co-Founder of SportAD
Follow Siobhan Myles:
About SportAD: SportAD is an innovative creator of new, simplified games for B2B daily fantasy sports and real-money sports gaming.
Fausto Zanetton
Co-Founder & CEO of Tifosy
Fausto Zanetton is an Italian raised in Belgium, has spent his career in the finance Industry, where he worked with many media, sports & internet companies globally, most recently at Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs. Seeing sports clubs struggle to get traditional funding, and the growing tech, social and crowdfunding revolution, sparked the idea of Tifosy in his mind. Fausto has an MBA from London Business School and is a qualified accountant (CPA). He is fluent in several European languages and is a huge fan of Inter Milan.
Follow Fausto Zanetton:
About Tifosy: Tifosy helps sports clubs raise funds online by connecting them with a global fan and investor base
James Pollock
Co-Founder, CMO & Head of UK of Tifosy
A veteran of major blue-chip marketing companies, having begun his career at Procter & Gamble in London, then heading up European businesses in Geneva, before returning home to bring his strategic expertise to other FMCG companies at Kantar Retail, a WPP company. Prior to joining Tifosy, James headed up strategy for one of the four business units at Unilever (Ice Cream and Tea). A fan of Arsenal FC since his early years, James also follows rugby and tennis.
Follow James Pollock:
About Tifosy: Tifosy helps sports clubs raise funds online by connecting them with a global fan and investor base
Pedro Pérez
Co-Founder and CDO of SETTEO
Follow Pedro Pérez:
About SETTEO: The virtual assistant for the practice of tennis, padel & badminton
Asaf Peled
Founder and CEO of Minute Media
Asaf is the Chief Executive Officer of Minute Media, parent company of 90min. Asaf founded 90min in 2011as FTBpro. Since then, 90min has grown to be the world’s largest football media platform, driven by a contributor-driven model, and has expanded the brand throughout Europe, North America, South America and Asia. Asaf is involved in all aspects of Minute Media’s growth and operations, from product development to marketing and content. Prior to 90min, Asaf was the founder and Chief Marketing Officer at Top 7 International and also spent four years at Cisco Systems Israel where he was responsible for business development in the Israeli market. Asaf has a M.B.A. from The Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania and a bachelors of arts from Tel Aviv University. He resides in London and his favorite team is the San Antonio Spurs.
Follow Asaf Peled:
About 90min, Minute Media: Minute Media is a media and technology brand focused on two main pillars—platform and content.
Martin Grozev
Co-Founder and CEO of Bettingmetrics
Follow Martin Grozev:
About Bettingmetrics: Bettingmetrics is an online sports betting platform.
Kristian Nylén
Co-Founder and CEO of Kambi
Kristian joined Unibet in 2000. From 2003 Kristian was responsible for the entire sportsbook operation and a part of the management team. Before Unibet, Kristian worked as a Real Estate analyst at Catella and Ernst & Young. Kristian has a BSc in Business Administration, Mathematics and Statistics from the University of Karlstad. Kristian Nylén holds 465,000 shares and 300,000 options in the Company.
Follow Kristian Nylén:
About Kambi: Kambi’s service has the power to quickly transform the financial performance of your business.
Josip Balažević
Co-Founder of Racefully
Follow Josip Balažević:
About Racefully: Enabling businesses to increase employee engagement and lower health costs through a compelling virtual team-based fitness solution.
Rasmus Sojmark
CEO / Founder of Oddslife
CEO / Founder of Oddslife.
Follow Rasmus Sojmark:
About Esports Insider, Oddslife, Sports Betting Community: Oddslife is a social sports and a gaming network that provides a range of sporting and gaming opportunities for local sports fans.
Joshua Nino De Guzman
CEO, Co-Founder & Director of Dexerto
Joshua Nino De Guzman is the CEO & Co-Founder at Dexerto
Follow Joshua Nino De Guzman:
About Dexerto: Dexerto is the world’s largest digital esports and gaming lifestyle platform news platform.
Chris Marsh
Co-Founder & Director of Dexerto
Follow Chris Marsh:
About Dexerto: Dexerto is the world’s largest digital esports and gaming lifestyle platform news platform.
Amit Pate
Founder & CEO of Snaptivity
Follow Amit Pate:
About Snaptivity: Snaptivity is a stadium tech that drives fan engagement by capturing key moments of events using AI, IoT sensors, and robotic cams.
Chloe Spoerry
Co-Founder & CEO of HiviSasa.com
Follow Chloe Spoerry:
About HiviSasa.com: At Hivisasa, we believe that societies function best when information flows freely among people.
Andrew Sharland
Founder & CEO of Fresh8 Gaming
Follow Andrew Sharland:
About Fresh8 Gaming: Fresh8 Gaming is a technology company delivering software as a service solutions to the sports betting industry.
Gian Paolo Ziletti
Founder & CEO of My Circle Golf
Founder and CEO of My Circle Golf, the business networking service for golf players. I’m a MBA graduate with 7 years previous experience in management consulting (Deloitte, KPMG, Accenture) advising clients developing Transformation Programme with a particular focus on the technology, processes and communication. While working on multinational clients across Europe I have been able to build a broad range of skills in such as managing cross-functional and multinational teams, product development and launch, managing commercial relationships with large organisations and driving business development.
Follow Gian Paolo Ziletti:
About My Circle Golf: Networking service for Golf players that helps golfers organise golf games and connect with like minded people
Nathan Flood
CTO and Co-Founder of ClubSpark
Nathan founded ClubSpark in 2012 alongside Dave. He provides the technical vision for the platform, overseeing its architecture and development while ensuring the team utilises the latest technology to continually enhance the product and its features. With over 20 years’ experience in technical development, Nathan has a passion for driving sports engagement and believes technology can play a key role in getting people more active.
Follow Nathan Flood:
About ClubSpark: ClubSpark is an award-winning, market-leading sports booking and management SaaS platform.
Richard Davies
Owner & Founder of Twickets
Follow Richard Davies:
About Future Platforms, Twickets: A London-based ticket resale platform .
Irina Gofman
Founder & CEO of Viasat World
Irina Gofman was appointed as President and CEO of Viasat World in January 2016. Prior to this, Irina worked for MTG AB, International Media and Broadcasting Group, as Executive Vice President of the Group’s Russian & CIS broadcasting operations and Pay TV Emerging Markets, and as CEO of MTG Russia & CIS. Irina was also CEO of Rambler Media Group between 2004 and 2007, and worked for MTG between 2002 and 2004 as Chief Operating Officer of the DTV Russian TV. Irina was instrumental in the launch of Viasat Broadcasting’s wholesale pay-TV business in Russia. She graduated with a Ph.D. in Philology from Moscow State University and an MBA from Babson College in the United States.
Follow Irina Gofman:
About Viasat World: Viasat World has a rich and diverse portfolio of content brands – movies, factual and sport.
Mark Hain
Founder and CEO of DingIt.tv
Mark Hain is the founder and CEO of DingIt.tv.
Follow Mark Hain:
About DingIt.tv: DingIt is a leading destination for premium eSports and Gaming content
Joseph Welstead
Co Founder & CEO of Motion Nutrition
Former international swimmer, Joe is a performance expert and cofounder of Motion Nutrition. ‘Smart drugs’ are what Joe and his team of neuroscientists develop helping to improve decision making, memory recall and mental performance under stress.
Follow Joseph Welstead:
About Motion Nutrition: Motion Nutrition help people stress less, sleep deeper and do better with our organic supplements.
Gareth Balch
Founder&CEO of Two Circles
Gareth co-founded Two Circles in 2011 with Matt Rogan having spent his career helping sports organisations grow commercial revenues, most recently in Commercial Strategy roles at Manchester City. Prior to assuming the role of Two Circles Chief Executive, Gareth was Managing Director of the business, where he led the delivery of their client results. As a result of these results, the business grew significantly and won plaudits & awards for the quality and innovation of its work. In Gareth’s final year as Managing Director, 40% of Two Circles clients achieved all-time commercial growth records. As Chief Executive, Gareth leads their 100-strong business to deliver results for all of their stakeholders in each market. He is also actively involved in supporting ESP Properties growth strategy and sits on the Global Executive Committee for that organisation. Gareth represented Great Britain at 800m in an international career spanning seven years and still loves nothing more than pulling his trainers on.
Follow Gareth Balch:
About Two Circles: Two Circles is a sports marketing agency based in London.
Blake Wooster
Co-Founder & CEO of 21st Club
Blake is the co-founder and CEO of 21st Club, a company dedicated to helping professional football clubs achieve competitive edge by thinking differently. Blake has been a key player in the sports data market for the past 15 years – previously as the Global Business Development Director for Prozone Sports before recognising the growing industry shift towards deriving meaning from data and establishing 21st Club. The company has recently diversified into golf under the brand 15th Club.
Follow Blake Wooster:
About 15th Club, 21st Club: 21st Club is a company dedicated to helping professional football clubs achieve competitive edge by thinking differently.
Nishal Desai
Founder of Imin
Founder at imin
Follow Nishal Desai:
About Imin, London Sport: Imin is a technology firm that makes physical activity searchable & bookable by using open data in the health and fitness sector.
Dominic Fennell
Founder of Imin
Founder at imin
Follow Dominic Fennell:
About Imin: Imin is a technology firm that makes physical activity searchable & bookable by using open data in the health and fitness sector.
Andrea Radrizzani
Chairman & Founder of Aser Ventures
Follow Andrea Radrizzani:
About Aser Ventures: Aser Ventures is an investment platform specialising in sports, media and entertainment.
Anders Ström
Founder of Kwiff
Follow Anders Ström:
About Kwiff: Kwiff is a native mobile sports betting app available in the United Kingdom on both iOS and Android.
Luke Gurrey
Founder of Double Take Debate
Luke Gurrey is the founder of Double Take Debate. A Law graduate, who worked in numerous fields before deciding to establish this site for people to enjoy heated sports banter while at home. An avid Arsenal fan (Football) and OKC Thunder (NBA), he loves to discuss any sport that he has an opinion on, while enjoying playing devil’s advocate at any given chance.
Follow Luke Gurrey:
About Double Take Debate: Double Take Debate is the definitive sports and fitness discussion outlet.
Mitul Jay Patel
Founder of Arena
Follow Mitul Jay Patel:
About Arena: Sports Analytics through Global Industry-Leading A.I. for Sports Right’s Holders
Olly Robinson
Co-Founder of Maison Sport
Olly Robinson is a former national team athlete, Olly progressed to ski race coaching and then ski instructing, before working as a cyber insurance broker in the city. He is passionate about design .
Follow Olly Robinson:
About Freely Wellness, Maison Sport: Maison Sport is a marketplace connecting ski instructors with people learning to ski
Ian Pridham
Co-Founder & CTO of Openplay
Follow Ian Pridham:
About Openplay: OpenPlay is an online platform that allows any sports facility to take online bookings, payments and manage their customers.
Sam Parton
Co-Founder & CEO of Openplay
Follow Sam Parton:
About Openplay: OpenPlay is an online platform that allows any sports facility to take online bookings, payments and manage their customers.
Alex Vander Hoeven
Founder of Race Roster
Founder of Race Roster
Follow Alex Vander Hoeven:
About Race Roster: Race Roster is an online registration and event marketing platform working primarily in the endurance sports industry.
Michaela Jeffery-Morrison
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Maddox Events
Follow Michaela Jeffery-Morrison:
About Maddox Events: Maddox Events is the world’s only B2B company exclusively dedicated to creating large-scale conferences.
Matt Wilson
Co-Founder of Ball Street
Follow Matt Wilson:
About Ball Street: Ball Street is a group of sports fans that wanted to club together to create an independent, alternative to the mainstream sports media.
Daniel Williams
Owner, Founder, and CEO of WIT Fitness
Daniel Williams is the Owner, Founder, and CEO at WIT Fitness Ltd
Follow Daniel Williams:
About WIT Fitness: Itself as a unique, multi-brand fitness concept store.
Matthew Woods
Co-Founder of AFK Creators
Follow Matthew Woods:
About AFK Creators: Influencer Management and Marketing Agency, Gaming and Esports
Mark Gorski
Co-Founder & CEO of Sports Data Labs, Inc.
Mark is Co-Founder & CEO of Sports Data Labs, Inc., an AI and monetization platform unlocking the value of sensor-based health data.
Follow Mark Gorski:
About Sports Data Labs, Inc.: Sports Data Labs, Inc. (SD Labs) is a venture-backed, award-winning leader in collection, analysis and distribution of real-time Human Data from on-body sensors and other sensing systems.
Daria Kantor
CEO & Founder of TruBe
Follow Daria Kantor:
About TruBe: Available in London initially, TruBe instantly connects you with all relevant trainers, ready to help you meet your goals.
Fivos Pantazis
Founder of Aphetor
Fivos Pantazis is the Founder at Aphetor.
Follow Fivos Pantazis:
About Aphetor: Aphetor is the next generation, creator-based sports/entertainment property for the next generation of fans
Carsten Thode
Founder of Aphetor
Carsten Thode is the Founder at Aphetor.
Follow Carsten Thode:
About Aphetor: Aphetor is the next generation, creator-based sports/entertainment property for the next generation of fans
Andrew Moffatt
Founder of Dugout FC
Founder at DugoutFC Ltd
Follow Andrew Moffatt:
About Dugout FC: Dugout FC is the ultimate fantasy football experience.
Daniel Burnside
Founder of Dugout FC
Follow Daniel Burnside:
About Dugout FC: Dugout FC is the ultimate fantasy football experience.
Chris North
Vice Chairman and Founder of Front Row Club
Follow Chris North:
About Front Row Club: Front Row Club is an online rugby community that connects people in a virtual clubhouse.
Mark McDermott
Founder, CEO & Head of Product of GoShow
Follow Mark McDermott:
About GoShow: GoShow offers a platform that enables collaboration between professional athletes and filmmakers.
Alexandros Tanti
Co-Founder of Racecheck
Follow Alexandros Tanti:
About Racecheck: Community Platform and Race Discovery tool for Athletes
Frederik Wagner
Co-Founder & Developer of Drafthound
Follow Frederik Wagner:
About Drafthound: Drafthound is an online platform for fantasy football gaming activities.
Cesar Ortega
Co-Founder & CFO of SKARA The Blade Remins
Cesar Ortega is Co-Founder & CFO at SKARA The Blade Remins.
Follow Cesar Ortega:
About SKARA The Blade Remins: SKARA is the next generation of eSports with versus fighting mechanics and RPG elements.
Tom King
Founder of Velruso
Chartered Accountant (ICAS), starting his career in the Banking & Capital Market Division at EY, now working for Rapha Racing Limited as a FP&A Analyst.
Follow Tom King:
About Velruso: Workout. Be rewarded.
Alex Deacon
Founder of Boxing Manager
Developer and publisher of World Title Boxing Manager. Formerly, various Director level roles at Betfair 2005-16 Launch editor of Racing Post online betting Part of Sports Interactive/Championship Manager team 1996-99
Follow Alex Deacon:
About Boxing Manager: Publisher and developers of the highly acclaimed and top-ranked Boxing Manager game series.
David Gregory
Founder of Dohyo
Follow David Gregory:
About Dohyo: Mobile Sports Gaming
Philip Bingham
Co-Founder & Managing Director of Velo Vixen
Follow Philip Bingham:
About Velo Vixen: The UK’s Leading Specialist in Women’s Cycling Kit
A D
Founder of LVLFi
Follow A D:
About LVLFi: LVLFI is a game development company that is developing an RPG game ‘Fist of Arkan’.
A D
Founder of LVLFi
Follow A D:
About LVLFi: LVLFI is a game development company that is developing an RPG game ‘Fist of Arkan’.
Barry Davies
Co-Founder of Nutrivend
Follow Barry Davies:
About Nutrivend, Nutrivend: Nutrivend is a sports nutrition company.
Victor Sanchez Grahm
Co-Founder & CEO of view.it esports
Follow Victor Sanchez Grahm:
About view.it esports: esports company set out to grow a better esports industry for everyone
Joseph Luck
Founder of Gmbl.io
Follow Joseph Luck:
About Gmbl.io: Beautiful stats for the beautiful game.
