Sportway raises US$22M (€20M) as AI reshapes sports broadcasting
Sportway Media GroupCompany
Gamma WavesInvestor
Sportway Media Group closed a US$22 million growth‑stage round on June 23, 2026, led by Gamma Waves, valuing the company at about €92 million post‑money as it pushes AI‑driven sports broadcasting worldwide.
Sportway Media Group secured US$22 million in growth‑stage funding on June 23, 2026, valuing the company at roughly €92 million post‑money. The round was led by Gamma Waves, a permanent‑capital platform focused on sports technology, with participation from existing shareholders.
Deal Terms
The financing will be used to accelerate international expansion, deepen product development, and fund further strategic acquisitions. Sportway’s platform currently powers more than 2,500 AI‑enabled camera systems across 21 countries, delivering over 250,000 live events each year for 70+ federations and leagues. The company’s subscription‑based revenue model provides a recurring cash flow base that investors see as scalable once the infrastructure and support teams are in place.
Market Context
AI and automation are lowering the cost barrier for high‑quality sports production, a market traditionally limited to elite competitions. Sportway’s end‑to‑end stack—automated production, OTT distribution, analytics, and AI‑generated highlights—positions it as a vertical SaaS solution for federations, clubs, and media partners. Recent acquisitions of Dutch and French AI‑powered broadcasting assets have broadened its technology stack and expanded its foothold in Europe, setting the stage for a push into North America.
Founder‑CEO Daniel Franck emphasized that scaling from dozens to thousands of venues requires not only sophisticated AI but also a professional operations layer. To that end, Sportway has built in‑house installation, technical support, and customer‑success teams, a strategy that mitigates the capital constraints of many grassroots organizations. The new capital will fund the rollout of additional installation crews and the development of next‑generation AI models that can handle a broader set of sports and higher event volumes.
The round underscores the growing investor appetite for category‑defining sports‑tech platforms that combine recurring revenue, high‑margin SaaS economics, and defensible data assets. With a post‑money valuation of €92 million, the implied multiple on the company’s subscription revenue—though not disclosed—suggests investors are betting on rapid ARR expansion as Sportway scales its camera network and OTT services globally.
Why It Matters
For Sportway, the infusion of US$22 million removes the financing bottleneck that has traditionally limited the rollout of AI camera infrastructure. The capital enables the company to accelerate its go‑to‑market play in new geographies, particularly North America, where partnership models with ice‑hockey leagues could unlock sizable ARR growth. Existing competitors that rely on legacy production workflows will face heightened pressure to adopt AI‑driven automation or risk losing federation contracts to a platform that offers both production and data analytics under a single subscription.
Gamma Waves’ involvement also brings strategic sport‑industry expertise and a network of rights‑holders, potentially accelerating partnership negotiations and cross‑selling opportunities. The funding round may prompt rival vertical SaaS providers in sports media to seek similar capital or pursue consolidation to achieve the scale needed to compete on price, data depth, and operational reliability.
Key Points
- Sportway raised US$22 million in a growth‑stage round led by Gamma Waves
- The round values Sportway at about €92 million post‑money
- Sportway operates >2,500 AI‑powered cameras in 21 countries, covering 250,000 live events annually
- The company has acquired multiple AI‑broadcasting assets to broaden its technology stack
- Funding will fund geographic expansion, product development, and further strategic acquisitions
Analysis
The $22 million raise places Sportway at a valuation that, while undisclosed in ARR terms, signals a premium on its subscription revenue stream. For investors, the deal highlights the premium placed on vertical SaaS platforms that combine high‑margin recurring revenue with defensible data generated by AI‑driven production. As AI models become more cost‑effective, the economics of scaling from dozens to thousands of venues improve dramatically, allowing Sportway to push its ARR north of $50 million within the next 24 months if it can replicate its European rollout in North America. The round also reflects a broader trend: capital is flowing into sports‑tech firms that can monetize both content and analytics, creating a dual‑revenue engine. Operators should note that the infrastructure‑as‑service model—where the vendor finances camera installations and retains operational control—creates a sticky, high‑retention customer base, driving net revenue retention well above 120 percent in comparable businesses. For the market, Sportway’s aggressive acquisition strategy and the backing of a sport‑focused investor suggest consolidation will accelerate, with larger players absorbing niche AI specialists to build end‑to‑end solutions. Companies that cannot match the scale, data depth, or subscription elasticity may become acquisition targets or be edged out of federation contracts.