ADvantage

VC

Shaping the future of sports

ADvantage is a global VC fund investing in early-stage sports technology companies.

ADvantage

No. 1

Team

Global. Passionate. Team players.

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ADvantage

No. 2

Network

Leveraging an exclusive network in sports for our founders globally.

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ADvantage

No. 3

Portfolio

Our portfolio companies are fundamentally reshaping the ways we watch, play and experience sports.

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ADvantage

No. 4

The Legacy

Building on one of the richest legacies in sports.

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Discover
our Advantages

ADvantage No. 1 Legacy

ADvantage No. 1 Legacy

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What we invest in

Fan Engagment

Engaging the modern sports fan requires modern technology solutions. From new forms of media consumption and distribution to next-gen mobile tech and enhanced in-stadium experiences, technology has never been more central to the fan experience.

01

Connected athlete

Technology has connected athletes more than ever before. Whether to themselves through innovations in performance tracking and solutions in player analytics, or to each other through connected sports communities and digital sports content delivery, the athletes of today are being mentally and physically shaped by technology.

02

Derivative sports

The sports world is burgeoning, with new and digital sports entirely changing the industry landscape. From fantasy, gaming and the commercialization of the global esports market to web 3.0 our definition of sports is constantly expanding.

03

3 focus

3 focus

3 focus

Areas

Areas

Areas

Areas

Areas

Areas

Our sweet spot

Series A

Sports Tech
Companies

$1–3 M

Average initial
check size

Gl

bal

just like in sports, we believe innovation in our sector transcends borders

ADvantage No. 1

Team

We are a team that shares a deep passion for sports, entrepreneurship and the tech innovations changing the game.

ADvantage VC —
MEET THE TEAM

Partner

Jeremy Pressman

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Partner

Alexander Bente

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Partner, COO

Sam Schmelzer

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Head of Deals/General Counsel

John Weaver

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Senior Venture Partner

Michael Redd

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Venture Partner

Dr. Laila Mintas

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Venture partner

Ahron Cohen

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Venture Partner

Josh Liggett

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ADvantage No. 2 Network

ADvantage No. 2 Network

ADvantage No. 2 Network

ADvantage No. 2

ADvantage unites a strategic and global network across sports, fitness and gaming.

A network of strategic investors from across the globe

ADvantage No. 3 Portfolio

ADvantage No. 3 Portfolio

ADvantage No. 3 Portfolio

Ladder

Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Ladder is the #1 strength training app for people who are serious about fitness. Ladder makes it easy to plan and maintain a consistent strength training routine.

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Powering Short-Form Content

Greenfly is shaping the future of content management in sports. Greenfly’s proprietary AI technology automates real-time capture, aggregation, organization, and distribution of digital media for leading entities like the NBA, NWSL, MLB, Big Ten, and NHL.

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Ultimate Sports GameFi & NFT Ecosystem

Founded in 2015, RealFevr is a Web3 Portuguese startup building an ambitious ecosystem around licensed sports digital collectibles and video games. The startup is boosting the Sports GameFi & NFT space through product and market innovation, including solving the speculative and utility issues in the digital collectibles industry.

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Here We Play ForKeeps

ForKeeps - Official NBA, LALIGA is the officially licensed game for nextgen picks, multiplayer action games and building your ultimate sports collection. Play, reward and celebrate fandom with friends 🤝

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The flexible way to
watch and bet

TAPPP makes it easy for consumers to access sports content and engage with their favorite teams by unlocking multiple payment options. For many years, TAPPP has made NFL and MLB streaming products available across a vast network of physical and digital retailers in the US.

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Next-gen analytics for everyone

Track160 provides football (soccer) leagues, clubs and academies with FIFA EPTS Quality certified fully automated analytics solution. Including highly accurate tracking & performance data, automated video analysis and sport science information - all in one intuitive product suite.

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Time from the Machine

Infinite Athlete is the technological vanguard for the sports and entertainment industry. Merging sports, video, and data with innovation and accessibility, Infinite Athlete technology enables the creation of new interactive experiences around live events.

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The future of Pilates

Flexia is a Sacramento-based company reshaping Pilates practice and redesigning the most essential piece of Pilates equipment, the Reformer. Flexia is creating a world where people can transcend the limitations of their body to achieve their unrealized potential and live with freedom and ease.

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India’s leading game streaming platform

Providing a community platform to millions of gaming enthusiasts, Rooter is India’s leading game streaming and eSports platform. Rooter seamlessly allows mobile and PC gamers to stream their favorite titles, such as Call of Duty, Freefire, Valorant and much more.

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Shaping the Future of Sports Wearables

Playermaker is a sensor-based data tracking and analytics platform, scaling pro level data analytics to all athletes. The company has sold over 25k units across its business lines and is the only foot-based wearable to gain FIFA approval for in-match use.

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ADvantage No. 3

ADvantage No. 4

The Legacy

“Adi Dassler, the founder of adidas, was arguably the first sports tech entrepreneur ever and in many ways founded the modern sports industry. A century later, we are continuing his legacy by investing in entrepreneurs shaping the future of sports, by backing the Adi Dasslers of today.“

Partner of Advantage
/ Great grandson of adi dassler

News

November 20, 2024

Ladder Secures Over $100 Million in New Funding to Scale #1 Strength Training App

April 4, 2024

Greenfly Closes $14M VC Round With Dassler, NBA Investments

February 5, 2024

TAPPP and Vrio / DIRECTV Latin America to bring Contextual Betting and Interactivity to the Region

September 21, 2023

Israel’s Playermaker approved by FIFA to track player performance in official games

August 7, 2023

Tempus Ex rebrands as Infinite Athlete, acquires Biocore to create ‘OS for sport’

October 31, 2022

As NFT trading volumes plummet, Lisbon's RealFevr raises €10 million

May 10, 2022

GreenPark Sports and LaLiga to Release Matchday NFT Jerseys Of All 20 Clubs

April 05, 2022

Tappp Raises $10 Million From Owners, VCs in Sports Betting Push

Apr 05, 2022

Flexia raises $4M to shape the future of connected Pilates

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Partner

Jeremy Pressman

Originally from Philadelphia, Jeremy is an Israeli venture capitalist, professional basketball player and the founding partner of ADvantage. After a successful collegiate career at Yeshiva University where he was one of a dozen two- year captains in the school’s history, Jeremy chose to pursue a professional basketball career in Israel. Today, Jeremy is a seasoned veteran of Israel’s Artzit basketball league, having played six seasons on a number of teams in the Jerusalem and Tel Aviv areas.

As an investor, Jeremy started his nine year journey as one of the first hires at OurCrowd, Israel’s most active VC fund. Rising to Partner at OurCrowd during his more than seven years at the platform, Jeremy accumulated vast experience sourcing and conducting due diligence on technology deals with a specific focus on sports - including Replay Technologies (acquired by Intel ~$180m).

Jeremy is a loving husband and father of four, with a profound religious outlook, a passion for fine wine, and a deep appreciation for a solid slice of pizza. He and his family currently reside in Jerusalem.

Partner

Alexander Bente

Alex co-founded ADvantage in 2018 and manages the fund as a partner. Before ADvantage, he co-founded global sports tech investment platform leAD Sports.

In his more than 6 years investing in sports tech, Alex has been involved in sourcing and supporting more than 30 global investments in the space. As a great-grandson of Adi Dassler, he created multiple businesses to build on the legacy of his great-grandfather and brings a strong network in sports, business and investment to the fund and its portfolio companies.

Alex holds a master’s degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of St. Gallen, one of Europe’s leading business schools, and is a former competitive tennis player. Alex is a proud father and lives in Orlando with his family.

Partner, COO

Sam Schmelzer

An experienced venture capitalist and proven business executive with a successful exit to a publicly traded company, Sam got started in a sports loving family in Ohio where he was a multisport athlete through high school. After completing multiple degrees at Brown University, he moved to Israel where he served in an electronic warfare R&D unit and began his career as a venture investor and business executive. With a combination of investor and operator experience, Sam brings a unique ability to quickly learn businesses and identify--as well as execute--new business growth strategies. Sam lives in Jerusalem with his wife and three children where he enjoys excursions into nature, hosting BBQs and good wine with good people.

Head of Deals/General Counsel

John Weaver

John has over a decade of experience as an investor, attorney, and advisor to numerous startups, funds, and angel investors. Along with Michael Redd, John co-founded 22 Ventures where he led operations and deal flow while advising on over 100 investments. Prior to 22 Ventures, John co-founded Stansbury Weaver, a Columbus, Ohio based law firm that served startups and early-stage investors. A passionate Baltimore Orioles fan, John is also an avid golfer, rec-league basketball player, and part-time youth basketball coach.

Senior Venture Partner

Michael Redd

Michael Redd has been building, developing and investing in tech-focused startups since he retired from the NBA in 2013. After twelve seasons as a professional basketball player, both in the NBA and the US Olympic team in 2008, Michael has continued a strong drive toward excellence in his focus on ventures off the court.

He joined the ADvantage team as a venture partner in 2019 combining his passion for both sports and venture capital, with the goal to back companies improving human performance and preventing injuries. Michael is also involved in SnapChat’s Yellow incubator as a mentor and investor, and developing his own venture relationships with his firm 22 Ventures.

Venture Partner

Dr. Laila Mintas

Dr. Mintas is a high-profile entrepreneur, investor and thought leader in the technology and sports industry on a global level. She’s held various senior executive and strategic advisor roles in the sports, sports betting and iGaming, entertainment and crypto spaces.

In particular, she brings extensive experience in the sports betting space having worked in a number of roles including as a representative of FIFA and CONCACAF, the leading sports (betting) data company Sportradar (valued at $2.4B during her tenure), omni-channel betting platform Betworks and as a disruptive B2C sports betting, fantasy, iGaming and horse racing operator with PlayUp. Through her roles as Strategic Advisor, she was involved in many deals across the industry, including the media and crypto spaces.

Often described as a veteran in the sports betting industry, Dr. Mintas has received some of the most prestigious awards and honors in the industry such as the Leaders in Sports U 40 Award, the SBJ Game Changers Award and the International Award for Women in the Gaming Industry – Inspiration of the Year 2018. She was named one of 25 executives to watch in 2019 by the Global Gaming Business magazine, selected as SBJ´s Power Player Sports Betting 2019 and Business Insider´s Leaders of the Sports Betting Industry 2019.

Venture Partner

Ahron Cohen

Ahron is an investor, business executive, civic leader, philanthropist, attorney, and board member whose career spans the fields of sports, entertainment, media, finance, hospitality and emerging technology.

Previously, Ahron led the Arizona Coyotes organization as its President, CEO and Alternate Governor. During his time with the Coyotes, the franchise posted several record-setting business results, including all-time highs in ticket sales, corporate sponsorships, premium seating, merchandise and food & beverage. The organization was widely recognized as a best-in-class franchise for fan experience, including a top 3 ranking in the NHL by J.D. Power & Associates for overall customer satisfaction results. Most importantly, Cohen set the tone for sports team philanthropy by leading the organization to donate a record-setting $3.5 million into the Arizona community during his final year as CEO.

He also created a mandate for all Coyotes employees to donate at least 15 hours each year towards community service. Ahron also championed empowering diverse perspectives in the organization by drastically increasing the number of females on the executive management team and being the first team in the NHL to hire a female hocket ambassador in Lyndsey Fry. According to the former Athletic reporter Craig Morgan, “Cohen’s greatest legacy with the Coyotes will likely be the inclusive and responsive relationship he developed with the greater community.” Before becoming President & CEO, Ahron rose through the ranks of the organization, first serving as its Chief Legal Officer and thereafter its COO.

Venture Partner

Josh Liggett

The son of two successful entrepreneurs, Josh has been immersed in the business world his entire life. During his teenage years, he discovered a passion for investing, initially focusing on public markets, real estate, and private investments. Josh eventually found his calling in the tech world 15 years ago when he began startup investing. Subsequently, he joined Israel’s most active Venture Capital fund, working on over 60 investments and serving on multiple startup boards during a 6-year period. With a keen eye for identifying early trends in the market, including web3, fintech, and "metaverse,” Josh has honed his ability to spot promising startups. Hailing from Southern California, Josh previously helped scale and operate a successful women’s fashion company that employed over 100 FTEs and boasted prominent retailers such as Nordstrom, Walmart, and Kmart as customers. Josh enjoys snowboarding, playing ice hockey, and playing a relaxing round of golf.Josh relocated to Israel a decade ago with his wife, where they now reside with their three beautiful daughters.

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