Press release
Hannover based sports startup IOTIS receives millions in seed funding
Hannover, 1 February 2022 - IT group adesso and sports technology specialist Riedel Communications, together with strong partners from Lower Saxony, Mittelständische Beteiligungsgesellschaft Niedersachsen (MBG) and Hannover Beteiligungsfonds (HBF), are investing €2.15 million in seed funding in the tech startup IOTIS.
The IoT sports start-up IOTIS was founded by Christian Sist and Lennardt Hachmeister alongside angel investor and former German national soccer player Fabian Ernst. It aims to digitize ball sports in a sustainable way and to adapt them to the needs of future generations. The first product is a smart soccer ball. Products for other ball sports such as golf or table tennis are planned.
IOITS develops sensor technology and complex algorithms, which form the basis of a training platform. Users can connect the digital soccer ball with the training app and view the data from the exercise in real time. In addition to improving performance and technique, a major focus is on gamification and challenges and sharing results with friends and teammates.
In addition to the financial investment, the investors bring a wealth of professional experience and international sports networks. The focus for IOTIS in the upcoming months is on product development and team expansion. The founding team has been expanded to include Marcel Isakowitz (Ex Asian Football Confederation and Entrepreneur First) and the technical director Dr. Peter Blank (Ex University Erlangen and Portabiles).
Investor and founder statements
“I firmly believe that the digitization in sports still needs to mature and grow across all levels. We already see a large number of technological applications in professional sports, and yet lack proper use cases and technologies for the amateur and mass market. Here, IOTIS offers a strong solution. Personally, I am more than happy that, next to Riedel Communications with many years of expertise in sports technology, I am also personally on board as an investor in this exciting project.” Thomas Riedel
“With IOTIS we have an innovative digital company with an auspicious product and founding team. We are pleased to see that Hannover is increasingly developing into a sports technology hub." Michael Retzki, Mittelständische Beteiligungsgesellschaft Niedersachsen (MBG)
“Fortunately, larger early-stage financings are also increasingly taking place here in Hannover. IOTIS made a conscious decision in favor of the location and, thanks to the strong network effects in the local ecosystem, is getting a lot of tailwind, e.g. in terms of employees or investors.” Reinhard Hinrichs, Managing Director of the Hannover Beteiligungsfonds
“We believe in a fundamental transformation in sports towards digital supply. The Sportstech market still has enormous potential for growth and offers almost unlimited possibilities. Due to our strong focus on sports and technology, we see a large number of synergies for IOTIS in addition to the pure financial participation." Gregor Schwald, Managing Director of inQventures
“We are very happy to have such powerful investors on board. With the new financial and strategic opportunities, we can accelerate our vision of smart sports balls even more." Lennardt Hachmeister, CEO & Co-Founder of IOTIS
