Sports tech company Kitman Labs makes second acquisition

Irish sports tech company Kitman Labs has made its second acquisition, buying Presagia Sports for an undisclosed sum.

The acquisition significantly expands the company’s presence in the United States with the addition of more than 110 universities, youth sports programmes, and sports clinics.

Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Presagia Sports has developed a popular electronic medical records system for athletes. Its clients include the Pac-12 athletic sports league and all of its member institutions, Clemson University, Florida State University, and University of Georgia.

The acquisition follows on from a deal by Kitman to buy English athlete data management company The Sports Office last year.

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Founded in 2012 by Stephen Smith, Kitman is working to reduce the risk of injury within professional sports by using artificial intelligence and data science to improve athletes' health, welfare and performance.

More than 700 elite teams across the NFL, NHL, MLB, NCAA, English Premier League, La Liga, Serie A Bundesliga, Pro14, Premiership Rugby, and Japan's Top League, use Kitman's technology platform. Clients include Chelsea, LA Galaxy and Bayer Leverkusen.

“We are excited to partner with Presagia Sports clients to create the future of their sports medicine programmes by further developing their electronic medical record capabilities and creating a united approach across all departments,” said Mr Smith, Kitman’s chief executive.

Backers

Kitman, which has raised over $30 million to date with backers including QVIDTVM, a New York-based investment firm whose managing partner previously led early investments in Airbnb, Dropbox and Peter Thiel’s Palantir while at Morgan Stanley.

Other investors include Blue Run Ventures, Sony, along with a number of well-known Irish angels such as former Paddy Power senior executives Patrick Kennedy, Stewart Kenny and Andrew Algeo. Among the other backers are ex -Arthur Cox managing partner Pádraig Ó Ríordáin and former rugby international Jamie Heaslip.

Kitman last year announced plans to double headcount in the Republic to nearly 90 people with many of the new roles based at its innovation centre in Dublin.