Sports has become a hot category for venture-capital investors in recent years. While other private investors like private equity firms have set their sights mainly on teams and leagues — looking to cash in on the rising costs of media rights and the growth of live events — early-stage investors are pouring money into startups innovating in areas like sports betting, esports, sports technology, analytics companies, NIL, and more. Insider is highlighting prominent venture-capital investors who are funding startups in sports. Insider compiled this list of investors based on our own reporting as well as nominations we vetted from readers and industry experts. Here are the 26 venture capital and other early-stage investors — listed alphabetically by company — that have made prominent investments in sports in 2023:

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Persons: Brad Farkas, Pareek, Jake Paul, Joey Levy's Organizations: HBSE Ventures, trampolines