Two Microsoft veterans are building apps to help people put down their mobile devices and engage with others in the real world through sports. Seattle-based Mavengo, which launched in 2016, helps sports enthusiasts find and communicate with other players and set up games and matches. The software uses artificial intelligence to manage the monotonous task of organizing and scheduling games and re-matching the winners and losers. Co-founder and CEO Imran Aziz calls it a “personal assistant for sports.” The startup last year raised $400,000 and has been testing an initial version of its app for squash players at three Seattle-area… Read More
Player Tokens Inc. is betting that digital assets and blockchain technology will reshape the way sports fans buy and sell rare collectibles. The Seattle startup came out of stealth mode in August, revealing its “crypto-collectible service” that puts a new spin on the traditional baseball card and owning collectibles. The company, backed by Madrona Venture Group, last month signed a deal with the Major League Baseball Players Association to sell digital “tokens” featuring real MLB players. Packs of tokens, priced from $5.99 to $8.49, can be purchased with a credit card. Player Tokens said its product is the first crypto-collectible… Read More
Playing with a ball can be a lot of fun when you throw sensors and computer chips into the mix. That’s the thought behind Play Impossible, a Seattle startup that sells a smart, connected inflatable ball which links to a smartphone app and lets people play different physical games. The company launched last year and raised $1 million from Two Sigma Ventures, Ben Franklin Technology Partners, and WestRiver Group, the firm led by TopGolf Entertainment Group Co-Chairman Erik Anderson. Its first product is a small rubber ball that looks completely normal from the outside but has a bevy of electronics inside —… Read More
