Transforming today's prodigies into tomorrow's icons!
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StepOut, an AI-powered sports performance technology and football intelligence startup, has raised $1.5 million in a Pre-Series A funding round, led by Rainmatter by Zerodha, with participation from SucSEED Innovation Fund and Misfits Capital. The round follows a breakout year for the company marked by rapid global adoption, marquee institutional partnerships, and multiple international recognitions. Rainmatter, which led StepOut’s seed round in late 2024, has doubled down on its conviction, backing StepOut’s mission to democratise elite-level football analytics and player development worldwide. Misfits Capital and Marwah Sports also joined the round following their participation in the company’s seed investment.
Investor Commentary
Commenting on the investment, Abhinav Singh Negi from the Rainmatter team said: “From the very beginning, we believed StepOut was solving a real and deeply under-served problem in grassroots and youth sports. Over the last year, the team has demonstrated strong execution, product depth, and clear global relevance. Their ability to combine cutting-edge technology with a deep understanding of the game truly sets them apart. We are excited to continue backing Jeet, Sayak, and the team as they scale StepOut globally.” Commenting on the round, Vikrant Varshney, Co-Founder & Managing Partner at SucSEED Innovation Fund, said: “What excites us most about StepOut is their vision to make world-class performance intelligence accessible to football clubs beyond the top one percent. They are uniquely positioned to democratise elite football intelligence while already demonstrating strong global traction and deep customer advocacy. StepOut is building a truly category-defining platform, and we are proud to partner with them in this next phase of growth.”
Company Background
Founded by Jeet Karmakar and Sayak Ghosh, college mates from NIT Durgapur, StepOut has steadily built global credibility within the football ecosystem by delivering intuitive, scalable performance intelligence tools designed for real-world football environments. Since its last fundraise, StepOut has: Analysed 25,000+ matches, tracked 150,000+ players, Achieved 3x year-on-year revenue growth, Maintained a 90% customer renewal rate. Today, the platform supports 120+ clubs, academies, and federations across 23 countries, enabling faster, more accurate, and data-driven decision-making across youth, semi-professional, and professional football.
A Landmark Year: Global Recognition in 2025
The year 2025 marked a defining chapter in StepOut’s journey. StepOut was selected as the winner of the Real Madrid Next Accelerator, recognising its impact in advancing football intelligence and performance optimisation. Earlier, the company also won the AFC Ajax Reimagine Football Innovation Challenge, further strengthening its credibility among elite football institutions. In the same year, StepOut: Won the KPMG Global Tech Innovator Competition – India, Represented India at the Global Finals at Web Summit Lisbon, Finished among the Top 3 startups globally, from over 2,500 companies across 21 countries, Was selected among the Top 20 startups in the UAE–India Startup Series, from over 10,000 applicants
Product Innovation and Platform Capabilities
Over the past year, StepOut has continued to expand its football intelligence platform with several key product innovations designed to support modern coaching, analysis, and player development workflows. These include SenseAI, StepOut’s proprietary AI agent; advanced telestration and video analysis tools; DataHub, its custom analytics dashboard; AI Highlights for automated player and match clips; and Player Feedback, enabling real-time communication between coaches and players. The platform also delivers advanced performance metrics such as xG, xA, PPDA, Field Tilt Percentage, and the Sense Impact Score, allowing clubs to translate data into actionable football insights.
Live Analysis and Matchday Intelligence
Beyond training and post-match analysis, StepOut has powered live match analysis and match-centre experiences across major tournaments. Competitions such as the Dream Sports Championship by Dream11 and elite tournaments including the IFA Shield have used StepOut to deliver broadcast-quality data, tactical insights, and real-time statistics directly from the pitch, bringing elite-level match intelligence to football grounds across India.
Strengthening Football Expertise
To deepen its football intelligence capabilities, StepOut has onboarded leading international figures as advisors and partners. These include Jaap Stam, former UEFA Champions League winner and Manchester United legend; Paulo Futre, Portuguese football icon and former Ballon d’Or runner-up; Jesse Perl, former Vice President of Major League Soccer; and Antonio Fernández Marchán, Head Analyst for Spain’s 2010 World Cup–winning national team. Their experience supports StepOut’s commitment to building technology grounded in football reality.
Global Partnerships and Pilots
StepOut currently partners with leading clubs and federations including AFC Ajax, Rayo Vallecano, Mjällby AIF, Maidenhead United FC, Al-Ula, Al-Ittifaq FC, Hong Kong FC, Football New South Wales, AEL Limassol, Apollon FC, Bengaluru FC, and the All India Football Federation. The company is also running pilot projects with elite clubs such as Real Madrid, Chelsea, Fulham, and RCD Espanyol, exploring deeper integrations of football intelligence at the highest levels of the game.
Use of Funds and What’s Next
The newly raised capital will be deployed to: Accelerate international expansion, Deepen investments in agentic AI and computer vision, Further enhance product depth and platform capabilities. While StepOut remains focused on youth and professional football, the company plans to expand into amateur football and additional sports, continuing its mission to democratise performance analysis and scouting across the global sporting ecosystem.