Ireland has a long and proud sporting tradition. From the passion of GAA to the grit of rugby, sport is woven into the fabric of Irish life. But in recent years, a new kind of Irish success story has emerged. It is not on the pitch or the track. It is in the lab, the data centre, and the startup.
Ireland is now a global hub for sports technology. The country ranks first in Europe for sports tech venture capital investment on a per-capita basis . Homegrown companies are working with the biggest names in global sport: the NFL, NBA, Premier League, and Formula 1 . These startups are not just selling products. They are changing how athletes train, recover, and perform.
This article looks at how Irish sports tech companies are helping the world’s best athletes and teams gain a winning edge.
The Rise of Ireland’s Sports Tech Sector
Ireland is home to 93 venture capital-backed sports tech companies, including 40 homegrown global innovators . Since 2014, these companies have raised over €224 million in VC funding across 181 transactions . The sector has shown strong growth, with deal counts increasing by 50% in 2023 and a further 47% in 2024, even as European VC activity declined .
Enterprise Ireland has been a central force in this growth. Since 2024, the agency has led the region in sports tech deal activity with 19 investments—more than triple the number of the next most active investor . Across its portfolio, there are 89 active or pending patents covering areas like wearable devices, augmented reality, and diagnostic equipment .
Keith Brock, Senior Client Advisor for Enterprise Solutions at Enterprise Ireland, puts it simply: “The Irish sports tech industry has expanded rapidly over the past ten years, both in terms of the number of companies, but also in the level of investment they have attracted and the impact they are achieving internationally working with global sports leagues” .
Orreco: Using Blood Data to Keep Athletes at Their Peak
Galway-based Orreco is a global leader in bio-analytics for professional athletes. The company combines sports science, data analytics, and AI to help athletes optimise performance, accelerate recovery, and extend their careers .
Using a simple blood test, Orreco’s platform aggregates multiple data sources to provide real-time insights based on biomarkers . It also analyses an athlete’s training and travel schedules to provide a complete picture of how their body is functioning .
The results speak for themselves. Orreco works with teams and athletes across the Premier League, NBA, NHL, WNBA, PGA Tour, and Formula 1 . In late 2025, the company raised $4 million in fresh funding from a group that included billionaire investor Mark Cuban, professional athletes, and Enterprise Ireland . Cuban called the technology “the first proactive approach to use AI to help reduce injury risk” and said “it’s great today and only going to get better” .
The funding will support 55 new roles globally, with 30 positions in Galway . It also allowed Orreco to acquire Data Driven Sports Analytics (DDSA), an Australian AI computer vision specialist whose clients include world number one tennis player Aryna Sabalenka .
Kitman Labs: The Operating System for Elite Sport
Kitman Labs is another Irish success story. The company provides a sports analytics platform used by teams in the NFL, NBA, NHL, Premier League, AFL, and NRL . Its Intelligence Platform is described as an advanced operating system for performance, health, and talent development .
The platform unifies data across medical, performance, coaching, and operational domains. It uses AI to deliver evidence-based insights that help leagues, federations, and elite organisations connect data, streamline workflows, and optimise athlete availability and development .
Kitman Labs is used by more than 2,000 organisations in 26+ countries, including the NFL, Premier League, MLS, WSL, NWSL, RFU, and IRFU . The company has raised €71.1 million in VC funding, making it one of the best-funded sports tech companies in Europe .
Output Sports: Bringing Lab-Grade Testing to Smartphones
Output Sports allows athletes and teams to test and track performance using laboratory-grade accuracy from a smartphone . The system uses a single sensor to test and track a player’s performance profile, as well as their strength training and rehabilitation .
The data is then visualised and reported through Output Hub, which helps coaches identify injury risk and highlight strength points in athletes . The company supports over 1,400 customers across all major sporting leagues including the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, MLS, and WNBA . It raised €4.5 million in 2025 and counts the All Blacks and New Zealand Warriors among its customers .
Fan Engagement and New Frontiers
Irish sports tech is not limited to athlete performance. Dublin-based Imvizar is using augmented reality to create spatial storytelling experiences for fans . As CEO Michael Guerin explains: “Picture looking around in Aviva Stadium and see the old Lansdowne Road in all its former glory and feel that sentimental connection to the special times that have gone before” .
Other companies are making sport safer. Sports Impact Technologies, based in Dublin, is developing a wearable sensor to detect head impacts in real time . The compact device, worn behind the ear, transmits alerts instantly to coaches and medical staff via a mobile app. It has already raised €650,000 in pre-seed funding and aims to eliminate undetected concussions in sports like rugby, soccer, and American football .
The Future of Irish Sports Tech
Ireland’s sports tech sector continues to grow. A new Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Analytics, Technology and Innovation at TU Dublin is helping address a critical skills gap . The programme was co-designed with industry partners including SportsTech Ireland and Technology Ireland Digital Skillnet .
With strong government support, a growing talent pool, and proven success in global markets, Irish sports tech companies are well-positioned to keep helping the world’s best athletes and teams win. As Enterprise Ireland’s Keith Brock notes, the sector is “redefining how athletes, teams and audiences interact” .