KhiladiPro Levels Up: Sports-Tech Rookie Nets $1 Mn in Pre-Seed Victory

Bengaluru-based sports-tech startup KhiladiPro (KPro) has successfully raised $1 million in a pre-seed funding round, co-led by Shastra VC and MGA Ventures. This round also saw significant contributions from family offices and angel investors like M Pallonji, Jeena & Co., Ayaz Billawala, Nimesh Kampani, and Jaimin Bhat. The new funds will help KhiladiPro enhance its proprietary AI models, broaden its presence in Indian schools and academies, and bolster support systems for young athletes across the country.

 

Founded in August 2023 by Utkarsh Yadav, KhiladiPro is at the forefront of creating a Visual AI-driven platform that makes expert-level sports assessment and talent development accessible to everyone. Its standout offerings—the KPro Sports Ability Test (SAT) and Khiladi Ability Index (KAI)—provide mobile-based, standardized evaluations for badminton and cricket, allowing all users to be rated on a common scale. The KAI utilizes global frameworks like Fundamental Motor Skills (FMS) and Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD), which help in spotting athletic potential early on and crafting personalized growth paths for kids.

 

KhiladiPro has already developed over 56 in-house AI models and established partnerships with organizations such as the Karnataka Badminton Association, Handball Association of India, and DLCL. These collaborations are expanding its technology to more schools and training centers, ensuring that access is inclusive, no matter the socio-economic background.

 

With India’s sports-tech market expected to hit $1.48 billion by 2033, KhiladiPro is set to take the lead in digitally empowering the next generation of athletes, making talent discovery and development more accessible, data-driven, and impactful than ever before.

 

Source: Entrackr, Business Outreach, Indian Startup News