Staff Writer
Youth sports technology platform Athlete To Athlete has raised US$8 million in a Series A round, according to Ministry of Sport. Rally Ventures led the round, with Newbound VC, Scrum Ventures and UpHonest Capital also investing.
What the company does
Athlete To Athlete connects young athletes with current college athletes for one-on-one virtual mentorship. Families sign up for structured programmes lasting 12 or 24 weeks rather than one-off sessions.
The company was founded in 2023 by Anthony Waller and Zach Maisus, both former Division 1 athletes at UCLA. It is based in Santa Monica, California, and Waller is co-founder and CEO.
How big it has grown
In about three years, the platform has grown to work with athletes at more than 300 universities. It expects to deliver more than 100,000 mentorship sessions this year.
The company says more than 90 percent of parents it surveyed reported that their child's confidence had grown. That figure comes from the company and has not been independently checked.
Where the money is going
The company plans to use the new funding to:
- Expand partnerships with youth sports organisations.
- Strengthen digital child-protection protocols, which matter a lot on a platform that connects young people with adult mentors.
- Scale nationwide across the United States.
One of Rally Ventures' partners summed up the investment case: "Our focus is to develop these young athletes as people."
Why investors are interested
Most sports-tech funding goes to betting, media or performance analytics. Athlete To Athlete is a different kind of bet. It sells access to people: the experience and advice of athletes who are a few years ahead of the kids they mentor.
Its model has three strengths. First, the mentors already exist, since thousands of college athletes want flexible, meaningful work. Second, the programme format gives the company recurring revenue instead of one-off bookings. Third, families already spend heavily on youth sports, so there is a clear buyer.
The focus on child safety also stands out. Any platform that links minors with adults faces serious trust and safety obligations, and investors clearly see that as central to growth, not an afterthought.
What it could mean for Africa
Africa has no shortage of young talent, and it has a large pool of professionals, including players in domestic leagues and in the diaspora, who could guide the next generation. Structured virtual mentorship could help young players with training habits, education choices and the realities of trials and contracts, especially in places where good coaching is hard to find.
Any African version would need the same focus on safeguarding, clear vetting of mentors and pricing that works for local families.
What to watch next
- Whether Athlete To Athlete expands beyond the US.
- How the youth sports sector handles child-protection standards on digital platforms.
- Whether more investors back sports startups built around human expertise rather than data or content.
Sources: Ministry of Sport