Kerala-based sports technology startup Dartle has raised $100,000 in a seed funding round led by Inflection Point Ventures (IPV). The fresh capital will support the company’s efforts to strengthen its market presence, enhance product capabilities, and accelerate international expansion, particularly in the United States.
The funding marks an important step for Dartle as it continues to build technology solutions tailored for youth sports organizations and football academies. The startup plans to use the investment to expand its go-to-market initiatives, deepen partner relationships, strengthen artificial intelligence integrations, and scale operations in key overseas markets.
Building Digital Infrastructure for Sports Academies
Founded by Nihal Pradeep, Swathi Krishnan, and Nagaraj R Potti, Dartle operates a vertical B2B SaaS platform designed specifically for youth sports academies and football training centers.
The platform provides a unified system that helps sports organizations manage various aspects of their operations. These include scheduling, academy administration, player performance analytics, and parent engagement. By consolidating multiple functions into a single platform, Dartle aims to simplify management processes and improve operational efficiency for sports institutions.
As youth sports organizations increasingly adopt digital tools to streamline operations and track athlete development, platforms like Dartle are becoming an integral part of academy management systems.
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Expanding Presence Across Multiple Markets
Dartle has steadily expanded its reach beyond India and now serves 14 academies across India, the Middle East, Nepal, and the United States. The company has also established an early presence in the American market, where it is currently running eight paid pilot programs.
The startup’s focus on the US market reflects the growing demand for technology-driven solutions in youth sports management. Through these pilot engagements, Dartle is working to validate its product offering and build long-term relationships with academies and sports organizations.
The company believes that international expansion will play a significant role in its next phase of growth, with the United States emerging as one of its primary target markets.
Product Growth and Commercial Momentum
According to the company, Dartle recently secured a $60,000 MLS Next sponsorship, providing additional momentum as it scales its operations. The startup also reported a significant increase in its average contract value, which has grown from $15,000 to $33,000.
The company attributes this growth to increasing adoption of its platform and rising demand for integrated sports management solutions. By focusing on operational efficiency and data-driven decision-making, Dartle aims to create measurable value for sports academies and training organizations.
Dartle states that its platform can reduce administrative workloads by up to 75 percent. The company also highlights its athlete engagement and performance-tracking tools, which are designed to help academies improve retention through better communication and data-backed insights.
Ambitious Targets for the Year Ahead
Looking ahead, Dartle has set ambitious growth goals for the coming year. The startup aims to onboard more than 100 sports academies worldwide while expanding its footprint across existing and new markets.
In parallel, the company is targeting annual recurring revenue (ARR) of nearly $1 million as it continues to strengthen its commercial operations and customer base.
The latest funding is expected to support these objectives by enabling further product development, market expansion, and partner engagement efforts.
Backed by Startup Ecosystem Support
Beyond investor backing, Dartle has received support from the startup ecosystem through its association with Upekkha, a startup accelerator that works with early-stage technology ventures. The company has also been recognized by NSRCEL at Indian Institute of Management Bangalore.
With fresh funding in place and an expanding international presence, Dartle is positioning itself to strengthen its role in the growing sports technology sector, helping youth sports academies manage operations and athlete development through a unified digital platform.
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