by Verizon Ventures
Verizon Ventures is proud to announce a strategic investment in StatusPRO, a sports technology company developing a real-time player data driven training and gaming platform powered by virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR).
The limited in-person events throughout 2020 and 2021 accelerated an opportunity to innovate on developing immersive events for consumers. Virtual and augmented reality provide more integrated forms of entertainment for consumers, and new opportunities to support athletes throughout the training process. The virtual reality market alone was valued at $3.1 billion in 2019, and is expected to reach $57.55 billion by 2027.
StatusPRO has developed a platform that supports a suite of products that revolutionize sports for coaches, players, and fans.
With its recent close of a $5.2M round led by KB Partners, StatusPRO’s network of investors also includes Verizon Ventures, Greycroft and Titletown Tech.
The athletic edge
The StatusPRO founding team has decades of experience in tech, innovation and sports, both on and off the field. CEO Troy Jones, Jr. is a former college football player whose career in athletics was followed by roles in finance and VR. Chief Business Officer Andrew Hawkins is a former NFL player, and has worked for entertainment and sports companies.
Powered by data
StatusPRO’s VR and AR products use high-quality, real-time data to support athletes and fans. Pre-Game Prep uses real-time player data to help players simulate any game scenario. Pre-Game Prep is currently used by several NFL teams to train their pro players, using holographic experiences that allow players to simulate any practice or scenario without experiencing the physical impact involved with playing the game.
Similar to its Lamar Jackson’s Experience, StatusPRO has plans to create immersive experiences allowing gamers to play as their favorite athletes.
The future of entertainment
“Verizon Ventures is excited to partner with StatusPRO to continue innovating on player training, gaming and immersive live events. Backed by Verizon 5G, StatusPRO will power VR and AR-enabled live experiences at select stadiums and arcades: simulating catching a pass from other fans, playing against top NFL players and working with other innovative technologies.”
5G brings forward new opportunities for the immersive and dynamic ways we can experience sports and entertainment, both at home and on the field. We’re proud of our partnership with StatusPRO, and look forward to bringing their vision to life and showing just what 5G can do.
