StepOut, an AI-powered sports performance technology and football intelligence startup, has raised $1.5 million in a Pre-Series A funding round, led by Rainmatter by Zerodha, with participation from SucSEED Innovation Fund and Misfits Capital. The round follows a breakout year for the company marked by rapid global adoption, marquee institutional partnerships, and multiple international recognitions.
Rainmatter, which led StepOut’s seed round in late 2024, has doubled down on its conviction, backing the company’s mission to democratise elite-level football analytics and player development worldwide. Misfits Capital and Marwah Sports also joined this round of investment following their initial participation in the seed round.
Commenting on the investment, Abhinav Singh Negi from the Rainmatter team said:
“From the very beginning, we believed StepOut was solving a real and deeply under-served problem in grassroots and youth sports. Over the last year, the team has demonstrated strong execution, product depth, and clear global relevance. Their ability to combine cutting-edge technology with a deep understanding of the game truly sets them apart. We are excited to continue backing Jeet, Sayak, and the team as they scale StepOut globally.”
Founded by college mates Jeet Karmakar and Sayak Ghosh, who bonded over a shared passion for sports and technology during their engineering days at NIT Durgapur, StepOut has steadily built global credibility within the football ecosystem.
Since its last fundraise, StepOut has analysed over 25,000 matches, tracked more than 150,000 players, and achieved 3x YoY revenue growth with a 90% customer renewal rate. The platform today serves over 120 clubs, academies, and federations across 23 countries, enabling faster, more accurate, and data-driven decisions across youth, semi-professional, and professional football. On a mission to revolutionise player development globally, StepOut works with organisations ranging from LaLiga clubs to grassroots youth academies, making elite performance intelligence accessible across the global football pyramid.
2025 marked a landmark year for the company. StepOut was selected as the winner of the Real Madrid Next Accelerator, recognising its impact in advancing football intelligence and performance optimisation. This, alongside a previous award from AFC Ajax as the winners of the Reimagine Football Innovation Challenge, has allowed StepOut to gain rapid global recognition and trust.
The company also won the KPMG Global Tech Innovator Competition – India, representing the country at the Global Finals at Web Summit Lisbon, where they finished among the Top 3 startups globally out of 2,500 companies from 21 countries. Additionally, StepOut was selected among the Top 20 startups in the UAE–India Startup Series, from over 10,000 applicants.
Over the past year, StepOut has introduced several major product innovations, including SenseAI, its proprietary AI agent; Telestration, an advanced video analysis suite; DataHub, custom analytics dashboards; AI Highlights for automated player and match clips; and Player Feedback, which enables real-time coach–player communication. The platform also delivers advanced performance metrics such as xG, xA, PPDA, Field Tilt Percentage, and the Sense Impact Score.
StepOut further launched live analysis and match centre experiences across tournaments such as the Dream Sports Championship by Dream 11, as well as elite competitions like the IFA Shield, bringing Premier League–level data, insights, and broadcast-quality statistics to football grounds across India.
Beyond product innovation, StepOut has strengthened its global football expertise by onboarding leading international figures as advisors and partners. These include Jaap Stam, former UEFA Champions League winner and Manchester United legend; Paulo Futre, Portuguese football icon and former Ballon d’Or runner-up; Jesse Perl, former Vice President of Major League Soccer; and Antonio Fernández Marchán, Head Analyst for Spain’s 2010 World Cup–winning national team.
StepOut currently partners with leading clubs and federations, including AFC Ajax, Rayo Vallecano, Mjällby AIF, Maidenhead United FC, Al-Ula, Al-Ittifaq FC, Hong Kong FC, Football New South Wales, AEL Limassol, Apollon FC, Bengaluru FC, and the All India Football Federation. The company is also running pilot projects with elite clubs such as Real Madrid, Chelsea, Fulham, and RCD Espanyol, among others.
The newly raised capital will be deployed to accelerate international expansion, deepen investments in agentic AI and computer vision, and further enhance product capabilities. While StepOut is currently focused on youth and professional football, the company plans to expand into amateur football and additional sports, continuing its mission to democratise performance analysis and scouting across the global sporting ecosystem.
Speaking on the investment, Vikrant Varshney, Co-Founder & Managing Partner of SucSEED Indovation Fund said,
“What excites us most about StepOut is their vision to make world-class performance intelligence accessible to football clubs beyond the top 1%. They are uniquely positioned to democratise elite football intelligence, while already demonstrating strong global traction and deep customer advocacy. Jeet, Sayak, and the team have shown exceptional execution capability and credibility within the global football ecosystem. StepOut is building a truly category-defining platform with the potential to scale globally, and we are proud to partner with them in this next phase of growth.”
