Liveheats secures AUD $1.3m to boost global sports platform

Liveheats has secured AUD $1.3 million in seed funding as it seeks to expand the use of its digital scoring platform for action sports around the world.

The recent funding round saw participation from several prominent investors including Ben Richardson, co-founder of Campaign Monitor, Robert Bell, former CEO of 86 400, Belinda Hogan, previously Chief Financial Officer of 86 400, and Trevor Folsom, co-founder of Investible and early investor in Canva and Car Next Door.

World champion surfer Joel Parkinson has also invested in the company as part of his ongoing support for developing emerging sports talent. Parkinson's involvement aligns with his efforts in nurturing the next generation of athletes, including founding his own junior pro event and contributing to Snapper Rocks Boardriders Club's national title win.

Discussing the benefits of the platform, Parkinson said: "Liveheats allows young competitors to track every result, every stat - it's a game-changer. This platform is an incredibly valuable tool to support today's up and coming talent, driving performance improvement through data - I wish I had access to this innovative technology when I was competing."

Co-founded in 2016 by Chris Friend and Fernando Freire, Liveheats originated as a tool designed to manage surf competitions at their local boardriders club. The company has since evolved to provide event management solutions for a wide range of action sports in over 60 countries.

Chris Friend, Co-founder of Liveheats, outlined the company's growth, stating: "What started as a tool to streamline surf comps at our local boardriders club has become a platform powering thousands of action sports events globally."

Commenting on the impact of the recent funding, Friend added: "This funding round allows us to take the next step and build a seamless, data-rich competition experience for the sports we love. From live scores and performance analytics to integrated media, our motivation is to give the next generation of athletes the pro-level experience they deserve, while making it easier for organisers to plan, promote and run better events."

Liveheats' platform manages live scoring, heat draws, athlete registration, and rankings for competitions ranging from local clubs to international federations. The system eliminates reliance on paper-based methods and manual spreadsheets by providing mobile-first tools that are accessible in a variety of settings, from beaches to skateparks and mountain locations. Judging can be completed on mobile devices, which the company suggests enhances usability in both remote and professional venues. For competitors, the platform archives information on every event, round, heat, and score, now also including photos, to deliver performance analytics and feedback.

Since its foundation, Liveheats has become the technology partner for established organisations such as USA Surfing, Surfing NZ, The Freeride World Tour, USASA, Skateboard GB, Commission Skateboard France, and Surf Life Saving bodies in Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. According to the company, more than 131,000 athletes have used the platform during over 4,000 events in the last year, with upwards of 2 million scores recorded through the system.

With the recent investment, Liveheats has indicated ambitions to accelerate global expansion and product development, aiming to increase annual revenue to AUD $10 million by 2028. The company previously reached AUD $2 million in cumulative revenue in 2023.