This Amsterdam startup lets you turn your football expertise into money-making opportunities; bags funds from Antler

Amsterdam-based StocksFC, a blockchain-based stock exchange of football players founded in 2022, announced its launch on Wednesday and a pre-seed investment from Antler.

StocksFC aims to give fans an opportunity to monetise their knowledge and passion for football.

Through the platform, football fans can purchase stocks of their favourite players and benefit from real-life performances. 

“We are on a mission to enable fans to leverage their passion and sports knowledge so they can invest in sports athletes”, says StocksFC’s Co-founder and CEO Kartikeya Sharma. 

“We founded StocksFC to create an inclusive and transparent sports investment platform. Our platform allows fans to engage with sport in a more meaningful way,” adds Sharma.

Investment from Antler

In addition to its launch, the Amsterdam-based company also received its first investment from Antler to fuel its growth and development. 

StocksFC says the funding will enable it to expand its platform and increase user base. This will offer even more opportunities for fans to participate in football.

StocksFC: Stock exchange of football players

Founded by Alex Thomas and Kartikeya Sharma in 2022, StocksFC is a blockchain-based stock exchange of football players. 

The platform allows fans and investors to purchase shares in professional football players and benefit from their performance. 

After conducting a comprehensive beta test last year, the Amsterdam startup achieved remarkable results with over 15,000 user trades recorded. 

The test provided insights into the correlation between player performance and user activity on the platform. 

As per the company, users demonstrated a keen interest in purchasing players who excelled in-game, such as those who scored goals. 

The beta test has been a success, attracting hundreds of paying users, claims the company.

Building on this achievement, StocksFC has plans to introduce over 50 new players to its platform in the next three months. These players include renowned names like Erling Haaland, Bukayo Saka, and Mohamed Salah.

The Amsterdam startup leverages web3 technology to offer a secure and transparent platform for buying and selling player stocks. 

As a result, the platform offers a range of benefits, including faster and more efficient trades, reduced transaction fees, and increased liquidity. 

The platform’s live rankings page shows users how players in their portfolio perform in real time.

StocksFC’s CTO Alex Thomas explains, “Our commitment to transparency laid the foundation for a blockchain-based stock exchange. Our platform is designed with security, transparency, and efficiency in mind, allowing for seamless trades and real-time player performance tracking.”

The investor

Antler is an early-stage venture capital firm that wants to create thousands of companies that solve ‘real’ problems.

Antler partners with people across six continents and in 25 cities to launch and scale high-potential startups that address meaningful opportunities and challenges.

Antler has invested in and helped build over 600 companies across a wide range of industries and technologies. It plans to back more than 6,000 by 2030.

“We are thrilled to partner with StocksFC and support their innovative sports investment approach. The use of a transparent trading platform allows for a new level of accessibility and liquidity for users who are already talking about football daily with their friends.”

“We look forward to working with the StocksFC team, and contributing to their continued growth and success in the exciting world of football”, says Youri Doeleman, Partner at Antler.”