Courtside Ventures
Courtside Ventures is a New York-based venture capital firm founded in 2015 that concentrates on early-stage investments in startups operating at the crossroads of sports, technology, media, lifestyle, and gaming. The firm emphasizes partnerships with management, leveraging its industry networks and domain expertise to provide ongoing strategic support across operations, product, and growth. It targets companies in sports, lifestyle, esports, gaming, media, and related information technology and TMT sectors, and positions itself as a professional partner for founders seeking long-term value beyond capital. The firm operates as a registered investment adviser.
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Past deals in Central Africa
Smile ID (formerly Smile Identity)
Series B in 2023
Smile Identity Inc. is a technology company based in San Francisco, California, that focuses on identity verification solutions. Founded in 2016, the company has developed an application called SmartSelfie, which allows users to create a universal biometric for authentication on Android devices. The team comprises engineers and financial services professionals from both the United States and Africa, bringing expertise in global markets with a focus on highly regulated environments. Smile Identity has developed advanced encryption, authentication, and security solutions, as well as image processing technology. The company has experience working with telecoms, lenders, banks, and startups, enabling them to understand the unique challenges faced by consumers and enterprises in Africa. With support from prominent investors in Silicon Valley and Africa, Smile Identity has established a pan-African presence, operating in countries such as South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and Rwanda.
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