Arkero Raises $6M Pre-Seed, Partners with MLS, NWSL, and EFL Clubs

New AI-driven operations platform aims to streamline workflows and improve decision-making for professional sports teams.

Jan. 30, 2026 at 2:55pm

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Arkero, a new AI-driven operations platform for professional sports organizations, has raised a $6 million pre-seed round and announced early partnerships with teams across Major League Soccer, the National Women's Soccer League, and England's Football League. The round was led by Game Changers Ventures, with participation from investors including Alexis Ohanian, David Tisch, and Seattle Sounders/Reign majority owner Adrian Hanauer. Arkero's platform centralizes operational data, workflows, and decisions to help teams plan and execute more efficiently.

Why it matters

The sports industry has historically been slow to adopt new technologies, but Arkero's early traction with high-profile teams suggests growing demand for AI-powered tools to streamline operations and gain a competitive edge. As teams face increasing pressure to maximize efficiency and performance, Arkero's platform could become a must-have solution for professional sports organizations.

The details

Arkero's platform integrates with existing tools like Slack, email, ticketing platforms, and data warehouses to automate planning, post-game insights, and operational workflows. Initial deployments are focused on AI-enabled matchday planning and season-ticket renewals, with the company projecting over 50% efficiency gains for early partners like the Seattle Sounders and Seattle Reign. Arkero is led by a team of experienced operators who previously worked at Remitly, and the company positions its product as built by those familiar with the constraints of sports business operations.

  • Arkero raised a $6 million pre-seed round in January 2026.

The players

Arkero

A new AI-driven operations platform for professional sports organizations.

Roger Ehrenberg

The lead investor from Game Changers Ventures who participated in Arkero's pre-seed round.

Alexis Ohanian

An investor in Arkero's pre-seed round through his firm 776.

David Tisch

An investor in Arkero's pre-seed round through his firm BoxGroup.

Adrian Hanauer

The majority owner of the Seattle Sounders and Seattle Reign, who participated as a strategic investor in Arkero's pre-seed round.

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What they’re saying

“I own a football club. I've sat in the meetings, lived the chaos, and felt the cost of running a business on Excel and email. The opportunity exists because this is broken from the inside.”

— Shivaas Gulati, CEO, Arkero (pulse2.com)

“On and off the pitch, our business is about constantly looking ahead to identify what we can do better and how we can use technology and the right partners to gain a competitive edge. Our investment in Arkero is aligned with this approach, accounting for not just where we are as an organization today, but where we need to be going forward.”

— Adrian Hanauer, Majority Owner, Sounders FC (pulse2.com)

“We made intentional decisions to prioritize how our teams could be optimized through AI. Partnering with Shivaas and the Arkero team allowed us to embed AI into our operating system rather than layering on software which has made the technology a durable part of our culture.”

— Hugh Weber, President and Chief Business Officer, Sounders FC (pulse2.com)

“We look for companies that have a clear grasp of where both sports and business are headed, near term and long term. While many are still debating how AI fits into real business solutions, Arkero is delivering tangible results. They've already demonstrated real impact with partners like the Sounders and the Reign, and we're proud to support them as they scale.”

— Roger Ehrenberg, Game Changers Ventures (pulse2.com)

“My biggest surprising launching Angel City FC was how devoid of tech the industry of sports was – all of my teams and my league are now supported by an operating system I've designed – but I know this isn't an option for every owner and Arkero is building the must-have software teams need. If you're hesitating to adopt AI, you're already falling behind.”

— Alexis Ohanian, 776 (pulse2.com)

What’s next

Arkero plans to use the $6 million in pre-seed funding to continue developing its AI-powered operations platform and expand partnerships with more professional sports teams across MLS, NWSL, and the EFL.

The takeaway

Arkero's early traction with high-profile sports teams demonstrates the growing demand for AI-driven tools to streamline operations and gain a competitive edge in the industry. As teams face increasing pressure to maximize efficiency and performance, Arkero's centralized platform could become a must-have solution for professional sports organizations looking to modernize their business operations.