Automated highlights startup WSC Sports is expanding its ambitions after raising a $100M Series D round.
The Tel Aviv-founded company currently helps 200 clients around the world—including the NBA, ESPN and YouTube TV—generate game recap videos and shorter clips using software that automatically identifies exciting action. WSC’s tech was used to create 3.4 million highlights in 2021. With the new funding, WSC plans to add 150 employees this year in Israel as well as New York, Sydney and London.
ION Crossover Partners (ICP) led the round, which included participation from Intel Capital and Dan Gilbert’s Detroit Venture Partners. The Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia 76ers ownership groups are also represented among WSC’s investors. ICP has helped tech startups including Fiverr, monday.com and Taboola go public.
“They have experience taking companies from the stage that we are at to the next level, to the hundreds of millions in revenue,” WSC CEO Daniel Shichman said.
WSC started as a video tool for scouts (with the acronym standing for “World Scouting Center”) before pivoting to serving media publishers roughly a decade ago. Its tech allowed partners to produce more videos to feed digital beasts, and also tailor highlights for specific fanbases (like a Giannis Antetokounmpo-heavy game reel for Greek fans). The software currently supports 20 sports, including two recent additions: skiing and horse racing.
In recent years the firm has helped sports adjust to this era of shortform supremacy. Apps using WSC’s software can push single-play clips to users or stitch updates together in the ever-popular “stories” format.
“With new consumption habits moving at a rapid pace, short-form video has become a key component in user acquisition, retention, and monetization,” Shichman said.
