Aiko, a Singapore-based real-time intelligence layer for sports, announced Wednesday it has raised $1.5 million in pre-seed funding from a consortium of private investors.
Aiko said in a statement that the seed round will be used to accelerate product development, expand commercial deployments, and support international growth as Aiko works with broadcasters looking to reimagine how audiences experience live sports.
Headquartered in Singapore with a subsidiary in London, Aiko’s product powers deeper engagement, retention, and content quality for Sports & Interactive Entertainment businesses.
The funding comes as the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup 2026 showcases the growing appetite for real-time, contextual sports experiences.
With 32 clubs competing across global time zones, the tournament underscores the challenge the industry faces: helping audiences make sense of fast-moving, high-stakes live action while delivering compelling multi-screen experiences.
Aiko is supported by strategic technology partnerships with Microsoft, AMD, and Verizon Business, which have played a key role in shaping the product’s enterprise-grade architecture and real-time performance capabilities.
“Live sports move too fast for raw data to be meaningful on its own. What the industry needs is intelligence that interprets
what’s happening right now and presents it in a way that feels relevant, timely, and personal,
“That’s the layer we’ve built: one that helps viewers stay engaged in the moment while giving fans, commentators and analysts the insights they need exactly when they need them,” said Vaibhav “Vebz” Panchal, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Aiko.
Panchal brings more than two decades of global technology leadership to Aiko.
Previously, at Microsoft, he led sports, gaming, media, and entertainment initiatives across global and Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) markets, building enterprise products adopted at scale and closing multi-billion-dollar strategic partnerships.
Under Panchal’s leadership, Aiko has developed a sports intelligence layer that embeds directly into sports environments, transforming licensed live sports statistics feeds into
personalized, contextual insights delivered alongside live coverage.
Aiko enables intelligent content automation, generating context-rich match narratives, personalized highlight reels, and moment explanations in real time.
Commentators and analysts can access an instant research companion that provides immediate answers to player, match, form, and performance queries.
The platform also supports multilingual delivery, enabling broadcasters to reach global audiences with consistent quality and tone.
“Real-time sports experiences increasingly depend on low-latency delivery and data-driven personalization at scale. During my time leading emerging and creative technologies at Verizon, Aiko consistently stood out as a product aligned with where immersive media and fan engagement are heading,
“It demonstrated how advanced connectivity and live intelligence can unlock entirely new digital experiences,” said ErinRose Widner, former Global Head of Business Strategy, Emerging and Creative Technologies, Media & Entertainment at Verizon.
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