Company: Laces Sports
Founder: Kamini Manivannan
Website: https://lacessports.com
About Laces Sports
Laces began in early 2025 with a simple but powerful idea. Sports are one of the largest cultural forces in the world, yet millions of women and casual fans feel excluded from traditional sports media and fantasy sports platforms. Most existing fantasy products assume deep knowledge of statistics, rules, and strategy. Laces was created to make sports more accessible, educational, and engaging for beginners while still being entertaining for experienced fans.
The company was founded by Kamini after years of working in sports analytics and fan engagement at the NFL, Brooklyn Nets, and USTA. She saw firsthand that many people were curious about sports but intimidated by the complexity of existing platforms. Laces was designed to remove that barrier. The goal was to build a product that teaches sports in a simple and interactive way while allowing users to participate in fantasy games and social experiences with friends.
One of the first milestones for Laces was the creation of an early prototype in the form of a Chrome extension. This tool used artificial intelligence to analyze a users fantasy roster and provide simple explanations of player performance, team context, and strategy. The prototype demonstrated how AI could act as a guide for beginners by translating complex sports data into clear insights.
Building the first version of Laces came with several challenges. The biggest challenge was simplifying sports information without losing the depth that makes sports interesting. Fantasy sports platforms traditionally rely on dense statistics and interfaces designed for experienced players. The team spent significant time designing an experience that a fourteen year old beginner could understand while still delivering meaningful insights.
Another challenge was building credibility in a sports technology ecosystem that has historically focused on experienced male fans. Laces addressed this by building a community first. Through panels, podcasts, newsletters, and industry conversations, the company began building a network of women who are curious about sports and want to learn in a welcoming environment. This community helped validate the need for a product designed for beginners.
The impact of Laces on the SportsTech industry is emerging in three key ways. First, it reframes fantasy sports as a learning platform rather than just a competition. Second, it demonstrates how artificial intelligence can act as a sports tutor that explains rules, strategy, and player performance in real time.
Third, it highlights the enormous opportunity to serve female fans and casual viewers who have historically been overlooked by traditional sports products. Today Laces continues to build toward a larger vision. The platform aims to become a one stop destination where new fans can learn sports fundamentals, follow athletes, and play fantasy games in a supportive environment. By combining education, social interaction, and intelligent guidance, Laces is helping open the world of sports to a much broader audience.
