Introducing Actionstreamer

We're delighted to be the lead investors in ActionStreamer, a patented, wearable technology platform with a mission to bring sports fans closer to the action than ever before. They've closed a $1.88M oversubscribed seed round on the shoulders of a strong founding team and patented technology. We are excited about what they do, and who they are.   (Left to right, they are Dhani Jones, Chris McLennan and Max Eisenberg)  

Sports fans, imagine being able to watch video in real time, live streamed off of the athletes as they play the game.  Former NFL linebacker Dhani Jones did.

“While playing college and professional football, I always wanted fans to experience the exhilaration and intensity of the game from my perspective, to share in my biggest moments with me,” said Jones, a co-founder of ActionStreamer.

He put that challenge to inventor and entrepreneur Chris McLennan, a man we know well.  CincyTech led the investment into Chris's first company, cloud replication and data delivery startup Ilesfay in 2012.  It was acquired in 2014, giving Chris the opportunity to invent new things and co-found a new company to grow in Southwest Ohio.

ActionStreamer pairs patented software and networking technology with ultra-lightweight hardware to deliver an engaging new source of content to live sports coverage: POV video from inside-the-game. The wireless system streams high-definition (HD) video from a miniature camera and other custom components embedded into a wearable outfit, such as a player’s helmet or referee’s hat, in congested, bandwidth-constrained environments like crowded stadiums. “It’s a relatively simple thing to mount a camera to a helmet. The primary technical hurdle lies in transmitting data in real-time, in a crowded setting, with hardware that is virtually unnoticeable, even to the person wearing it,” said McLennan.

McLennan recruited Max Eisenberg, who led business development at Ilesfay, to form the founding trio, and returned to CincyTech for seed capital.

“Dhani's vision for changing the fan experience combined with Chris's technical creativity make ActionStreamer the company to watch in the sports & entertainment marketplace,” said Mike Venerable, president of CincyTech. “It’s great to work with two experienced founders and to see Max, one of our first Venture For America (VFA) fellows, take a leadership role in the company. We couldn't have scripted a better story for a startup.”

ActionStreamer recently debuted its technology in a partnership with former America Online (AOL) senior executive Ted Leonsis’s Monumental Sports & Entertainment. Monumental owns the Washington Wizards (NBA), Washington Capitals (NHL), Washington Mystics (WNBA), Washington Valor (AFL), Baltimore Brigade (AFL), and Verizon Center in Washington D.C. Over the last two months, live coverage of Valor and Brigade games have included

POV footage powered by ActionStreamer’s proprietary technology and custom-built HatCams, which are being worn by coaches and referees. “ActionStreamer’s innovative HatCams elevate our broadcast to another level, allowing fans to get closer than we've ever brought them before,” said Zach Leonsis, Vice President & General Manager of Monumental Sports Network. “Reliable, easy to integrate—and most of all, fun—the HatCams are a joy to share with fans of all ages.”

Given Jones’s background, ActionStreamer is rooted in football, but the platform is versatile, and the company is working on innovative integrations with strategic partners across a variety of sports, including baseball, hockey, and golf.