A game-changer in sports data management

In an exclusive interview with Bizz Buzz, Megha Gambhir, CEO and Co-Founder of Stupa Sports Analytics, sheds light on how her company is transforming sports data management and analytics. Stupa leverages cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digitisation for data extraction and broadcasting, propelling the sports world towards a data-driven future. With partnerships across 15 international federations, Stupa bridges the gap between traditional sports management and modern advancements, offering innovative solutions powered by disruptive AI technology

How has Stupa evolved over the years?

Even before Stupa was established in 2020, Megha Gambhir, began addressing the problem statement faced by her husband and coach of the Indian national table tennis team, Deepak Malik - how to leverage technology to improve the performance of his players. While on a career break in 2018, Megha leveraged her deep expertise and over 15 years of experience in technology, along with Deepak’s coaching expertise to develop a player performance tool. During this journey, Megha and Deepak realized that a lot of sports were struggling with this problem statement, not just at the player level, but even at the administrative level, where they were looking to grow the way cricket, soccer or basketball have evolved. They realized that the road to commercialization for a sport begins with having the data in place - not just performance data, but also first-level data for federations and clubs to manage tournaments and player memberships.

Thus, what began with a vision of empowering athletes by addressing player performance challenges using tech underwent a significant pivot in 2021-22, when co-founders Megha and Deepak had to reevaluate the strategy and business model for Stupa, recognizing that the consumer market they initially targeted might not offer the desired scalability. During this period, their engagement with various federations provided valuable insights into the gaps in their processes and the challenges they faced. This led Stupa to pivot towards a B2B model, with federations, leagues, tournaments, and event organizers as its primary clientele. Today, Stupa transcends its origins, offering a comprehensive solution for sports organizations through a centralized platform. Having developed multi-sports capabilities, Stupa leverages the latest AI technology and creativity to elevate fan engagement, creating immersive and personalized experiences. Stupa’s vision is to seamlessly blend technology with sports, offering a dynamic and interactive platform that captivates audiences globally.

What are the many verticals for Stupa Sports Analytics, the sports technology company?

Stupa’s primary offerings include Stupa Events, an end-to-end digital sports management platform for organizers, and Stupa Cast, an AI-driven broadcast solution for rights-holders.

Stupa Events is a 360-degree SaaS-based management tool that seamlessly integrates tournament management and live streaming, offering a comprehensive solution for organizers. The web-based platform simplifies and enhances the administrative and management processes for sports organizations, ensuring seamless operations and elevated experiences.

Stupa Events offers features such as tournament/league creation, fixture management, player registration management, online payment collection, results and rankings, integrated live-streaming, and Over-The-Top (OTT) services. Stupa offers state-of-the-art solutions through its white-labeled OTT platforms and AI-driven features, empowering sports organizations to deliver immersive content that enhances fan engagement and enriches the viewing experience. By integrating real-time statistics, interactive features, and personalized content streams, Stupa's solutions enable rights-holders to captivate viewers and cultivate a loyal fan base.

Moreover, Stupa’s OTT solutions support organizations as well as players in their journey through AI-driven features to easily package full-match footage into customizable highlights and key moments. Social media integration enhances player-audience connectivity, creating new avenues for monetization such as memberships, ad revenue, and sponsorships. Overall, Stupa’s OTT solution empowers sports federations while enhancing the fan and player experience at the same time.

Revolutionizing sports broadcasts, Stupa Cast provides real-time data extraction, enriching the experience of live audiences. Driven by AI, Stupa Cast offers engaging and informative content in live broadcasts that enhance the viewer's enjoyment and understanding of the game. This data and content can also be seamlessly integrated into websites and packaged into attractive solutions for social media.

Who is your target audience?

Currently, Stupa is targeting professional leagues, federations, clubs, broadcasters, and sports event organizers in the regions of India, Europe, USA, UK, Australia, and the Middle East, which are facing operational difficulties due to the lack of a centralized digital management platform, and intend to unlock potential revenue streams by expanding their reach and content to wider audiences, thus strengthening their connections with their fans. With continuous enhancements and developments to its product offerings, Stupa has developed multi-sport capabilities and is placing a special focus on table tennis, padel, pickleball, and badminton for its AI-based offerings.

Can you define the artificial intelligence deployed in your field with examples?

At the core of our implementation of AI is a real-time object-tracking technology that meticulously captures the movement of the ball and players in real time during live matches or from recorded footage. This data is then used to generate valuable statistics such as ball speeds, elbow angles at the time of striking the ball, forehand success rates, etc. This data can be used to empower athletes and coaches with actionable insights, personalized training programs, and performance optimization tools.

However, our product isn't just beneficial for players; it also enhances the viewing experience for fans. Imagine watching a thrilling badminton match, where every shot, every movement, and every strategy is brought to life through AI. Our technology precisely tracks the ball, the players, and their rackets, capturing data on shots, trajectory, and player positioning. This information is then transformed into captivating engaging stats, allowing viewers to analyze each shot, understand player tactics, and appreciate the sheer skill and precision involved in the game. By incorporating captivating graphics and compelling storytelling into broadcasts using visual representations such as charts, graphs, and animations, we make watching matches more engaging and enjoyable using real-time data. Additionally, our technology automatically generates highlight reels tailored for social media platforms, increasing the visibility of players and their achievements, while also increasing the social media engagement for federations and enhancing their brand value. Stupa has successfully deployed its AI-based broadcast solutions in global events such as the European Table Tennis Championships 2023 in Malmo, Sweden, WTT Singapore Smash 2023, and Season 4 of Ultimate Table Tennis, India.

How are you networked in India?

Additionally, Stupa also offers event operations services, involving the management and execution of various operational tasks related to organizing sports events. Stupa has partnered with ‘Sports For All’ in India for end-to-end event execution of 4 sporting disciplines in all venues across India.

What are the future plans for the company?

Furthermore, we are currently developing AI-based DIY camera solutions that are designed to make courts smarter and enhance the playing experience for amateur players. By capturing data on player movements, shot placements, and game dynamics, these solutions provide invaluable insights that can help amateur athletes refine their skills and compare their data with their friends.

We are also exploring the possibilities of virtual reality technology. This allows players to immerse themselves in training experiences where they can simulate playing against top-ranked opponents. By practicing in these virtual environments, players can refine their skills and adapt to different playing styles more effectively.

In the coming years, we plan to maximize the revenue potential for our clients by unlocking new revenue streams through monetization of media and data rights. We also intend to dive deeper into the B2B2C market by directly offering value-added services to the stakeholders of our clients, viz., players, coaches, and fans.