Meet The Cohort
Colata
Colata
As part of our AI Venture Forge “Meet the Cohort” series, we’re thrilled to feature one of the most forward-thinking startups transforming how industries interact with data: Colata. They’re not just processing information – they’re redefining how sports organisations turn raw data into strategic advantage, with an AI-first approach to performance and intelligence.
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Company | Sports Tech AI
What inspired you to apply AI to the sports sector with Colata?
When we founded Colata, we saw AI as the game-changing force that could redefine sports both for athletes, organisations and fans. But turning that vision into reality required more than just ambition, it needed the right ecosystem, mentorship, and global perspective. That’s exactly what we found in PorterShed’s AI Venture Forge Accelerator.
The accelerator’s structured 12-week sprint, backed by industry-leading mentors from AWS, Microsoft, and Enterprise Ireland, pushed us to refine Colata’s AI models for scalability. Key elements that are accelerating our growth through the programme include expert-led workshops with AI specialists, Global market access through international programme facilitated trips connecting us with Leaders and Investors. There is immense value in being part of a co hort of 10 who are developing AI native solutions, the ability to learn from one another is a huge value add.
How do your insights help sports organisations make smarter decisions?
Colata transforms fragmented sports data into actionable intelligence, empowering teams to make faster, data-driven decisions. This smart sports platform pulls together all your team’s data – from fitness trackers, video feeds and game stats – into one easy-to-use system. It gives coaches and staff a complete picture of how players are performing, both in training and during games.
The system can predict when players might get injured, suggest the right amount of training, and even test different game strategies using AI. This helps teams avoid problems before they happen and get better results.
Anyone on the team can ask questions in normal language like “Who’s at risk of injury?” or “Show me our weakest defense spots” and get instant answers – no computer skills needed. The system also watches live data during games and training, sending alerts if something looks wrong and suggesting what to do about it.
Everything is shared through simple dashboards and reports made for each staff member’s job, so the whole team can make better decisions together. It’s like having multiple extra assistant coaches who know everything about your team and can explain it in plain English.
What types of customers are you targeting first?
Digital transformation in sports is revolutionizing fan engagement, athlete performance, and operational efficiency through technologies like AI, wearables, and data analytics. bbColata is initially focusing on high-value, data-intensive segments of the sports industry where AI-driven insights can deliver immediate competitive and financial impact. Our primary target customers include: Professional Sports teams and and Leagues.
What will you prioritise during the 12 weeks at AI Venture Forge?
At Colata, we’ll leverage AI Venture Forge’s intensive program to accelerate our path from MVP to commercial traction. Our 12-week focus includes testing our product/market fit by using our trial partners to pressure test use cases like injury prediction. Technical scalability is a very important component for Colata to consider moving forward, we will optimise our AI native architecture for multi source data integration. We will leverage the programmes mentors and Portersheds extensive network to refine our go to market strategy inclusive of identifying our Global expansion pathways ensuring that we are Investor ready.
How do you see the mentorship and workshops boosting your strategy?
The AI Venture Forge’s mentorship and workshops will act as a turbocharger for Colata. The technical workshops will help us in ensuring that we have developed a scalable and secure system trusted by some of the largest sporting organisations in the world. It will help us sharpen our AI edge and inform us of risks/costly blind spots that we need to avoid as we develop the offering.
The more commercial workshops will help in accelerating commercial traction, aid Colata in the development of our sales and go to market strategies. Customer success is critical for developing long term trusted relationships with our clients and through both the workshops and mentorship we believe that we can be empowered with the knowledge and the insights necessary to build a best in class customer success team. The mentor network will ensure that we are pitch and Investor ready.
Where do you want Colata’s product and brand to be in the next year?
In the next year, we’re laser-focused on transforming Colata from a promising AI startup into the indispensable operating system for sports intelligence. We want Colata to be known as the AI brand that makes complex tech feel simple and human. We’re not just building tools – we’re creating experiences where anyone can get powerful insights without needing to be an expert.
We’re not another sports tech company shouting about algorithms – we’re the brand that removes the intimidation factor from AI in sport. By next year, we want sports professionals to instinctively turn to Colata when they need answers, not data overload.
The true measure of success? When someone says “I don’t usually like tech, but Colata just makes sense.”
