From the Founder | Tomash Devenishek, CEO + Founder of Kero Sports

About the article: In a dynamic interview with Amit, the founder of Kero Sports, Tomash, sheds light on the innovative journey of the company in revolutionizing the sports betting industry. From its inception during the pandemic to its current standing as a leader in micro-betting solutions, Tomash shares valuable insights into the challenges faced, the strategies employed, and the vision driving Kero Sports forward.

Kero Sports

Locations: Miami, Toronto

Company Size: 11 - 50 people

Markets: Enterprise Software, Sports Betting, Machine Learning, Fantasy, Sports, Online Gaming, Real Money Gaming

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Q: Can you explain what Kero Sports does and how it adds value to the sports industry?

A: We are a micro betting provider to the sports and sports betting industry. To unpack that, we build two sets of algorithms. The first set extrapolates what's exciting and engaging from a predictive standpoint within a particular game at the current moment, and the second set calculates the probability of that thing happening. We offer this technology to sportsbook operators as a real money betting product and to professional sports teams for fan engagement.

Q: Was starting a company something you always wanted to do, or did the idea for Kero Sports come later?

A: It was always in the back of my mind that I would love to do something. As an immigrant, you don't always have the confidence, depending on your network and experiences. By the time I started Kero, I had the experience, resources, and network.

Q: What inspired the creation of Kero Sports, and how did you come up with the concept?

A: The inspiration came from my background in consumer entertainment and digital consumption patterns. I realized there was an opportunity to create a product that abstracted the effort needed from users and simplified the sports betting experience into binary choices.

Q: How did you overcome the challenges of starting a company, especially in the sports industry?

A: It was a gradual buildup. We started with a prototype and hustled to get partnerships with teams like the New York Islanders. The pandemic actually became a tailwind for us, as it forced the sports world to focus more on digital engagement.

Now, I started to go out to my network to people who were in the sports adjacent or directly in the pro sports world. I would say, ‘Hey, I have this idea… what do you think?’ Most of the feedback I was getting was ‘this is pretty cool. It's complicated to do, but pretty cool if you can do it’... We eventually got the New York Islanders, which is an NHL team and they partner with us on a trial basis and the rest happened from there.

Q: Can you share an anecdote or memorable moment from the early days of Kero Sports?

A: One memorable moment was when we first launched our technology with the New York Islanders. We experienced a surge in user engagement, but our system crashed due to the unexpected demand. It was a challenging yet exhilarating experience to quickly resolve the issue and see the overwhelming response from fans.

Q: What were some key milestones or turning points in the journey of Kero Sports?

A: One key milestone was when we signed partnerships with major league teams like the Chicago Bulls and the San Francisco 49ers. These partnerships not only validated our product but also opened doors to new opportunities and accelerated our growth in the sports industry.

Q: What role did technology play in scaling Kero Sports, and did you face any technology challenges along the way?

A: Technology was crucial for scaling. We started with manual processes but quickly realized the need for automation. While we faced challenges, technology was never an existential risk for us.

Q: How did you secure funding for Kero Sports, and what advice do you have for other entrepreneurs seeking investment?

A: I went out to my network and told the business story, not just the tech story. Investors want to see a good gamble, so it's essential to communicate the potential for an exciting outcome. Using platforms like Wellfound for hiring also proved to be effective for us.

Q: What are the future plans for Kero Sports, and what do you envision for the company?

A: We plan to expand our offerings and continue innovating in fan engagement and sports betting. Our goal is to become a leading provider in the industry and make sports betting more accessible and enjoyable for fans worldwide.

Follow Kero Sport’s Startup Journey

Kero is a leading provider of micro betting technologies with distinct capabilities in contextual recommendation of rapid markets using machine learning and generative AI. Through algorithmic curation, Kero delivers highly contextual recommended markets every 15 seconds for an unparalleled in-game betting experience. Kero’s technology stack is used by hundreds of operators across Europe, North America and LATAM as well as sports media broadcasters and dozens of professional sports teams across major North American sports leagues.

For more information about Kero Gaming and its latest developments, visit www.kerosports.com.

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