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New Indian Express
13-06-2025
- Sport
- New Indian Express
A life-changing whistle blows for Kerala's brightest football talents
KOCHI: Twelve young footballers from Kerala are about to live a dream stitched together by sweat, skill, and sheer determination. Selected from a staggering pool of over 3,600 players, these 12 boys — born in 2008 and 2009 — have emerged as the cream of a year-long, state-wide training initiative by Andres Iniesta Scouting in partnership with Super League Kerala (SLK). On Thursday, they flew to Malaysia for an intensive 12-day training stint at the prestigious Villarreal Malaysia Academy — a global-level development centre affiliated to La Liga's Villarreal CF. The journey to the final 12 was no ordinary one, officials said. It began in Kerala's heartlands — Kannur, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Palakkad, Thrissur, Ernakulam and Alappuzha — where thousands of hopefuls turned up for open trials. International scouts from Spain and Argentina, working closely with local coaches, evaluated raw potential, grit, and game sense in wave after wave of young talent. These players then passed through two intensive phases of selection, including performances at the Chakola Gold Trophy, part of the Kerala Football Association's Kerala Youth Development Programme (KYDP). What followed was relentless coaching, close monitoring, and finally, a golden ticket to Malaysia. 'This isn't just training — it's transformation,' said KFA president Navas Meeran. 'These kids will train under UEFA-certified coaches, play friendlies, study the game inside classrooms, and come back with exposure that is almost unmatched. Programmes like these are building a football ecosystem where dreams don't die young,' he added. 'Some of them have never boarded a flight before,' said SLK CEO Mathew Joseph. 'This isn't just about football — it's about opening up new worlds. A professional international facility can completely change how they view their future,' Joseph added. SLK Director Feroz Meeran put it simply: 'We are not just building players. We are building stories that can light up entire communities.' From dusty school fields to a training ground built to European standards, these 12 boys now carry Kerala's hopes — and perhaps their own futures— on their boots.
Associated Press
03-06-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Tesonet invests in Lithuanian SportsTech startup FPRO
Tesonet is investing €2 million in the Lithuanian SportsTech startup FPRO. This is FPRO's first round of outside investment, marking a new phase in its development. The funds will help the startup to leverage smart tech solutions to expand professional training opportunities in youth football worldwide. A made-in-Lithuania solution for the global football market FPRO is a SportsTech startup that is developing innovative football training solutions for children. Working in collaboration with UEFA-certified coaches and experts in sports science, FPRO has devised a unique interactive app for children ages 6 through 12. The app is designed to improve their technique, coordination and ball control skills. Having founded the Football Pro Academy back in 2018, founders Ernestas Pilypas, Darius Jankauskas, and Vilius Petkevičius were forced to move operations online during the pandemic. This was the impetus behind the development of their digital product, which was released in 2022. The platform's user base currently consists of 140,000+ children from the UK, Germany, the US, and other countries. Most of the company's revenue comes from sales outside of their home market. 'Football is the most popular sport in the world, but the market is currently short on qualified coaches. We wanted to create a solution that would be accessible to everyone, regardless of their financial means or location. FPRO fills this gap by offering young athletes an accessible, tech-driven method geared towards raising their physical fitness and developing their personalities in a comprehensive way. It helps to build their self-confidence, discipline, and passion for football through a focused and personalised coaching process. We see Tesonet's investment as confirmation that we're on the right track,' said Vilius Petkevičius, co-founder of FPRO. Ambitious partnership for innovation in children's sports 'The sports technology market has enormous potential, and football unites billions of people worldwide. Given our substantial experience with SportsTech, the latest investment reflects our strategy to expand the sports innovation ecosystem while strengthening the community both in Lithuania and globally. This is a profitable and growing startup with a broad user base, an unstoppable team, and founders who are experts in their field. It's a perfect combination, and one that mirrors our own values,' commented Tomas Okmanas, co-founder of Tesonet. Tesonet co-founder Eimantas Sabaliauskas added: 'When making a decision to invest, we consider not only market potential, but also a given team's vision and ability to solve real problems on a global scale. FPRO has created a strong product, and our goal as investors is to help them not just financially but also in terms of strategy. We see clear synergies where our contribution could help them optimise business processes, develop new revenue streams, expand their user base, and further accelerate growth internationally.' Another SportsTech investment in Tesonet's portfolio This is not our first venture in the sports vertical. In 2022, we acquired shares in BC Žalgiris Kaunas, helping the basketball club with its digital transformation and commercial expansion. Then in 2024, we invested in basketball club BC London Lions, aiming to promote the development of young talent and bolster the club's competitiveness internationally. ABOUT TESONET: Tesonet is one of the largest venture builders and investors in the Baltic States. It houses globally recognized companies such as joint cybersecurity powerhouse Nord Security and Surfshark, a market-leading web intelligence collection platform Oxylabs, the fastest-growing brand among hosting providers Hostinger, - an AI orchestration platform, and others. With over 3,500 in-house talents and a fully developed infrastructure, Tesonet supports, funds, and scales businesses globally. Since 2018, Tesonet has extended its reach by investing in successful ventures like Hostinger, Cast AI, Eneba, BC Žalgiris, London Lions, Artea, Zapp, Turing College, and others. Tesonet is known for its innovative ecosystem and strong infrastructure, which support product development, testing, and global growth. The company is dedicated to advancing technological innovation and helping grow the broader ecosystem. ABOUT FPRO: FPRO is a sports technology startup dedicated to developing innovative training solutions for children's football. Collaborating with UEFA-certified coaches and sports university experts, FPRO has created a unique interactive mobile app designed to help children aged 6–12 improve their technique, coordination, and ball control the platform is being used by over 140,000 children across the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States, and other countries.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tesonet invests in Lithuanian SportsTech startup FPRO
Tesonet is investing €2 million in the Lithuanian SportsTech startup FPRO. This is FPRO's first round of outside investment, marking a new phase in its development. The funds will help the startup to leverage smart tech solutions to expand professional training opportunities in youth football worldwide. A made-in-Lithuania solution for the global football market FPRO is a SportsTech startup that is developing innovative football training solutions for children. Working in collaboration with UEFA-certified coaches and experts in sports science, FPRO has devised a unique interactive app for children ages 6 through 12. The app is designed to improve their technique, coordination and ball control skills. Having founded the Football Pro Academy back in 2018, founders Ernestas Pilypas, Darius Jankauskas, and Vilius Petkevičius were forced to move operations online during the pandemic. This was the impetus behind the development of their digital product, which was released in 2022. The platform's user base currently consists of 140,000+ children from the UK, Germany, the US, and other countries. Most of the company's revenue comes from sales outside of their home market. 'Football is the most popular sport in the world, but the market is currently short on qualified coaches. We wanted to create a solution that would be accessible to everyone, regardless of their financial means or location. FPRO fills this gap by offering young athletes an accessible, tech-driven method geared towards raising their physical fitness and developing their personalities in a comprehensive way. It helps to build their self-confidence, discipline, and passion for football through a focused and personalised coaching process. We see Tesonet's investment as confirmation that we're on the right track,' said Vilius Petkevičius, co-founder of FPRO. Ambitious partnership for innovation in children's sports 'The sports technology market has enormous potential, and football unites billions of people worldwide. Given our substantial experience with SportsTech, the latest investment reflects our strategy to expand the sports innovation ecosystem while strengthening the community both in Lithuania and globally. This is a profitable and growing startup with a broad user base, an unstoppable team, and founders who are experts in their field. It's a perfect combination, and one that mirrors our own values,' commented Tomas Okmanas, co-founder of Tesonet. Tesonet co-founder Eimantas Sabaliauskas added: 'When making a decision to invest, we consider not only market potential, but also a given team's vision and ability to solve real problems on a global scale. FPRO has created a strong product, and our goal as investors is to help them not just financially but also in terms of strategy. We see clear synergies where our contribution could help them optimise business processes, develop new revenue streams, expand their user base, and further accelerate growth internationally.' Another SportsTech investment in Tesonet's portfolio This is not our first venture in the sports vertical. In 2022, we acquired shares in BC Žalgiris Kaunas, helping the basketball club with its digital transformation and commercial expansion. Then in 2024, we invested in basketball club BC London Lions, aiming to promote the development of young talent and bolster the club's competitiveness internationally. ABOUT TESONET: Tesonet is one of the largest venture builders and investors in the Baltic States. It houses globally recognized companies such as joint cybersecurity powerhouse Nord Security and Surfshark, a market-leading web intelligence collection platform Oxylabs, the fastest-growing brand among hosting providers Hostinger, - an AI orchestration platform, and others. With over 3,500 in-house talents and a fully developed infrastructure, Tesonet supports, funds, and scales businesses globally. Since 2018, Tesonet has extended its reach by investing in successful ventures like Hostinger, Cast AI, Eneba, BC Žalgiris, London Lions, Artea, Zapp, Turing College, and others. Tesonet is known for its innovative ecosystem and strong infrastructure, which support product development, testing, and global growth. The company is dedicated to advancing technological innovation and helping grow the broader ecosystem. ABOUT FPRO: FPRO is a sports technology startup dedicated to developing innovative training solutions for children's football. Collaborating with UEFA-certified coaches and sports university experts, FPRO has created a unique interactive mobile app designed to help children aged 6–12 improve their technique, coordination, and ball control the platform is being used by over 140,000 children across the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States, and other countries.
