Rooter raises funding in angel round led by Boman Irani

Rooter, a social platform that connects sports fans and engages them during live sporting events, has announced the successful completion of a part of its angel investment round. Enabled by Kwan Entertainment Pvt. Ltd, the round was led by Bollywood star Boman Irani and saw participation from Dhruv Chitgopekar, Partner, Kwan Entertainment  and Prantik Dasgupta, Corporate Professional and avid sports enthusiast as well.

The funds secured will be used to strengthen the technology team at Rooter as well as to create strategic partnerships with various sports platforms, teams, fan clubs and associations.

Offering a chance for sports fans to connect with one another across real and virtual worlds, Rooter is a first-of-its-kind, mobile-based platform that helps users engage with others sharing their passion. With its focus on smart technology, Rooter takes sporting interactions beyond generic social media platforms by allowing fans to connect through pre-match quizzes and chat forums, unique Live match prediction games and post-match interactions in order to share their insights, predictions, analysis and opinions of the game.

Rooter was formed by two sports enthusiasts who decided to bridge the gap in the sports fan engagement market through a unique tech product. Piyush, Founder & CEO, and Soham Sinha, Co-founder & CTO, have built the product over the past 6-8 months along with a dedicated and passionate tech and content team. Speaking on the investment, Piyush, Founder & CEO, Rooter, said, “Rooter is based on the inherent need of sports fans to connect and interact with one another across the real and the digital worlds. The idea behind Rooter was unique and interesting, which is why we have been able to raise funds from investors such as Boman, Dhruv and Prantik. This comes as a major shot in the arm for us, and encourages us to push on and use technology to make the sports consumption experience even better and more enjoyable.”

The involvement of Kwan Entertainment, an Entertainment/Celebrity Management firm in the country underlines the massive potential a concept such as Rooter has in the Indian as well as the global sports market. The investment into Rooter also marks the first time that Bollywood actor Boman Irani has invested in the growing start-up landscape.

Boman Irani said, “I am proud to be part of the world's first platform that connects sports fans and engages them to discuss, predict, quiz and even meet offline during the world’s most exciting sporting events. With Rooter’s unique approach, likeminded sporting buddies around the world are now one.”

Rooter’s other angels also come with experience across various domains, highlighting the pull such a concept can have in the global arena. Dhruv Chitgopekar, Partner – Kwan Entertainment, has more than 10 years of experience in advising brands on marketing associations with Indian and global influencers. He has been strategically involved in the marketing of mega projects with a number of global event organising agencies including the World Economic Forum @Davos (2005), 2008 Beijing Olympics as well as ATP and WTA tournaments in India. Prantik Dasgupta, is a senior corporate professional with more than 13 years experience in the Natural Resources sector and at present working with a leading Indian business house. During his past stints he has been one of the youngest CXO's in the Indian Corporate Sector and also been a member of the governing council of the Aluminium Association of India.

Initially focusing on the Indian market, Rooter’s primary emphasis will be on football events such as European club football seasons and Indian Super League (ISL). The platform will also be offering engagement opportunities to cricket fans across India ahead of the ongoing cricket season. Other niche sports, such as F1 and NBA, will also be covered by Rooter, providing Indian sports enthusiasts a chance to interact with their peers and revel in their passion for their preferred sports.