Andrew Trimble's Kairos acquired by 'one of the biggest companies in sports tech', for undisclosed sum

Northern Ireland sports tech firm Kairos has been acquired by American company Teamworks for an undisclosed sum.

Founded in 2018 by former Ireland and Ulster Rugby player Andrew Trimble and local entrepreneur Gareth Quinn, the Belfast communications and operations platform will join the SaaS company, which serves elite sports and tactical organizations globally.

The acquisition is the next step in Teamworks' journey to transform sports technology and represents a significant investment in the professional space.

Andrew posted online: “The acquisition by Teamworks is a very exciting opportunity to join forces with one of the biggest companies in sports tech and ultimately impact the offering to benefit the broader market.

"Joining forces with Teamworks will open up unparalleled opportunities for growth, innovation, and more overall impact. Their extensive knowledge and strong industry presence will empower us to amplify further the value we deliver to our customers and partners. Together, we will continue shaping the future of sports technology and revolutionize the way professional sports teams operate.

“We want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you for your constant support, loyalty, and partnership. We are immensely excited about this acquisition and its possibilities for our collective future.

“We would say one thing to our team and customers. We have built a strong product and company, and now, we look forward to leveraging our combined strengths to achieve even greater heights. Fasten your seatbelts – we’re not leaving the theme park – we’re building a bigger rollercoaster!!”

As part of this acquisition, Andrew and Gareth will remain involved in the business. Andrew’s rugby union career and proven approach to empowering holistic sports performance is set to help guide future product development for the pro sports market.

Teamworks, based in Northern Carolina, has also welcomed 20 new Kairos employees who will focus on product innovation specifically for the professional sports market.

Zach Maurides, founder and CEO of Teamworks, added: “When we set out to revolutionise sport through technology, we knew we couldn’t do it alone. We’ve acquired companies with visionary leaders and like-minded individuals to help us build the future of sports.

"Kairos is the next great company to join us on this mission. With our combined expertise, additional resources, and a unified strategy, we’ll accelerate innovation and our development of an integrated operating system for elite sports organisations.”

Each company has made an indelible mark on the operations of professional sports organisations. Teamworks currently works with 200 pro organisations around the globe, having entered the market more than a decade ago.

In the past three years, Kairos has built an extensive customer roster of over 100 organisations, primarily in global football and rugby.

The vision for The Operating System for Sport remains the same. Together, Teamworks and Kairos plan to create a unified and enhanced experience by incorporating the best of Kairos into the Hub product, and continuing to integrate the full suite of best-in-class tools within the Teamworks Operating System.

Teamworks’ footprint within the professional space now includes over 30+ organisations across more than 15 countries. Most notably, 91% of NFL, 85% of English Premier League, 83% of NBA, and 80% of top-ranked Men’s National Rugby teams use at least one of Teamworks’ 12 products.