Agentiq Sports, Inc. ("Agentiq"), the fintech platform allowing fans to indirectly invest in professional athletes' careers, today announced $4 million in funding. The round was led by defy.vc, the Silicon Valley venture firm behind multiple breakout consumer and fintech companies, and by a group led by the owner of two major European football clubs. Agentiq believes that the funding will accelerate its platform launch and allow Agentiq to scale its team and pipeline.

"For too long, being a sports fan has meant paying an entertainment tax," said Zach Kurtz, Co-Founder and CEO of Agentiq. "Betting apps, fantasy platforms, prediction markets: they all monetize your passion and give you nothing durable in return. We are building the opposite. The Agentiq platform gives fans a way to back the athletes they believe in and share in their journey. A real stake and a real connection."

Traditionally, private athlete-equity funds have operated behind closed doors, signing more than 2,000 athletes to long-term income-share agreements with limited transparency. Athletes early in their careers have had few options for accessing capital beyond traditional debt or these opaque private arrangements.

On Agentiq's platform, each athlete offering is conducted publicly through a designated series of a Delaware Series LLC. Under a Brand Advisory Agreement, the applicable Series provides the athlete with non-debt capital and brand advisory services in exchange for a defined percentage of covered future on-field Brand Income. By opening these athlete-linked offerings to everyday investors, the Agentiq platform aims to democratize investment opportunities historically dominated by private equity and other institutional counterparties. Agentiq believes its model gives athletes access to more flexible and transparent deal structures, allows them to de-risk their careers and invest in themselves, and creates a direct connection with the fans who believe in them.

Agentiq's initial athlete offerings are headlined by Justin Martinez, the 25-year-old flamethrowing closer of the Diamondbacks, and Esmerlyn Valdez, the 22-year-old Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder who has emerged as one of the most electric rookies in Major League Baseball. Through July 19, 2026, Valdez had already hit 12 home runs in 31 games. Valdez is a prime example of the type of athlete the Agentiq platform was designed for: a dynamic talent at the beginning of what could be a standout career.

In addition to Martinez and Valdez, Agentiq has signed Cardinals starting pitcher Hunter Dobbins, Ronny Cruz, Carlos Virahonda and hopes to have more than 50 athletes on the roster within the next 12 months. The company maintains a pipeline of more than 200 professional athletes across MLB, the NFL, and other major leagues.

Agentiq sits at the intersection of three compounding trends:

• Fan engagement with financial products has gone mainstream. More than 40 million Americans actively use platforms like Robinhood, while Polymarket and Kalshi have normalized the idea of financial participation in real-world outcomes. Consumer demand for new, accessible ways to engage with sports has never been stronger.

• The sports economy is at an all-time high. League valuations, NIL deal volume, betting handle, and prediction-market activity have all compounded for a decade. Private athlete-equity funds close 500+ deals per year, demonstrating strong demand for athlete-linked financial products.

• Athletes are taking control of their economic futures. NIL reshaped college sports, and professional athletes increasingly view themselves as brands and businesses, not just players. Yet their options for non-debt capital remain limited to opaque private funds with rigid terms. Agentiq believes its model provides athletes with a transparent, fan-facing alternative.

"Fans have always wanted to feel closer to the athletes and teams they love, but there hasn't been an easy, accessible way to be part of an athlete's journey beyond simply watching and cheering them on," said Medha Agarwal, General Partner at defy.vc. "Agentiq is changing that by giving fans a new way to support athletes and share in their success over the long term. We believe Zach and Reuben have the vision and experience to build something truly new for the next generation of sports fans."

For decades, the sports industry has treated fans as a revenue source, not a stakeholder. Sports betting extracted a record $17 billion in revenue from American consumers in 2025 alone1, with sportsbooks keeping roughly 10 cents of every dollar wagered. Research shows that 95 to 97 percent of sports bettors lose money over any meaningful time period.2 Prediction markets are no better. On one of the main platforms, ordinary users have lost more than half a billion dollars since the platform launched.3 The common thread: fans pay to participate in short-duration products tied to discrete outcomes, while the house wins, and nothing of lasting value is created for most consumers.

Agentiq gives eligible fans the opportunity to indirectly invest in certain athletes' on-field careers. These SEC-qualified offerings result in ownership of securities that are freely tradable under U.S. federal securities law.

Founded by Zach Kurtz (CEO, fintech veteran, former D1 baseball player at University of Richmond, owner of a sporting products company used by 50+ pro players) and Reuben Abraham (CTO, employee 10 at Pave, former NerdWallet, UPenn Jerome Fisher M&T and Wharton '17, UAE Cricket National Team). The team includes former professional players and agents, as well as former data scientists with experience working in MLB front offices. Agentiq is headquartered in New York. For more information, visit agentiqsports.com.