Dutch Sport Tech Fund
invests in ‘urban app’
CityLegends

Dutch Sport Tech Fund, the investment fund for sport tech companies, is investing in CityLegends. This Eindhoven-based startup has developed an app that connects an ‘urban community’ of 50,000 European artists and athletes, reaching millions of young people via social media. The app collaborates with cities such as Eindhoven, Tilburg, London, Ghent, and Thessaloniki, as well as brands like VodafoneZiggo and Ericsson.

CEO Jimmy Hermans (30) and CTO Thijmen Verkerk (35) noticed as young skaters that they were missing a few things. “There are only competitions organized for professional urban artists and athletes, but not for the vast majority: amateurs. There is also little cross-pollination between different cities and disciplines, because a skater from Roermond doesn’t know what the coolest spots in Den Bosch are. We solve these two problems with CityLegends.”

On CityLegends, ‘street athletes’ compete against each other by posting their creativity (such as a filmed skate trick) on the app, which appears in a timeline similar to Instagram’s. Other users then vote on whose work made the biggest impression. “The winner ‘conquers’ a spot, a battle, or a tournament and wins money or prizes from brands that sponsor CityLegends. We want to create the most competitive ecosystem possible for 99% of all urban athletes. This includes skating, BMX, parkour, stunt scootering, and breakdancing.”

Now that urban disciplines are part of the Olympic Games, the founders notice that the sport is receiving more attention. “We are increasingly helping governments and brands with their urban sports strategy. We are now working together with Breda, Eindhoven, Tilburg, London, Ghent, Thessaloniki, the Flemish Ministry of Health, and the Flemish Skate Federation. We are also collaborating with the 5G HUB, which includes VodafoneZiggo and Ericsson.”

“CityLegends must grow into the largest urban community in the world. There are 150 million urban athletes worldwide and one billion fans of these cultures. We see the potential, as CityLegends’ branded content reaches millions of views on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. We want to multiply our 50,000 users and thus connect urban athletes around the world and offer them a stage for their skills. Dutch Sport Tech Fund helps us with knowledge and a relevant network. We want to learn from the other B2C sports apps in the portfolio, such as Scorito and Link My Ride. We will use this investment to scale up and, in the long term, even conquer the US.”

Alexander Janssen, CEO of Dutch Sport Tech Fund: “We believe in the potential of this startup as a first mover in a still unorganized sports domain. CityLegends helps to create active, social, and vibrant communities for all young people in cities around the world. That fits perfectly with our mission to contribute to sports and vitality with smart technology. With CityLegends, we are reaching a target group that other companies have not yet reached.”