Investing in the intelligence layer of sports:
why gut feeling is making way
for algorithms

In the catacombs of the most modern stadiums, it’s no longer just about passion, but about precision. While the world watches the ball, Alexander Janssen (CEO of DSTF) looks at the data. “The days when a scout with just a notebook determined the future of a club are over,” he states. With investments in platforms like Iterpro, DSTF positions itself right in the ‘intelligence layer’ of the sports industry—where multimillion losses are prevented and the stars of tomorrow are discovered (Iterpro is part of ISG, in which DSTF has been investing since 2021).

The global market for sports analytics is expected to grow by approximately 23% per year between 2025 and 2035. This growth is driven by the explosive increase in available data, decreasing costs of storage and processing, and the growing importance of analytics in both elite and grassroots sports. By investing in data and predictive analytics, DSTF firmly positions itself in the ‘intelligence layer’ of the sports industry at the intersection of performance improvement, fan engagement, and sustainable value creation.

Within data and predictive analysis, talent identification & scouting is one of the most tangible and impactful ways for clubs to attract talent and optimize player performance. “In the past, talent identification was synonymous with scouting,” Alexander explains. “The old scouting model was effective, but also costly and limited in scalability. A scout can only be in one place at a time. Additionally, differences in assessment, language, interpretation, and quality made standardization difficult.”

In the past ten years, this model has fundamentally changed. Now, there are platforms that record and analyze matches at various levels. These systems generate extensive statistics on individual players. “With these, clubs can track players worldwide, from first teams to youth competitions, which is where many top clubs place their priority,” says Alexander. “The groundwork that scouts used to do physically is now largely data-driven. When a transfer becomes serious, a scout will always travel to watch the player live.”

The strength of modern systems lies in the breadth and depth of the data. “The most important components of these systems, such as those from our subsidiary Iterpro, are data on medical status and performance,” Alexander explains. “Performance is about structurally monitoring a player using indicators such as endurance, explosiveness, and strength. This is particularly interesting for youth players. By measuring periodically, insights are gained into development, growth curves, and areas for improvement. Without context, a temporary physical disadvantage can lead to less playing time and incorrect conclusions about a player’s potential. By systematically tracking data, the underlying talent remains visible. This is crucial for top clubs to select the right players at an early stage.”

Data is also indispensable in injury management. “A player is injured for about 30% of his career. The tension between coach and performance manager is recognizable: one wants speed, the other certainty. By recording individual benchmarks over time, it can be objectively determined whether a player is truly match fit. In this way, data becomes not only a comparison tool at the macro level, but also a decision-making tool at the micro level.”

The core business of a top club is playing competitive matches in packed stadiums. This traditional revenue model is increasingly under pressure. Many clubs operate at an operational loss. Success on the transfer market is often still the only way to make a profit. “A strong academy and excellence in talent identification are essential components in this,” Alexander explains. “The training must specifically address the missing links in the first team. Imagine a 17-year-old talented midfielder in the Brazilian second division. Five years ago, he would have remained unnoticed. Today, Iterpro’s algorithm sees that his explosiveness on 70-meter sprints matches that of top athletes in the Champions League. While the competition is still asleep, the club with the right data already has the contracts ready. That’s no longer scouting; that’s arbitrage based on information.”

“At the same time, it is becoming increasingly important to identify and develop talent worldwide at an early stage and at a relatively low cost. Sometimes players do not even make it to the first team, because they are sold on at a profit earlier. In that model, a club can make a loss on the first team, but still be profitable thanks to smart buying and selling policies. Data & predictive analytics form the backbone of this model. It reduces risks, increases predictability, and supports strategic decision-making.”

The investment in Iterpro underscores DSTF’s ambition to help sports organizations improve their performance through data. “There is such an abundance of stand-alone apps in sports technology that they are almost being given away for free. Iterpro distinguishes itself with an integrated platform where performance, medical, and financial data come together and communicate with each other. The strategic combination with Dotcomsport, an early bird in this sector with a network of around 450 clubs but outdated technology, made the step even more interesting. By linking Iterpro’s strong management and high-quality software to this existing network, a successful platform was created that is growing rapidly worldwide.”

With Iterpro, DSTF is not investing in a single application, but in an integrated system that helps clubs manage their entire organization in a data-driven way. As a result, Data & Predictive Analytics becomes not just supportive, but strategically decisive for both performance and value creation. Check https://iterpro.com/client-stories/ for more information about Iterpro.

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