New York – October 07, 2026 -- Agentiq Sports, Inc. has closed a $4 million funding round led by Silicon Valley venture firm defy.vc and a group led by the owner of two major European football clubs, the fintech startup announced, aiming to launch a platform that lets fans indirectly invest in professional athletes' careers.
Platform structures athlete deals through public Series LLC offerings
Each athlete offering runs through a designated series of a Delaware Series LLC under a Brand Advisory Agreement, giving the athlete non-debt capital and brand advisory services in exchange for a defined percentage of future on-field Brand Income. The offerings are qualified by the SEC under Regulation A, Tier 2, producing securities that are freely tradable under U.S. federal securities law. The company positions this as an alternative to private athlete-equity funds that have signed more than 2,000 athletes to income-share agreements with limited transparency and close over 500 deals annually.
Initial roster features MLB's Valdez and Martinez, with 200 athletes in pipeline
Agentiq's headline offerings include Arizona Diamondbacks closer Justin Martinez, 25, and Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez, 22, who hit 12 home runs in 31 games through July 19, 2026. The company has also signed St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Hunter Dobbins, plus Ronny Cruz and Carlos Virahonda. Agentiq targets more than 50 signed athletes within 12 months and maintains a pipeline exceeding 200 professional athletes across MLB, the NFL and other major leagues.
Betting and prediction markets extracted $17 billion from U.S. consumers in 2025
Agentiq frames its model against sports betting, which generated a record $17 billion in revenue from American consumers in 2025, with sportsbooks retaining roughly 10 cents of every dollar wagered and 95 to 97 percent of bettors losing money over time. On one major prediction-market platform, users have lost more than half a billion dollars since launch. Co-founder and CEO Zach Kurtz said fans have long paid an "entertainment tax" through betting apps and fantasy platforms that monetize passion without creating lasting value.
Backers cite demand from 40 million active trading-app users
Defy.vc General Partner Medha Agarwal said the firm backed Agentiq's founders to build a new category for sports fans. The company points to more than 40 million Americans actively using retail investing platforms such as Robinhood, alongside the growth of Polymarket and Kalshi, as evidence of mainstream appetite for financial participation in real-world outcomes. Agentiq is headquartered in New York and was founded by CEO Zach Kurtz, a former Division I baseball player at the University of Richmond, and CTO Reuben Abraham, formerly of fintech firm Pave.