SPORTA secures £5m follow-on investment from Lazaroo-Hood Group

SPORTA, the business building dedicated financial and digital infrastructure for the sports economy, has completed a £5 million follow-on investment from the Lazaroo-Hood Group.

The investment from the family office sees Lazaroo-Hood Group become SPORTA’s largest shareholder, alongside the company’s founders, strengthening its position as founding lead investor and long-term strategic partner, while also joining the SPORTA Group’s board.

The funding will support SPORTA’s next phase of growth as the business continues to build the team, technology, partnerships and operating foundations behind its ambition to become the UK’s first fully authorised bank dedicated to sport, subject to regulatory approval.

SPORTA has also strengthened its senior leadership and delivery team with a series of appointments across risk, finance, technology, growth and operations.

Appointments include:

• David Wishart as Chief Risk Officer
• Indi Chahal as Chief Information Officer
• Mark Hodgkisson as Chief Financial Officer
• Jess Blakey as Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer
• Fanoula Grekos as Head of Operations
• Adrian Moreno as Head of Engineering

Appointments to roles that will require regulatory approval are subject to that approval as part of SPORTA’s application for authorisation. Together, the investment and senior appointments mark an important stage in SPORTA’s development as it builds the infrastructure required to support clubs, athletes, fans, families and grassroots sporting organisations more effectively.

SPORTA CEO and founder Andrew Smith said:

“Sport has always had its own economy, its own pressures and its own way of bringing people together. But it has not always had financial infrastructure designed around those realities.

“This investment shows the confidence in SPORTA’s mission and the seriousness of how we are building the business. We’re putting the right people, technology, governance and operating foundations in place from the outset because that's what building a bank properly demands.

“Lazaroo-Hood Group has been with us from the beginning as a founding lead investor and long-term partner. Their continued support gives us the platform to keep building SPORTA in the right way, with the ambition of creating the financial home for sport.”

Ross Lazaroo-Hood, CEO and founder of the Lazaroo-Hood Group, said:

“We are pleased to complete this further investment in SPORTA and deepen our role as a long-term partner to the business.

“The Lazaroo-Hood Group led SPORTA’s seed round in 2025 because we believed the team had the experience and ambition to build something genuinely new for sport. Backing our portfolio companies for the long term is central to how our family office works, and SPORTA has the potential to create generational change for sport and the people who support it.

I am personally delighted that the team have attracted some great new additional partners and financing for the next stage in SPORTA’s journey. It’s been a pleasure to work with SPORTA’s CEO Andrew Smith and the whole team during this raise and for the Lazaroo-Hood Group to again lead in this round of investment.”

ENDS

About SPORTA

SPORTA is building the financial home for sport. Founded on the belief that clubs, athletes, fans, families and volunteers deserve better support, and that sport has never had dedicated infrastructure built around its needs.

From grassroots to the professional game, SPORTA is creating the financial and digital foundations that will help sport grow, connect and sustain itself for generations to come. By bringing together financial expertise, community values and a genuine love of sport, SPORTA's ambition is to become a movement that champions wellbeing, participation and belonging.

SPORTA is seeking authorisation to become the UK's first fully authorised bank dedicated to sport. SPORTA is not yet a bank and no banking products or services are currently available.

Learn more: www.sporta.team/

Contact: Simon Ward, Started PR, 07396 060 272 or email simon@startedpr.com

About The Lazaroo-Hood Group

The Lazaroo-Hood Group is a London and Jersey-based single family investment office that invests in early- to mid-stage, founder-led businesses, those with passion and purpose, across a broad range of international asset classes and industries.

Founded by Northern Irish entrepreneur Ross Lazaroo-Hood, the firm selects companies with a proven revenue track record and a clear path to profitability. Beyond capital, the family office provides strategic support, operational experience, and extensive strategic network. Actively champions initiatives focused on neurodiversity and sustainability fostering through both the family office and their Foundation.

Learn more: www.LazarooHood.com