Elite Picks

Founders Row Backs Early-Stage AI Sports Analytics Platform Elite Picks

Published

9 hours ago

January 23, 2026

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Founders Row announced that it has backed Elite Picks, an early-stage AI-powered sports analytics platform founded by Michael Zakkour, marking another founder-first investment aligned with Founders Row’s mission of supporting early-stage operators at the beginning of their journey. This marks Founders Row’s third deal done in four months, following the backing of Hot Box Pretzels and The Baking Social.

Elite Picks is an AI-driven sports analytics platform designed to give users a data-driven edge across player props, daily fantasy sports, and fantasy leagues. Built on proprietary machine-learning infrastructure, the platform analyzes more than two million data points to generate predictive insights and performance signals, including its core EP Score, a 0–100 rating system that translates complex analytics into clear, consumer-friendly decision-making.

Zakkour brings a deep technical background to the platform, with experience in software engineering, machine learning, and large-scale consumer applications. Prior to founding Elite Picks, he served as a lead engineer on Red Bull’s global digital team, building data-driven products used by millions worldwide. He founded Elite Picks to apply advanced machine learning models to sports analytics in a way that is intuitive, transparent, and accessible to everyday fans.

“As a first-time founder, having a partner who is genuinely aligned with the founder’s best interests matters more than people realize. Adding Jamie and Founders Row gives me someone I can truly lean on as I navigate the highs and lows of building a company. Jamie has been through it himself, and having someone I trust with that level of experience and perspective is incredibly powerful as we build what’s ahead,” said Michael Zakkour, Founder and CEO of Elite Picks.

Jamie Weeks, formerly the largest Orangetheory Fitness franchisee and the founder of SweatHouz (SWTHZ), launched Founders Row after repeatedly seeing the same gap in the early-stage landscape: founders with distinctive ideas and creative vision, but without the structure, strategic clarity, or operational foundation needed to scale. Founders Row supports founders across all sectors, as this investment proves. Founders Row is there to lean in and support the brand in a way that stays true to the original vision of the founder, and as an alternative to traditional private equity.

“I view founders like musicians writing an album — they need a producer. The Rick Rubins and Jimmy Iovines help artists shape the vision, structure the work, and finish the record. The producer isn’t the one performing on the album, but they help bring it to life. That’s how Founders Row works with founders and their brands,” said Jamie Weeks, Founder of Founders Row.

As part of the partnership, Founders Row will support Elite Picks across brand positioning, growth strategy, and long-term partnerships, while maintaining a founder-first approach that prioritizes alignment and trust.

The post Founders Row Backs Early-Stage AI Sports Analytics Platform Elite Picks appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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Elite Picks

SCCG Announces Strategic Partnership with Elite Picks to Accelerate Market Growth, Business Development, and Capital Raise Initiatives

Published

1 month ago

December 10, 2025

Wladimir P.

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SCCG Management, a global leader in advisory, business development, and strategic partnerships for the gaming industry, today announced a strategic partnership with Elite Picks, an AI-driven sports betting insights platform experiencing rapid user growth and strong market traction. SCCG will support Elite Picks through business development, global market exposure, and capital raise advisory to help scale the platform’s footprint across the sports betting and sports entertainment ecosystem.

Elite Picks has quickly become one of the highest-rated sports betting tools in the U.S. market, powered by sophisticated AI and machine-learning models that turn over 2 million data points into player projection insights. Users rely on Elite Picks’ proprietary EP Score, a 0–100 rating system predicting performance outcomes that transforms casual betting guesswork into data-driven decision-making. The mobile app has earned a 4.7 App Store rating and has surpassed industry benchmarks with strong retention, rapid install growth, and subscription-driven revenue momentum, supported by a loyal community of engaged sports fans.

The Elite Picks platform stands out for its intuitive UX, predictive accuracy, and proprietary machine-learning infrastructure that competitors cannot easily replicate. The team has combined advanced engineering with a consumer-first design approach, creating a tool that users open more than 11 times per day on average, spending over one hour daily inside the product. This level of engagement positions Elite Picks as one of the most compelling data-driven fan tools in the modern sports betting market.

A Partnership Built to Accelerate Growth

Through this partnership, SCCG will activate its advisory and business development infrastructure to support Elite Picks’ expansion into channels that include licensed sportsbook operators, media groups, sports technology providers, data companies, and gaming platforms seeking enhanced engagement tools. SCCG will also integrate Elite Picks into its established business development cadence, providing structured outreach, opportunity qualification, partner introductions, and deal support across key segments.

SCCG’s support will extend to capital raise advisory, amplifying Elite Picks’ visibility with institutional investors, strategic partners, and gaming-focused venture groups. With a strong outlook for the 2026–2028 growth cycle, Elite Picks is well-positioned to benefit from SCCG’s connections across sports, iGaming, interactive media, and sports-betting technology markets.

Additionally, SCCG will leverage its expansive marketing, PR, and digital footprint — including its 30,000-subscriber newsletters, industry-wide research platforms, and the reach of CEO Stephen Crystal’s personal LinkedIn network — to increase Elite Picks’ exposure and reinforce its position as one of the most promising AI-powered fan engagement platforms in the sports betting industry.

“Elite Picks represents exactly where the sports betting experience is heading — a smarter, personalized, AI-driven companion that empowers fans to interact with sports on a deeper level,” said Stephen Crystal, Founder & CEO of SCCG Management. “Their team has built an exceptional product with elite execution on UX, data modeling, and predictive accuracy. We look forward to supporting their business development efforts and helping accelerate both their market reach and capital strategy.”

“Our vision is to become the most trusted AI companion in sports betting, and SCCG is the perfect partner to help us push that vision forward. We’ve proven Elite Picks can grow fast and deliver meaningful value to sports fans, and now we’re ready to scale that impact. SCCG understands where the industry is heading, and their support across business development and capital strategy will help us expand into bigger partnerships, new markets, and our next stage of growth. We’re excited to move even faster together.” Said Michael Zakkour, Founder, Elite Picks.

The post SCCG Announces Strategic Partnership with Elite Picks to Accelerate Market Growth, Business Development, and Capital Raise Initiatives appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.