# Luke Zaientz

> Luke Zaientz is the co-founder and CEO of OTTO SPORT AI, a Minneapolis-based startup building an AI-powered operating system for the messy, multi-billion-dollar world of youth sports. He has spent more than a decade turning the unglamorous back-office of clubs, leagues and tournaments into real businesses: he co-founded Reigning Champs (parent of NCSA College Recruiting), grew it past $200M in annual revenue through ten acquisitions, and saw it sell to IMG Academy and later to EQT in a deal valued at $1.2B. Before sports he co-founded RMG Networks and took it to IPO with Kleiner Perkins backing, and launched Match.com Events from zero to half a million attendees. In January 2026 OTTO SPORT AI launched with a $16.5M seed round co-led by Mamba Growth Equity and Rally Ventures, where Zaientz is also an operating partner.

- **Role:** Co-Founder & CEO at OTTO SPORT AI
- **Organizations:** OTTO SPORT AI, Rally Ventures, Reigning Champs, NCSA College Recruiting, IMG Academy, RMG Networks, Match.com, Play Sports Coalition
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** Graduate degree, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Undergraduate degree, Northeastern University
- **Known for:** Built Reigning Champs (NCSA College Recruiting) from inception to over $200M in annual revenue, Closed and integrated 10 M&A transactions as a youth-sports operator, Reigning Champs sold to Endeavor/IMG Academy and later to EQT in a deal valued at $1.2B

## Career timeline

- **1994** — Graduates from Northeastern University
- **2000** — Earns a graduate degree from MIT
- **2000s** — Launches Match.com Events, scaling from zero to 6,000 events and 500,000 attendees across US and Europe in two years
- **2000s** — Co-founds RMG Networks, a place-based video network company, and scales it to IPO with growth capital from Kleiner Perkins
- **2014** — Co-founds Reigning Champs, building the parent company of NCSA College Recruiting
- **2014-2023** — As founder, COO and CEO leads Reigning Champs past $200M annual revenue and closes 10 M&A transactions; the company sells to Endeavor/IMG Academy and later to EQT for $1.2B
- **2023** — Serves as Chief Strategy Officer at IMG Academy
- **2024** — Joins Rally Ventures as Operating Partner
- **2026** — Launches OTTO SPORT AI with a $16.5M seed round and three strategic acquisitions

## Achievements

- Built Reigning Champs (NCSA College Recruiting) from inception to over $200M in annual revenue
- Closed and integrated 10 M&A transactions as a youth-sports operator
- Reigning Champs sold to Endeavor/IMG Academy and later to EQT in a deal valued at $1.2B
- Co-founded RMG Networks and scaled it to a public-market IPO with Kleiner Perkins backing
- Launched Match.com Events from zero to 6,000 events and 500,000 attendees in two years
- Raised $16.5M seed for OTTO SPORT AI, co-led by Mamba Growth Equity and Rally Ventures
- Acquired Demosphere, Sportwrench and University Athlete to assemble OTTO's platform at launch

## Latest updates

- **2026-01** — OTTO SPORT AI launches publicly with a $16.5M seed round co-led by Mamba Growth Equity and Rally Ventures, plus three strategic acquisitions (Demosphere, Sportwrench, University Athlete).
- **2024** — Joins Rally Ventures as an Operating Partner advising portfolio companies on go-to-market, M&A and pricing.

## Links

- Website: https://ottosport.ai
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lukezaientz

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/luke-zaientz
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-06-22