December 3, 2019 - 15:52 AMT
Alexis Ohanian invests in football scouting app

Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian is betting that the world of football scouting is an industry ripe for disruption.

The tech entrepreneur’s Initialized Capital firm is a key investor in Gloria, an app that looks to ease football scouting by providing a platform where players in remote areas can submit standardized material and get noticed in the industry. The app, created by two Argentine entrepreneurs based in Silicon Valley, is set to launch its beta version on Monday in Buenos Aires, Bloomberg reports.

The company is starting with a partnership with Argentina’s Superliga, which encompasses 24 clubs including legendary Boca Juniors and River Plate. Germany and Spain are the next targets for the venture. To make money, the app may charge users for premium features and offer sports-related advertising. The product also will allow nonplayers to participate through a community feature -- an effort supported by Ohanian, who will take a board seat once it’s set up.

“Over half of the world’s population is a fan of football, so the market is obviously massive,” Ohanian said in a statement. “The promise of this app isn’t just to entertain football fans, but to also surface the next generation of talent -- male or female, no matter their connections or economic conditions.”

Ohanian is of Armenian descent. He recently visited Yerevan to participate in the World Congress on Information Technology.