Free Agent raises $1.7M to build a LinkedIn for athletes
What's the deal? Vancouver-based startup Free AgentDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has raised a CAD$2.4 million ($1.7 million) pre-seed round to build a professional networking platform exclusively for athletes. Founder and chief executive officer Kirsten Toth, a former professional hockey player, launched the platform out of beta last week.
How it works: Athletes join free and access job-matching, a marketplace, and training for new careers such as sales. Companies pay to reach the talent pool. Anyone who has been on a roster is eligible — from one-game players to international stars.
Why it exists: Toth wants to ease the difficult transition out of sport. "Our mission at Free Agent is to support athletes and ensure that they have the right opportunities and resources in order to succeed after sport," she told BetaKit.
The pitch: Toth resists comparisons to LinkedIn or IndeedDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, arguing the athlete focus removes the stigma of job-hunting. "Sweat does not show up on a resume," she said. "Who are the people that have proved that they can go the extra mile, get the job done, work harder than anybody else in the world? Who are those people? Athletes."
The product: A standout feature is Brand Arena, a do-it-yourself marketplace connecting athletes and brands for sponsorship deals. Unlike an agent, it takes no fees — a shift Toth likened to what Uber and Airbnb did to taxis and hotels. It emerged after athletes told her agents often neglect them once they retire.
Who's backing it? The round was "non-traditional," with no institutional investors. Instead, roughly 55 angel investors — nearly all former college, professional, or Olympic athletes, including gold medalists — backed it. The total includes CAD$500,000 raised in 2024.
The signal: Free Agent bets that a vertical, community-driven network can carve space against generalist platforms by solving a problem those tools overlook. With an investor base drawn almost entirely from its target users, the startup is building distribution and credibility into its cap table from day one.
Read more: BetaKit
