Tim Cahill has invested in Australian sports technology platform Nardo and joined it as a strategic partner, as the company closes a AUD $1 million pre-seed funding round.
Founded by Beau Catley, Nardo is building software that helps grassroots and semi-professional sports clubs design, manage and order teamwear through a single digital system. The funding will support expansion into the United States, the United Kingdom and the Middle East, where it is targeting demand from local sporting organisations.
Catley started the company after a request from a local sports club exposed inefficiencies in the teamwear supply chain. He then worked with grassroots and semi-professional clubs across football and rugby league to map the process from design and sampling to production and delivery before developing the platform with co-founders Rhys Adams and Adam Famularo.
Nardo says its platform replaces a manual process involving more than 130 touchpoints with a single digital workflow for sports organisations. It also connects clubs to a global manufacturing network for custom teamwear orders.
Cahill said he invested because of the role grassroots sport plays in football and the operational problem Nardo is trying to solve for clubs.
"Grassroots football is where everything starts, it's the heartbeat of the game globally," said Tim Cahill, strategic partner at Nardo.
"But for too long, local clubs have been stuck with outdated systems just to get players on the pitch. What Nardo is building gives clubs access to better tools, stronger identity and a far more professional experience.
"What impressed me is that this isn't just an apparel business, it's technology solving a real operational problem for clubs. The opportunity globally is massive and I believe Nardo is building something that can genuinely change how grassroots sport operates."
Nardo sees the United States as an important target market because of the size of its youth and grassroots sports sector. It also reports early traction in the United Kingdom, Canada and the Middle East, with clubs preparing to join the platform ahead of a broader international rollout.
The platform
Nardo Experience, the company's core product, lets clubs create custom apparel ranges, build digital lookbooks and collections, access live pricing and quoting, manage approvals and sampling workflows, and track production and delivery.
Catley said the company was built to address process failures, not just product issues.
"The issue was never just the product, it was the entire operating model," said Beau Catley, founder of Nardo.
"Clubs were navigating fragmented suppliers, unclear pricing and manual processes that created friction at every stage. We built Nardo to simplify the entire experience and give clubs one connected system from design through to delivery."
He said the broader aim is to bring systems used at the professional level into grassroots sport.
"This is about modernising the infrastructure behind grassroots sport," Catley said.
"Professional clubs have had access to world-class systems, branding and operational support for years. Grassroots clubs deserve that same experience."
Cahill also linked the business to the everyday experience of local football clubs.
"It's a really exciting time to be launching, with all eyes on the World Cup and the Socceroos. I can't wait to see how the tournament unfolds and join the rest of Australia in cheering them on. At the same time, football starts for all of us down at the local park, and that is where Nardo is going to make a real difference." Cahill said.