The former professional footballer is joining zone14 as a strategic investor, bringing his experience across a wide range of international football markets to the sports tech company.
VIENNA, AUSTRIA — 23 September 2026 — Former Austria captain Marc Janko is joining Vienna-based sports tech company zone14 as a strategic investor.
Janko’s long playing career took him to clubs across Austria and a number of international markets. He will now bring his expertise and network to zone14, providing valuable input as the company continues to develop.
International expansion
zone14 develops AI-powered video and performance analysis solutions for football and is already demonstrating the international scalability of its technology across more than ten countries.
More than 200 systems are currently in use worldwide, ranging from league-wide deployments such as Cyprus’s top professional division to established clubs including SK Rapid, FK Austria Wien and SV Darmstadt 98.
“Our goal is to use AI-powered automation to simplify complex analysis workflows, making valuable insights accessible in day-to-day training environments around the world without the need for a large team of analysts,” explains Co-CEO Simon Schmiderer.
From professional leagues to grassroots football
For Marc Janko, the practical benefits of the technology were a key factor behind his decision to invest.
“As a striker, milliseconds can make the difference. zone14 combines video and AI-powered data in a way that makes it immediately usable — without expensive GPS vests or additional hardware. That takes a huge amount of effort out of the day-to-day work."
"What excites me is that this gives not only top clubs, but also the wider football community the opportunity to work like the professionals.”
With zone14 STATS, performance metrics such as distance covered, sprints and heatmaps are generated directly from video footage.
Co-Founder and CTO Lukas Grömer sees Janko’s involvement as an important part of the company’s continued growth.
“Marc understands football at the highest international level and knows what useful feedback means from a player’s perspective. His experience and network are extremely valuable to us as we enter new markets.”
With Marc Janko, zone14 adds another internationally recognised voice to its network.
The current Sky football pundit joins a strong group of investors that includes successful Austrian founders and former professional footballers.
About zone14
zone14 is a Vienna-based sports tech company developing AI-powered player data, automated camera systems, video analysis and live-streaming solutions for clubs, academies and football associations.
The platform combines automated match recording with video analysis and video-based player tracking, allowing performance data to be generated without GPS wearables or additional hardware for players.
zone14 systems are currently in use at more than 200 clubs across more than ten countries.