Romanian startup Nordensa secures €1.65M for its football talents platform

Nordensa, a Cluj-Napoca-based startup that provides a fan-powered platform for football talents, has secured €1.65 million in a seed round. The round took place with the participation of the company’s Advisory Board and Head of Marketing at Manchester City Football Club.

• Nordensa was founded in 2022 by Adrian Docea and Guilherme Fernandes and is currently headquartered in Cluj-Napoca. The company provides a platform for scout use, where fans can support football players to join major European clubs, acting as their backers.
• At the moment, the company operates across Europe, having established partnerships with clubs like Standard de Liege, Real Zaragoza, Kawasaki Frontale, and others, as well as several football academies around the world. In 2023, Nordensa signed Joseph Iyendjock, the world’s first-ever fan-backed footballer, to a European club.

Football boasts over 5 billion passionate fans worldwide, yet ownership and decision-making have traditionally been confined to a select few. We’re poised to change that narrative, empowering dedicated fans with the ability to shape the future of the sport,

Adrian Docea, one of the co-founder, stated.

• The round saw participation from the company’s Advisory Board, including Burnley FC club owner Alan Pace and former Saatchi & Saatchi CEO and Head of Marketing at Manchester City Football Club, Chris Kay.
• In addition, Emiliano Marcondes, AFC Bournemouth player, Lasse Vibe, former Denmark international, and Mads Davidsen, the Group Head of Football at the Right to Dream Academy, also joined the round.

After the investment, Nordensa plans to announce partnerships with European clubs and academies. The startup will also expand into new territories and add additional sports into the platform. With a current valuation of €15 million, Nordensa plans to secure an additional €1.5 million in funding on the way to a Series A round later this year.