Ao1 Holdings Inc.

Market position

Positioned as an insurance technology company built by athletes for athletes in the amateur sports insurance market, and as an alternative entrant in the college loss-of-value and critical injury coverage niche, a space described as historically volatile and litigious.

Combines a risk management SaaS platform with insurance underwriting and brokerage, using injury and compliance data collected from sports organizations to price coverage; leadership and staff drawn substantially from athlete backgrounds.

Technology

Proprietary risk management software used to track compliance, injuries and insurance for sports organizations, integrated through partnerships with sports management platforms; protocol evidence tracking is used to generate injury management insights that inform underwriting.

Go-to-market

The company distributes through partnerships with national sports governing bodies and sports management platforms, and has used brand ambassadors — in April 2025 it announced that former ESPN NBA reporter and St. Bonaventure basketball GM Adrian Wojnarowski had joined as a brand ambassador as part of an insurance partnership with the Bonnies program.

Amateur and youth sports organizations, national governing bodies and college athletics programs, plus the athletes they cover; partnerships include US Youth Soccer, USA Cheer, USA Boxing and the St. Bonaventure basketball program.

Geography

Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota (701 N. 3rd St. #210), with clients served in the United States and Canada.

History

Launched in 2015 as Ao1 Solutions Inc., the company initially raised $1.31 million via convertible notes from investors and firms largely in Burks' hometown of Chicago. In March 2018 it began an equity crowdfunding campaign seeking up to $106,699 to fund two months of operating expenses while pursuing a Series A; that campaign closed in February 2019 without meeting its goal. By July 2019 the business secured $2 million under the newly restructured parent entity Ao1 Holdings Inc. and began expanding its leadership team. Greenlight Re Innovations invested in April 2021, a $28 million round led by Mastry Ventures and SiriusPoint was announced in March 2024, and a $60 million round closed in December 2024, bringing total investment past $100 million.

Risks & controversies

A Sportico review of public records found that since 2021 Tyrre Burks or Players Health has faced at least nine regulatory actions by state insurance commissioners in seven states, mostly for untimely filings and failures to disclose prior administrative actions: a Kentucky penalty for late surplus lines tax filing (March 2021); a Kansas consent agreement with a $100 fine (July 2021); a Washington consent order for nondisclosure (November 2021); a Louisiana penalty (March 2022); a denied Kansas license application (March 2022); an Indiana agreed entry with a $1,500 fine (October 2022); a $500 Wisconsin fine (November 2022); a $2,500 New York Department of Financial Services fine (April 2024); and a $2,000 Wisconsin fine (July 2024). The company described these as procedural oversights that were promptly corrected and said it has implemented improved compliance protocols, engaged third-party licensing experts and that all licenses are in good standing. The college loss-of-value and critical injury insurance market it entered is characterized by boom-and-bust cycles and litigation over disputed policies.