In this episode of the SportsTech All-Stars Podcast, we present Eddie Lewis, Founder and President of TOCA Football.The conversation explores how a self-taught training method, built around a tennis ball machine, became the foundation of one of the most well-funded sports tech companies in the world, and how TOCA Football is now expanding beyond youth training into competitive socialisation with TOCA Social.TakeawaysA self-developed training concept can become a $200M+ business if the underlying insight is strong enoughLegacy team training formats are inefficient at addressing individual technical gaps in soccer playersTOCA Football's tech evolved from a basic ball machine to an adaptive, AI-driven training systemCompetitive socialisation is a macro trend reshaping how fans engage with sport beyond playing or watchingPerformance tech is moving downstream — from elite clubs to everyday players and youth programsYouth sports investment is accelerating and remains a high-conviction area for operators and investorsThe 2026 World Cup in the US is a once-in-a-generation commercial moment for the soccer industryTeams and venues that build a flywheel between training and entertainment will define the next eraTo learn more, visit: https://www.tocafootball.com Get in touch with Eddie Lewis at: linkedin.com/in/eddielewisHosted by ⁠Rohn Malhotra⁠ from ⁠SportsTechX⁠ - Leading source of Investment and Innovation insights in sports. STX Intelligence Hub: sports tech company, investor, and deal database: intelligence.sportstechx.comAs promised, here's your small surprise:Unlock your 30-day growth plan (worth €49) on the SportsTechX Intelligence Hub for free!Simply verify your company details and you get access to 1,500+ investors, programmes, initiatives and events in the sportstech ecosystem.⁠Here's how to get set up⁠ and if you'd like a walkthrough of the platform, feel free to book a call ⁠here⁠.More from SportsTechX:Explore the SportsTechX Intelligence Hub, an interactive database of over 8,000 sports tech companies, 8,000+ deals, 1,000+ investors, programs and events - ⁠HERE⁠Download the latest Global Sports Tech Ecosystem Report - ⁠HERE⁠Sign Up for the Sports Tech Weekly Newsletter for more news, features & insights on Sports Tech - ⁠HERE ⁠Stay Connected and follow for more:⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠Apple PodcastChapters00:00 Introduction03:14 The Origin of TOCA Football and Eddie's Playing Career 07:05 Why Individual Technical Training Didn't Exist in Soccer 09:59 Raising $200M and Finding Product-Market Fit 14:17 How TOCA's Technology Has Evolved 15:27 Playing Alongside David Beckham at LA Galaxy 17:53 TOCA Social and the Competitive Socialisation Trend 21:14 Macro Trends in Sports Tech Investment 26:13 The 2026 World Cup Opportunity and What's Next for TOCA30:49 Favourite Sporting Moment: 2002 World Cup

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