Bolt Ventures, the family office of prominent US sports franchise owner David Blitzer, and wealth management fund Blue Pool Capital have led a new funding round that has invested in the German SailGP Team.
Both will serve as minority investors in the team, which is owned by German media businessman Thomas Riedel, with prominent co-owners including former racing driver Sebastian Vettel and esports mogul Ralf Reichert.
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Speaking on the new investment, Biltzer said: “SailGP combines elite global sport, cutting-edge technology, and a growing international fanbase. We’re excited to partner with Thomas [Riedel] and Sebastian [Vettel], whose leadership, values, and long-term vision for the German team strongly align with how we approach investments in world-class sports platforms.”
Blitzer adds the sailing team to a sports investment portfolio that already includes Crystal Palace of English soccer’s top-tier Premier League, FC Augsburg of Germany's Bundesliga, the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL), the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers, North American soccer teams Real Salt Lake (MLS) and Utah Royals (NWSL), motorcycle racing’s Tech3 MotoGP team, and the League One Volleyball competition’s Austin franchise.
Blue Pool Capital, meanwhile, is a multi-family office investing on behalf of several co-founders of tech giant Alibaba.
This includes Taiwanese-Canadian billionaire Joe Tsai, co-founder, who owns the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets, the WNBA’s New York Liberty, and the Barclays Center venue, and also holds minority stakes in the Miami Dolphins NGL franchise and the LAFC soccer team (MLS).
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By GlobalDataOther investors in this funding round include Segovia Capital chief executive, Lester Fernandes, Maximilian Arnold (German soccer player for top-flight side VfL Wolfsburg), and energy solutions company Viessmann Generations Group.
The German SailGP Team, title sponsored by Deutsche Bank, is one of 13 in the series, which has been expanded for its 2026 season.
This season began on January 17 and 18 in Australia with the Oracle Perth Sail Grand Prix presented by KPMG, which was won by reigning champions Emirates Great Britain.
The series’ annual Germany race, held in Sassnitz, will take place from August 22 to 23.
