Given the growing importance of the sports industry in economic, social, and cultural dimensions, sports startups play a key role in driving innovation, creating employment, and fostering economic growth within this sector. As the performance of these startups emerges within a complex network of interactions among various institutions, understanding the mechanisms of their ecosystem and identifying its key actors is essential.



This study aimed to identify and categorize the key actors of Iran's sports startup ecosystem using a qualitative approach and thematic analysis method. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 18 key figures from academic, managerial, and entrepreneurial domains in the sports industry and subsequently analyzed.



The findings revealed that the key actors in Iran's sports startup ecosystem can be classified into five categories: identities, entities, regulatory and policymaking bodies, strategic actors, and operational agents. In total, 2 identities, 2 entities, 8 regulatory and policymaking institutions, 29 strategic actors, and 98 operational agents were identified and categorized.



The results of this research, by providing a structured portrayal of influential actors within the sports startup ecosystem, can serve as a practical roadmap for emerging startups, policymakers, and stakeholders to effectively develop this ecosystem in Iran.