Peripheral Labs is building a volumetric video platform aimed at making live sports more engaging as leagues and broadcasters look for new ways to address declining viewership among younger audiences. The Canada-based startup is focused on reducing the cost and complexity of 3D video capture so immersive, multi-angle sports viewing can reach more teams, broadcasters, and fans.
Shifts In Sports Viewership And Broadcast Experiments
Multiple reports have shown that live sports viewership has fallen for certain sports, particularly among Gen Z audiences. In response, leagues and broadcasters have been experimenting with alternative viewing formats that include richer statistics, deeper analysis, and interactive experiences.
One approach gaining attention is volumetric video generation, which allows viewers to watch a play from multiple angles, similar to camera control in video games. The technique relies on capturing footage with many cameras and reconstructing it in three dimensions so viewers can change perspectives freely.
Founders And Technical Background
Peripheral Labs was founded in 2024 by Kelvin Cui and Mustafa Khan. Both previously worked on autonomous vehicle projects with the University of Toronto’s driverless car team, where they won several competitions. Khan later worked as a researcher at Huawei, while Cui worked as a software engineer on chassis systems at Tesla.
Cui said the idea for the company emerged after Khan shared research on 3D reconstruction. Cui, who grew up watching hockey, said the technology suggested a way to watch sports in a more fluid, multi-angle format that traditional broadcasts cannot provide.
The founders said volumetric video has existed for years, but recent advances in AI models and computer vision make it more practical to deploy at scale.
Reducing Hardware Costs With Fewer Cameras
Peripheral Labs is applying techniques from robotics perception and autonomous driving to sports video reconstruction. According to Cui and Khan, their system can reduce the number of cameras needed from more than 100 to as few as 32, lowering both cost and operational complexity.
The company said its goal is to keep hardware requirements minimal so teams and broadcasters can adopt the technology more easily. Peripheral Labs plans to offer its platform through multi-year contracts.
Interactive Viewing And Player Data
Beyond camera angles, the platform is designed to generate biomechanical data and performance statistics using its own sensor stack, which captures depth information in a way similar to self-driving car systems.
The company said the system enables new viewing controls for broadcasters and fans. Viewers could follow a single player throughout a play, pause action at key moments, or examine incidents such as fouls from multiple angles using photorealistic 3D reconstruction.
On the analytics side, the software can track joint movement, including fine motions such as finger and ankle flexion. Peripheral Labs said this data could help coaches better understand player positioning, movement efficiency, and flexibility.
Product Positioning And Competitive Landscape
Cui said the company works with off-the-shelf cameras, but differentiates itself through how the hardware and software are packaged, allowing deployments to scale from small training facilities to large stadiums.
Peripheral Labs competes with other companies working on volumetric capture for sports, including Arcturus Studios. The startup has not publicly named its partners but said it is in discussions with multiple teams and leagues across North America.
Funding And Hiring Plans
The company raised a $3.6 million seed round led by Khosla Ventures, with participation from Daybreak Capital, Entrepreneurs First, and Transpose Platform.
Joe Ros, a partner at Entrepreneurs First, said investors are often cautious about sports-focused startups but viewed Peripheral Labs as both a sports and entertainment company. He said the founders’ work in sports could create long-term advantages in data, deployment, and technology.
Peripheral Labs said it was selective in choosing investors who could support product development and go-to-market strategy. The startup currently employs 10 engineers and plans to expand its team, focusing on platform and hardware development to lower costs, reduce system latency, and improve 3D reconstruction resolution.
Featured image credits: LMS Brewing
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