Ida Sports, the women’s athletic footwear brand based in Baltimore, raised $3 million in a funding round led by CoverFour, a sports performance investment firm co-founded and led by Marucci Sports co-founder Joe Lawrence.
Originally known for designing soccer cleats aligned strictly to female biomechanics, Ida Sports plans to use the capital to expand into apparel, specialized accessories, and support its recent expansion into lacrosse, flag football, and rugby cleats. The brand was founded in 2018 by Laura Youngson and Ben Sandhu.
CoverFour, based in Baton Rouge, LA, will lend its product development expertise to refine the female-specific designs. Past investments from CoverFour include Chandler Bats, based in East Norriton, PA; Legion, a maker of football protective gear; SweetSpot, a maker of recreational, backyard-friendly sports and outdoor equipment; Luccini, a maker of baseball uniforms, products and gear developed by former MLB players; and Throne Sport Coffee, co-founded by NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes; and Alliat, a maker of pickleball equipment.
The funding will also help Ida build a direct-to-organisation sales team to reach more teams and clubs. Ida Sports has partnered with the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) as its official women’s cleat and supplied gear to players in the USL Super League Players Association.
“The investment allows Ida to expand beyond footwear into new product categories, with more to share soon. It will also help us build out a stronger direct-to-organization sales capability so we can reach more teams and clubs,” said Rachel LaSala, Ida’s chief operating officer. “Above all, it means we can keep serving the girls and women who deserve gear designed and built for them, backed by ongoing testing, trialing, and research.”
Image courtesy Ida Sports