Cody Gakpo Expands Footprint in Venture Investing

Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo is steadily building a parallel career in venture investing, preparing for life beyond football. In a recent LinkedIn post, he explained that 2025 was the year he began “diving deeper” into the space, developing a clear interest in acting as an angel investor backing “ambitious founders and their transforming ideas.”[1]

Gakpo revealed that he has now invested in seven new startups as well as several venture funds, with a particular focus on AI and climate-related technologies.[1] He highlighted three portfolio companies to illustrate his approach and the pace at which some of these businesses are developing.[1]

The first is Fyxer AI, an AI agent designed to organise workflows and handle tasks such as replying to emails.[1] Gakpo joined a $10 million Series A round led by 20VC and noted how quickly the company progressed, securing a further $30 million Series B led by Madrona only a few months later.[1]

He also backed Jack & Jill, an AI hiring agent that interacts with both employees and employers to match candidates and roles more effectively.[1] Gakpo participated in a $20 million Seed round led by Creandum, drawn by the promise of transforming the recruitment process with intelligent automation.[1]

The most personal investment Gakpo cited is SEA Water, a company tackling water scarcity by filtering seawater into an effectively endless supply of drinking water.[1] He described this as an issue close to his heart and praised the firm’s technological solution to a pressing global problem.[1]

Gakpo’s growing portfolio underlines how top-level athletes are increasingly using their platform and capital to engage in high-growth technology sectors, choosing companies with tangible products, real traction, and the potential for significant impact beyond the pitch.[1]