Keystone expands its reach within student athlete placement

Keystone Education Group (Keystone) has acquired two European-based student athlete placement agencies, I-Con Sports (Spain) and Future Elite Sports (UK). Together, the newly acquired companies have extensive experience across soccer and tennis placement. Combined, they send over 3000 students to the United States and the United Kingdom, securing over 60 million dollars in scholarships for their students.

Fulfilling athletic dreams in North America

– Through Keystone Sports, we have helped over 10 000 students in Europe pursue their academic and athletic dreams in North America, says CEO of Keystone Education Group, Fredrik Högemark.

There is a strong desire for student-athletes to study and train in the US and Canada, thanks to the fantastic sports culture, facilities, and funding available alongside excellent higher education.

Expanding offerings in the UK

 – With I-Con Sports and Future Elite Sports, we will help a wider network of students in Spain and the UK accomplish their higher education and competitive sporting goals. We will also be able to expand our placement offerings in the UK, creating opportunities to play sports while pursuing higher education simultaneously, continues Högemark.

– By joining Keystone, I-Con Sports is taking one step further in strengthening its ties with college sports in the US and enhancing its services towards student-athletes. With Keystone, we can offer a complete service covering all needs for a student-athlete aiming to play and study in the US, from high school to a graduate degree, says I-Con Sports CEO and founder Marc Becker 

Financial support for students 

I-Con Sports is also well-known for its “Study and Play” program, which financially supports students during their studies. They developed the program with the Rafa Nadal Foundation and Carlos Costa, former top 10 ATP tennis player, and current Rafa Nadal manager. 

Through Future Elite Sports, Keystone Sports will now also offer students the ability to seek higher education while playing football and rugby in the United Kingdom, in addition to its US placement services. 

Best student-athlete agencies joining forces

– With many of the best student-athlete agencies from across the globe now joining forces as part of Keystone, our student-athletes will have direct access to coaches from every college in America, to showcase events across Europe and to collaborative college tours and experiences, adds Future Elite Sports founder Greg Josling.

– Working closer with Keystone will also open the door for European students to study and compete in the UK as an alternative option, and we are looking forward to enhancing this offering with the help of Keystone, he continues. 

– Through the acquisitions of I-con Sports and Future Elite Sports, Keystone will strengthen it´s position as Europes strongest college sport recruitment service and support more students towards a sport scholarship.  Keystone have historically recruited over 10 000 students athletes and gained over 400 musd in scholarships, states Jostein Vik, Partner at Viking Venture

Extensive growth within Keystone Sports

The deal follows a period of extensive growth within the Keystone Sports division, following earlier acquisition of several European student-placement agencies, including CSUSA, Sport-Scholarships, AGM Sports, and uniexperts. 

It also follows Keystone’s recent acquisition of the German domestic student search platform studddy in early April as the company simultaneously expands its global student search and recruitment operations.