ITCEN Croit is speeding up efforts to build a "Sports Tech Hub," starting with billiards.

ITCEN Croit also unveiled its new billiards business brand, CENCUE, and will move to target the offline market through its directly operated stores and space brand, CENCUE Lounge.

ITCEN Croit made a strategic equity investment in CUESCO, a South Korean billiards scoreboard and digital platform company. It plans to combine CUESCO’s billiards infrastructure with ITCEN Group capabilities in artificial intelligence (AI), cloud and global sports IT to lead the digital transformation (DX) of the billiards industry.

Its goal is to move beyond simply supplying scoreboards and become a "billiards sports tech hub" that vertically integrates AI analysis, education, distribution and global infrastructure.

Founded in 2012, CUESCO is South Korea’s first company specialising in three-cushion billiards scoreboards. It was selected in succession as the official scoreboard for tournaments hosted by the Union Mondiale de Billard (UMB) in 2018 and as the official scoreboard for the Korea Billiards Federation (KBF) division in 2020. It operates a network of 90 franchises and about 200 affiliated stores, including the billiards hall franchise "CUESCO Park."

ITCEN Croit and CUESCO will roll out their business in earnest around strategic projects to enhance the value chain across the billiards industry. Specifically, they plan to organically combine a "premium space business" aimed at a multi-purpose cultural space that caters to Gen MZ and female customers, a "digital billiards academy" that provides tailored lessons using AI-based data analysis and augmented reality (AR) content, franchise equipment development and distribution, and a "global business" that targets overseas markets based on ITCEN Croit’s strengths in global sports tech.

ITCEN Croit plans to review a gradual rebranding of directly operated stores and franchises starting with CENCUE Lounge. It also plans to build brand trust through sports marketing, including hosting its own billiards tournaments, sponsoring promising players and holding sponsorship tournaments with partner companies.

Woo-sung Kim (김우성), chief executive of ITCEN Croit, said, "Billiards is an attractive market with a broad base of enthusiasts, a pro league and an international federation system, but digital innovation is only at the starting stage." He added, "With CUESCO, the No. 1 operator in Korea, we will transform billiards into a premium sports culture enjoyed across generations and genders through precise AI analysis, AR guidance and a premium space experience."