When Viking celebrated the league title, Yann-Erik de Lanlay was honoured on the pitch together with his children after 341 matches in the dark blue shirt. A few weeks later he took his first step into life after football: As an investor in Synlig.ai. The regional newspaper Aftenbladet described it as the start of a new chapter, and for us it was the start of a partnership we are proud of.
Why a football profile chose AI visibility
Yann-Erik has said it himself in interviews: He has always played with the idea of investing in companies with good ideas he believes in, and for him it is not just about returns but about joining a journey, learning and contributing where he can. The choice landed on Synlig.ai, where he invested a six figure sum and became part of the team.
There is a local story in the connection too. Both Yann-Erik and our CEO William Eilertsen are from Vaulen in Stavanger, just two years apart, and they actually attended the same primary school. That their paths crossed again in a technology company many years later says something about how small the world is, and how much networks and trust matter when building a company.
What he contributes
Yann-Erik now plays for Sandnes Ulf, combining football with his engagement in Synlig.ai. His contribution centres on what he knows best: Sport and the network around it. We work on helping football clubs' sponsors strengthen their visibility in AI generated answers, and the insight of someone who has lived inside the sponsorship landscape for over a decade is invaluable. He knows what partners actually get from a sponsorship, and what they should expect in a time when customers ask ChatGPT instead of Google.
The thinking is the same as in our partnership with Frisk Asker: Clubs carry strong local authority, and it can be converted into measurable AI visibility for both the club and the businesses around it. For sponsors it often comes down to simple steps, like documenting the partnership digitally so AI models can actually read it. Much of this follows the same recipe as our guide on AI visibility for local businesses.
Sport as the common thread
With Viktor Granholm on the ice for Frisk Asker and Yann-Erik with a Viking past and a Sandnes Ulf present, sport has become a common thread in Synlig.ai. That is no coincidence. Elite athletes instinctively understand the most important principle in our field: Your position exists whether you measure it or not, and it only improves through systematic work. If you want to see where your brand sits in the table, book a demo and we will measure it together.