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🔶Diamonds in the [Tech] Rough: The first failure: In 2016, we embarked on a bold journey with the launch of HYPE, fueled by a vision to bridge the gap between sports tech startups and industry giants. My co-founder, armed with invaluable insights from Adidas, and I leveraged our deep networks to champion the cause of emerging innovators. The first failure: We initiated a program dedicated to identifying and nurturing startups that represented the real “diamonds” of innovation. Despite our enthusiasm and industry connections, none of the startups managed to secure a deal or even a pilot test with the brands during that period. The feedback was… Full story: #AI #SportsTech #Sportsbiz #News #Media #Sports HYPE Sports Innovation

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Youth sports is getting more professional 🤝 The US youth sports industry is estimated to be ~$30-$40bn according to the Aspen Institute Sports & Society and is still a relatively fragmented industry. Youth sports originated as a decentralized ecosystem largely supported by community-based, recreational programs. This structure allowed for a low-cost and accessible way for kids to participate in sports. Eventually, youth sports became more competitive with the rise of private clubs, travel teams, and pay-to-play structures. Kids are specializing in sports earlier on as seen from recent studies. One study by the NFHS saw that 27% of kids aged 6 - 18 participate in only one sport. The growing prevalence of travel leagues (i.e. AAU, Little League Baseball, etc.) and the need for individual coaching are adding significant financial commitments for families. When I was a competitive swimmer, I had to pay for private lessons in addition to my SwimMAC Carolina membership, and I often traveled across the country for national competitions. Rising costs in youth sports have created financial barriers, especially for lower-income families, deepening socioeconomic disparities in participation. Parents now often view youth sports as a pathway to college scholarships or professional careers, with families spending an average of ~$883 per kid per season, and with some spending as much as ~$2,068 annually per kid according to the Aspen Institute. However, there have recently been efforts to improve the parent and athlete experience for youth sports as seen with the launch of Unrivaled Sports in March 2024 by Josh Harris and David Blitzer which operates as the parent company for their growing portfolio of youth sports properties (i.e. Ripken Baseball and Soccer Youth) to expand participation across sports in their portfolio. By introducing world-class facilities and events with premium amenities like the Cooperstown All Star Village for baseball and ForeverLawn Sports Complex for football, Unrivaled is disrupting the painful and frustrating experience of traditional mom and pop organizations. The youth sports landscape is shifting - now it’s time to level the playing field ⚽️ — In week 16, I ran 24.5 miles at an average pace of 8:07 minutes per mile. I’m raising money for the non-profit, Active Plus, that is promoting mental health through physical activity for the at-risk youth in NYC. 👇Please Donate Below👇 http://bit.ly/44JQeb9

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Financial details and exact figures were not disclosed by A24 and Thrive Capital, but sources confirm to Variety the investment from Thrive Capital gives it a valuation of about $3.5 billion — a 40% increase since A24’s most recent round of funding in 2022, which was $225 million at a $2.5 billion valuation. Kushner’s New York-based investment firm has previously backed Instagram, Spotify, Stripe and other companies, and together with his wife, Karlie Kloss, leads Bedford Media (which owns i-D Magazine and is planning to relaunch LIFE magazine). He is younger brother of Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law and former White House adviser. In addition to Thrive Capital’s investment, A24 has also received “increased support” from existing investors who participated in the previous round of funding, per the studio. Founded in New York in 2012 by Daniel Katz, David Fenkel and John Hodges, A24 boasts a catalog of 150 films and 50 TV series and has garnered 16 Oscars, 14 Golden Globes and 18 Emmys. A24’s business also includes 2AM, Half Magic and the Cherry Lane theater. In 2021, A24 explored a sale with a floated asking price of $2.5 billion to $3 billion. Source: Variety

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⚽️ Even More Celebrity Investment in Soccer Teams While Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney weren't the first ever celebrity investors into a soccer team, their investment in Wrexham AFC has made the pair the prototypical celebrity investors in a soccer team. Wrexham has become "Hollywood's Team" and is considered a template for what many other influencers are trying to replicate--across different sports, different geographies, and different levels. Ryan and Rob are basically thought leaders when it comes to celebrities getting into the sports business and now they've bought a stake in Mexican soccer club Necaxa. Alongside other celebrity investors like Eva Longoria, Ryan and Rob have the opportunity to build another success story like Wrexham. Two interesting factors here are A) the role of content and B) the choice of geography. A large part of Wrexham's success has come from their FX series "Welcome to Wrexham," and and overall focus on creating relevant social media content. Will they employ a similarly aggressive content strategy for Club Necaxa, maybe even creating a docuseries about the club? And in the very global world of soccer, Ryan and Rob have strategically decided to pick a team in Mexico as their next focus. With the World Cup being hosted across Mexico, Canada, and the US in 2026 and Liga MX as the most watched soccer league in America, buying a team in Mexico makes a lot more sense vs. buying a soccer team in many other countries. More influencers will be investing in more sports teams and on an international scale, influencer-sports tea fit will be an important factor to ensure successful investments. https://lnkd.in/e3uS_vqR #football #soccer #sportsinvestment #sports #sport #media #entertainment #sportsbusiness #celebrity #influencer

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As someone who played competitive tennis growing up, Roger Federer’s message at Dartmouth's commencement resonated with me and should inspire startup founders everywhere. As one of the greatest tennis players of all time, Federer pointed out that, despite his huge success in matches, he actually only won 54% of all the points he ever played. He went on to share: "When you’re playing a point, it is the most important thing in the world. But when it’s behind you, it’s behind you... This mindset is really crucial, because it frees you to fully commit to the next point… and the next one after that… with intensity, clarity and focus. The truth is, whatever game you play in life... sometimes you’re going to lose. A point, a match, a season, a job... it’s a roller coaster, with many ups and downs. And it’s natural, when you’re down, to doubt yourself. To feel sorry for yourself. And by the way, your opponents have self-doubt, too. Don’t ever forget that. But negative energy is wasted energy. You want to become a master at overcoming hard moments. That to me is the sign of a champion." When you're a founder, you're in a fierce battle every day - sometimes against competitors, sometimes against markets, and sometimes against yourself. The most successful founders accept that they'll get a lot wrong but have a mindset to adapt and bounce back from setbacks as quickly as possible. It's not about winning every point. It's about winning the most important points. Because often the victory comes down to a slim margin. https://lnkd.in/g6JRcSee

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I’m excited to share my new monthly series on emerging VC talent! In the inaugural edition, I interviewed Mara Chaben, Principal at Hawke Ventures. Hawke Ventures is an early-stage venture fund that invests in Commerce Enablement Tech, MarTech and AdTech. TL;DR: Key Takeaways- 🔥 Hot Take: At the core, investors are nurturers. Mindfulness and presence are underestimated tools. 💻 Best Practices: Develop an ownership mindset, practice active listening, and be open to trying new things. ⚡ Setting Up for Success: A good mentor invests in your growth, connects you with key people, and nudges you out of your comfort zone. When exploring a new industry, network with experts, and share insights for mutual value. 💸 Industry Outlook: Possibly fewer dollars flowing into independent funds, private companies staying private longer, and CVCs coming out on top. You can check out the full writeup linked in the comments. If there is an emerging talent you think I should feature, comment below or send me a DM! #emergingvc #vctalent #vcoutlook

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This year, I had the pleasure of attending my first SXSW fest in Austin and I finally got to see what all the hype was about! Next year, I have the privilege of being a judge for SXSW Pitch in 2025. Huge opportunity to showcase your startup in one of the biggest pitch competitions of the year and get in front of the massive SXSW ecosystem. Wondering if your startup is eligible? Here's all the eligibility criteria: 🌟 The company’s product and/or service must have been conceived no earlier than January 1, 2022. 🌟 Each company may only enter one product or service into SXSW Pitch. A company that enters multiple products or services is not eligible to participate in SXSW Pitch. 🌟 Startups are encouraged to apply to multiple SXSW competitions — SXSW Pitch, SXSW Innovative Awards, and SXSW EDU Launch (if you are an education-related startup). But because we want to showcase as many different compelling startups as possible at SXSW, know that your startup will only be selected as a finalist in one of these three competitions. 🌟 Founders of the company applying must retain some portion of ownership. The Company must not have raised over ten (10) Million Dollars in funding from combined funding sources. 🌟 Startups should be legally registered and compliant with all relevant regulations and laws in their respective jurisdictions. 🌟 The product or service must fall into one of the SXSW Pitch categories. And what might those pitch categories be? ... ⭕️ Enterprise, Smart Data, FinTech & Future of Work ⭕️ Entertainment, Media, Sports & Content ⭕️ Extended Reality, Web3, Voice & Robotics ⭕️ HealthTech, MedTech, BioTech & Accessibility (new for 2025) ⭕️ Innovative World Tech ⭕️ Security, GovTech & Space (new for 2025) ⭕️ Smart Cities, Transportation & Sustainability ⭕️ Student Startups Feel free to reach out if you have any additional questions or check out this website for more info. https://lnkd.in/eKW25a_F Early bird app deadline is Sept. 8 so just about a month away! #sxsw #sxswpitch

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