Just days before leading the Philadelphia Eagles to a historic Super Bowl win against the Kansas City Chiefs in New Orleans, running back Saquon Barkley announced he had joined Ramp as an investor. The New York-based financial operations platform is designed to save companies time and money and is Barkley’s largest private technology investment. “I’ve always believed a winning mindset applies to every part of life,” Barkley said in a press release. “If you want to dominate, you don’t switch off when the clock hits zero, and I demand that
Mark Clayton, a former NFL player, raised $1 million in funding for his LIVV Audio brand of high-performance headphones he designed in high school. The wide receiver, who spent most of his seven-year career with the Baltimore Ravens, created the headphones for athletes and those interested in fitness. Clayton’s Idea Clayton started designing the concept for his headphones while studying business administration and management at Babson College. However, the idea for the headphones came to Clayton during his pool-based rehab sessions after recovering from a knee injury when he joined the
Myles Garrett, the Cleveland Browns’ defensive end, is investing in Johnson Energy Storage (JES), a company founded by former NASA scientist and National Inventors Hall of Fame inductee Dr. Lonnie Johnson. JES focuses on developing energy storage solutions, particularly a solid-state battery designed to outperform traditional lithium-ion technology. Garrett’s unexpected move into the tech world is driven by a shared vision with JES to innovate and make a long-lasting impact on environmental sustainability. “It’s a privilege to partner with Johnson Energy Storage to support their mission of transforming energy storage,”
New York Giants defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux has been named a venture partner in The Collectiv, a new $20 million venture capital fund focused on early-stage sports tech companies and emerging leagues. Strategic Investment for Life After Football Thibodeaux’s partnership with The Collectiv reflects his broader ambition to establish a strong business presence while still actively competing in the NFL, as first reported by Spotico. The fund, which aims to raise $20 million over the next six months, includes a consortium of athletes, sports executives, and industry leaders from major
Former NFL quarterback and activist Colin Kaepernick has announced the launch of Lumi, an AI-powered storytelling platform. Lumi aims to change the storytelling process, allowing individuals to create, publish, and monetize their stories regardless of their skill set. The platform offers end-to-end story creation, simple AI tools, and both physical and digital publishing options, making it easier for creators to bring their stories to life. With the added benefit of built-in merchandising, creators retain full ownership of their work, bypassing traditional industry gatekeepers. Addressing Gaps in Storytelling Kaepernick’s inspiration for
Dr. Kimberly Clay, founder of Play Like A Girl, is using her passion for STEM and sports to teach young women how to become executive leaders in the corporate field. Play Like A Girl is a charitable organization fighting to help every girl – no matter their background – reach their full potential in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) industry. Since 2019, Play Like a Girl has partnered with the NFL to infuse the sports discipline with the skillset needed to excel in STEM. Play Like A Girl is
NFL Star Jonathan Taylor has invested $6 million into Sports Tech company Strive in a Series A funding round. The funding round, led by venture capital firm, Future Communities Capital, included a range of investors, including SeaChange Fund and Seed to B Capital. NFL quarterback Troy Smith and Jonathan Taylor were new investors who also participated. Strive, founded by Nikola Mrvaljevic in 2016, aims to provide accurate muscle data to athletes and teams. Mrvaljevic decided to launch the company after seeing that college coaches welcomed his ideas on using data
The National Football League has announced its partnership with Ice Cube’s Contract With Black America Institute (CWBA) to support Black-owned businesses and increase diversity amongst NFL vendors. In addition, the partnership aims to boost the economic equity within Black communities by tackling the wealth gap and offering various opportunities in the financial, tech, and production sectors. The CWBA was launched in 2020 by rapper, actor, and filmmaker Ice Cube, alongside his business partner and entertainment lawyer, Jeff Kwatinetz, and works to address the systemic racism in the sports industry. In
