NFL Star Kayvon Thibodeaux and Leading Sports Executives Back Industry's First Community-Powered SportsTech VC Fund, The Collectiv
Fund targeting sportstech startups, professional sports franchises, and leagues, with initial investments in Sail GP’s Team USA, nVenue, ON and Videon.
HOUSTON -- The Collectiv, a community-powered venture capital fund focused on investing in early-to-growth stage sports technology startups, franchises, and leagues, today announced the launch and first close of its debut fund with LP commitments from industry leading sports executives, advisors, and professional athletes, including New York Giants outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux.
The fund’s initial strategic investments include Team USA of the global sailing competition Sail GP, live video production startup Videon, predictive analytics and micro-betting technology platform nVenue, and conversational AI platform ON.
“As sports have become a highly attractive investment asset class for sovereign funds, high-net-worth individuals, and family offices, we recognized the need to engage, empower, educate, and democratize access to venture investing for those sports industry leaders who have made significant contributions to its exponential growth but have historically been left out of this wealth-building asset class,” said Ashley DeWalt, co-founder and managing partner at The Collectiv.
Mercury Fund, a Houston-based early-stage VC firm with $1 billion in AUM, is a strategic partner in The Collectiv, with Mercury co-founder and Managing Partner Blair Garrou serving as a senior advisor. Other venture partners and advisors to The Collectiv include C-Suite leaders from the NBA, NFL, MLS, MLB, NCAA, UFC, Fanatics, Teamworks, SeatGeek, Nike; and, executives from leading tech companies such as Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Apple, and Meta.
“Advancements in sports technology not only impact my training regimen on the football field, but also form new ways for me to connect with my fans,” said Thibodeaux. “The Collectiv’s community-powered sports tech fund is perfect for athlete investors like myself who are passionate about staying at the forefront of sports industry innovation.”
The global sports technology market was valued at $14.7 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach $55 billion by 2030. Collectiv’s diverse investor base will help accelerate growth in its portfolio companies, which maintain significant industry traction, led by the NBA’s investment in nVenue and Sail GP’s U.S. broadcast viewership record on CBS. Collectiv portfolio companies ON and Videon have also integrated their technologies with teams and venues across major sports leagues.
About The Collectiv
The Collectiv is a community-powered VC fund for athletes, executives, and advisors across the sports and entertainment industry. With backing from strategic partners Mercury Fund and underdog venture team, The Collectiv focuses on investing in early-to-growth stage sportstech startups, professional sports franchises, and leagues. Our strategic individual investors and advisors come from the sports industry's top startups, brands, agencies, and leagues, such as the NFL, NBA, MLS, MLB, UFC, and NCAA; as well as Meta, Amazon, Nike, Apple and Microsoft.
Media Contact: Andrew Cohen - cohenandrew@gmail.com
