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Entrepreneurship + Innovation partners
Since our inception, the J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute at ASU has partnered with us to support ventures that provide new solutions in the world of sport. Together, we give those enrolled in the Venture Devils program the opportunity to earn funding for ideas that can impact sport in a positive way. We jointly seek out partners like R/GA Ventures, the Singleton Foundation for Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship, and local sports franchises to expand our programming even further. This partnership has enabled us to provide resources and education to early startups, our previously funded ventures, and ASU athletes and staff.
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JI MI CHOI
VICE PRESIDENT, ASU KNOWLEDGE ENTERPRISE, FOUNDING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, EDSON ENTREPRENEURSHIP + INNOVATION INSTITUTE “I’ve appreciated the collaboration with the Global Sport Institute even more than ever this past year. As we’ve continued to collaborate to support scholar-athlete-entrepreneurs navigating through the pandemic, the changes due to the NCAA name, image and likeness policies, and re-centering support for entrepreneurs, educators, students from middle school to post-college and even post-professional journeys, we’ve rededicated ourselves to making entrepreneurship accessible and the power it may enable for self-determination, greater social impact, and possibilities for economic impact.”
R/GA Ventures
R/GA Ventures launched their Global Sports Venture Studios to bring leading sports organizations to collaborate and engage with the sports innovation ecosystem and bring the future of the fan and athlete experience to life. We have partnered with R/ GA at this nexus point to enhance opportunities in the innovation ecosystem and share expertise and resources that benefit sports entrepreneurs everywhere.
Earlier this year, we partnered with Sun Devil Athletics and J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute at ASU to host the second annual Sun Devil Athletics Venture Challenge. The program provides mentorship, beta testing, and up to $25,000 in funding to support startups in the sports industry while keeping Sun Devil Athletics on the cutting edge of new technology. This year, judges were so impressed with the variety of venture pitches, such as digital apps that address athlete mental health, monetizing NIL, and a volleyball clothing line, that they increased the funding by an additional $10,000.
“ASU has a very special formula of investing in the student-founder at a fundamental level, and GSI founders that I speak with have a global perspective aligned to localized empathy. Seeing previously seeded founders reinvesting into the entrepreneurial ecosystem is a testament to the healthy thriving ecosystem at ASU. ”
STERLING DOUGLAS
PROGRAM DIRECTOR AT R/GA VENTURES
“We’re proud to have played a part in the development and growth of three emerging start-ups thanks to our partnership with the Global Sport Institute and the J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute. As one of the largest universities in the U.S. and a national hub for innovation, we look forward to the expansion of our GSI and Edson E+I partnership to include the use of our facilities as the next generation of great minds explore innovative sport concepts on our campus. ”
RAY ANDERSON
VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Singleton Foundation
Singleton Foundation for Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship is dedicated to providing financial education to American startups. We are proud to align with Singleton Foundation to integrate their learning components into our entrepreneurial programming and will continue finding ways to connect together to ensure our current and future ventures can achieve success.
SHELLEY MILES
CEO OF SINGLETON FOUNDATION
2nd Annual Sun Devil Athletics Venture Challenge. Photo by Tim Trumble Photography.
From left to right: Jean Boyd, Alonzo Jones, Jeff Mindlin, Natasha Adair, Tracy Lea, Jeff Kunowski, Lawrence Guy
