Qiava Martinez, Senior Vice President & Chief Sales Officer, is entering her 17th season with the Las Vegas Raiders. Qiava is responsible for leading and managing all sales and customer retention efforts for the Raiders through monetizing corporate partnerships, suites, premium and season ticket sales. During the relocation from Oakland to Las Vegas in 2020, Qiava was a fundamental part of the sales strategy for PSL, Suite, and Loge Seat sales. Qiava began her career with the Raiders in 2008 as an Inside Sales Ticket Representative and was later promoted to Director of Group Sales and Fundraising for 3 years. Before being named SVP, Chief Sales Officer, Qiava served as the Vice President of Premium Service & Guest Experience. She was recently selected as a member of the prestigious Sports Business Journal Game Changers Class of 2024, an elite group of women in the industry who are leaders and mentors to other women in sports business. Prior to her career in professional sports, Qiava was the owner and publisher of Culture Magazine, an outlet used by teenaged writers to express their life experiences. She also served as Executive Director for Youth Achieving Destiny, an organization that served underprivileged youth through teaching entrepreneurship training and development. Qiava recently published her first book, “Sports Dream”, encouraging children to follow their passion, regardless of the challenges they may face. Qiava earned her Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of California, Berkeley, and her master’s in business administration from the University of Phoenix, Bay Area Chapter. She and her husband Jonathan reside in Henderson, NV, with their daughter, Harper.

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Mitch is co-founder of Teamworks, the Operating System for Sports™, powering 7,000+ sports teams and military organizations worldwide. A Duke University alumnus, Mitch helped expand Teamworks from a collegiate-focused platform to a global powerhouse backed by $400 million in total funding—including a $235 million Series F round valuing Teamworks at over $1 billion—and strengthened by strategic acquisitions such as INFLCR, ARMS Software, Smartabase, and Zelus Analytics. After spearheading Teamworks’ international launch in Europe, Mitch returned to the U.S. and now focuses his efforts on coaching Teamworks executives and sportstech founders, advising teams, leagues, and companies across elite sport, and investing in the future of sport, human performance, and human wellbeing. Mitch leads Teamworks’ Advisory Board and serves on the boards of HEADCHECK Health, Monarc, and Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Raleigh.

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A veteran of digital transformations, Abhijit Shome has spent two decades at the intersection of digital strategy, marketing and technology. Having led marketing innovation teams at global brands like Mastercard to reshaping omnichannel approaches at Macy’s, he has consistently delivered measurable results through innovation and meticulous execution that has helped him positively impact the business and financial objectives of companies worldwide. An expert in AI/ML-driven marketing and MarTech stacks, Shome helps organizations navigate the evolving digital landscape to drive loyalty and brand affection in a data-first world, and currently serves as a Vice President at Major League Soccer where he oversees all efforts involving marketing and advertising technology.

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Julie Haddon is a marketing and media powerhouse with a track record of building iconic brands and driving growth across sports, entertainment, and tech. As the first Chief Marketing Officer of the NWSL, she led all commercial functions and helped transform the league into a major sports property—launching breakthrough campaigns, forging partnerships with top global brands, and securing a historic $240M media rights deal. Previously, she was SVP of Global Brand and Consumer Marketing at the NFL, where she led award-winning campaigns for the Super Bowl and NFL Draft and launched NFL Pride. Haddon has also driven marketing innovation at DreamWorks, eBay, Zynga, Twitter, and SoFi, and currently serves on the boards of FuboTV and TOCA Football.

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Sameer Ahuja is the President of New York-based GameChanger, a DICK’S Sporting Goods youth sports technology company. He also serves as senior vice president for DICK’S Sporting Goods and is an advisor to Marquee Ventures, an early-stage fund that spun out of the Chicago Cubs. Sameer’s professional narrative is focused on “preparing today’s youth to lead tomorrow.” He brings 20 years of experience as a Founder, CEO, or COO of high-growth technology businesses from startup to late-stage in multiple industries. Sameer co-founded an interactive sports attraction, founded a quant hedge fund, and built a fintech company. Sameer has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA in Economics from Columbia University. He lives in Scarsdale, New York with his wife and two daughters.

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Gene is the Senior Vice President of Event Marketing & Ticketing at TKO, overseeing large-scale ticketing, sales, and event operations. With over 15 years in the sports industry, Gene specializes in event management, developing strategic processes, anticipating event-day scenarios, and ensuring seamless, high-quality fan experiences. Known for his collaborative approach, he excels at forging partnerships, optimizing internal workflows, and creating innovative strategies that drive growth and revenue. His forward-thinking mindset consistently elevates customer service and operational excellence standards across events.

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Keia Cole is the Chief Digital Officer at Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment (BSE), leading digital, technology, and analytics for the Barclays Center, Brooklyn Nets, New York Liberty, Long Island Nets.nBefore joining BSE, Keia held a number of roles across technology and customer experience at MassMutual, a global life insurance and investments company. Most notably, Keia was the Head of Digital Experience, leading a team focused on driving MassMutual’s digital transformation efforts, including the design and development of modern technology solutions for customers, financial professionals, and employees. With a passion for innovation and developing teams, Keia created MassMutual’s digital research and development rotational program, which provided employees with opportunities to work on emerging technology to gain new skills. Keia served as an executive advisor to the Young Professional and African-American Business Resource Groups and a member of the MassMutual Foundation Board of Trustees.nBefore joining MassMutual, Keia was associate general counsel and later chief of staff to the Deputy Secretary at the U.S. Department of Education. As chief of staff, she was a member of the Senior Executive Service, responsible for providing strategic direction for the Department of Education’s financial, technology, human capital, and risk management operations.nKeia was also a litigation attorney at the New York law firm of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, a law clerk to the Honorable Lewis A. Kaplan of the United States District Court in the Southern District of New York, and a financial analyst in Morgan Stanley’s Investment Banking Division. Keia is a graduate of Harvard University and earned a JD/MBA from Stanford University.

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Mike Buckley is the CEO, Co-Owner, and Strategist for the United States SailGP Team. Born and raised on Cape Cod, MA, Buckley was introduced to sailing by chance rather than design. Raised by a single mother who worked multiple jobs, sports became both an outlet and a foundation for discipline, resilience, and drive. His competitive spirit first flourished at Tabor Academy in Marion, MA, where he joined the sailing team. What started as an unexpected extracurricular pursuit quickly grew into a defining passion that shaped his personal and professional trajectory. From high school waters to global competition, Buckley’s career ascended quickly. He went on to become a 2-time world champion sailor, competing at the highest levels of the sport and earning recognition for his strategic sharpness and relentless competitiveness. His experience across international racing circuits provided not only athletic success but also an insider’s understanding of the opportunities and shortcomings of sailing as a spectator sport. In November 2023, Buckley and tech entrepreneur Ryan McKillen led the acquisition of the U.S. SailGP Team, marking a historic moment for professional sailing.nAs CEO, Buckley has built one of the most diverse and high-profile ownership groups in the sport’s history, with investors including Issa Rae, DeAndre Hopkins, Gary Vaynerchuk, Avenue Capital Group’s Marc Lasry and Carolyn Tisch Blodgett’s Next 3. This groundbreaking roster underscores his vision: to align sailing with culture, entertainment, and mainstream sport in a way never done before. Buckley is vocal about his mission to transform the U.S. SailGP Team into the most culturally relevant sailing franchise in the world. His leadership is centered on broadening the sport’s reach, making it more accessible to new audiences, and blending sailing with music, fashion, media, and sustainability. He is committed to breaking down barriers of elitism that have historically defined sailing, positioning SailGP as a sport which reflects diversity, creativity, and innovation. By doing so, Buckley aims to ensure the U.S. SailGP Team becomes not only a force on the water but also a cultural touchpoint beyond it. Buckley resides in New York City with his wife, Jane, and two children.

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Meghan is a Co-Founder/CEO of Stathletes, a hockey data and analytics company. Stathletes provides industry leading hockey insights in over 22 leagues worldwide and has scaled to the highest professional levels across North America and Europe. Meghan is also a Data Scientist in Residence at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. She was featured on the insert cover of the Hockey News’ Top 100 of Power and Influence in 2019. She is on the board of advisors of US Integrity in the sports betting space. Meghan has a weekly segment for FanDuel on TSN called “Strength in Numbers”. She has appeared in the last two NHL Drafts as an analyst on the panel for ESPN.

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Kris is a prominent figure in the golf industry, widely recognized for his entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to growing the game, particularly among young adults and underserved demographics. He currently serves as the Senior Director of Growth and Ventures at the PGA of America. Hart’s passion for golf stems from his own experience as a varsity golfer at Bryant University. After realizing a gap in competitive opportunities for non-varsity collegiate golfers, he co-founded Nextgengolf in 2010. Nextgengolf aimed to make golf more accessible and affordable for college-aged players through initiatives like CollegeGolfPass, and expanded to include the Nextgengolf City Tour and the National High School Golf Association. His innovative approach and commitment to expanding golf’s reach led to the PGA of America acquiring Nextgengolf. Following this acquisition, Hart transitioned into his current role, where he plays a crucial part in the PGA’s efforts to drive innovation and strategic investments in the golf industry. He is involved in initiatives like EP Golf Ventures, a partnership focused on investing in new golf technologies and experiences.

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City of Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley was elected in November 2024. Prior to taking office as mayor, she served as senior vice president of the Touro University system and served in the United States House of Representatives from 1999 to 2013. Among her proudest accomplishments during her time in Congress was building the new Veterans Administration medical complex in Southern Nevada. Mayor Berkley began her career in public service in 1983 as an assemblywoman in the Nevada State Legislature. She worked to strengthen consumer protection laws, cracked down on drunk driving, created the Senior Law Project, and wrote the Lemon Law, which protects new car owners from defective vehicles. Mayor Berkley was appointed and twice elected to the Nevada State Board of Regents, serving from 1990 to 1998. Prior to serving in Congress, Mayor Berkley was a practicing attorney. She worked for the Nevada State Commerce Department, was in-house counsel for Southwest Gas Corporation and was the vice president of government and legal affairs for the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas. Mayor Berkley is married to Dr. Larry Lehrner and is the proud mother of two sons, two stepchildren and five grandchildren. Raised in Las Vegas, Mayor Berkley attended John C. Fremont Junior High School and Valley High School. She was the first person in her family to go to college. She graduated from UNLV in 1973 where she was student body president.

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Keith D’Amelio, PhD, is the founder of Heretic Performance, where he partners with professional teams, leagues, companies, and investors to build high-performance systems that create competitive advantage and enterprise value. He currently serves as Chief Innovation Officer for the New York Liberty, advising management on performance strategy and organizational innovation and advises the NBA Players Association on wearable technology, biomechanics, and league-wide implementation strategy. Over the past 20+ years, he has worked for and advised organizations across global sport including Nike, where he was Director of Athlete Performance for 13 years and helped shape company-wide strategy for athlete performance, readiness, and product innovation, as well in championship environments in the NBA, WNBA, NFL, EPL, and the NCAA. He works directly with ownership groups, management teams, and CEOs to turn performance into measurable, repeatable, and scalable value.

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Anna is the Co-Founder of Boston’s NWSL team, launching in March 2026. Since sourcing the franchise in 2022, she has spearheaded the development of a purpose-built stadium and secured TJ Maxx in one of the most valuable sponsorship deals in women’s sports history.nA seasoned investor, Anna co-founded XFactor Ventures, which manages a global portfolio of over 100 companies. Through her investment vehicle, Legacy Sports Holdings, she also holds stakes in Pop-A-Shot Entertainment Group and the Women’s Professional Baseball League. Her entrepreneurial track record includes founding and exiting both Dough Collective (acquired by IMC) and Fashion Project (acquired by U5).nAnna holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School and a B.A. from Eureka College, where she serves as a Trustee. She sits on the boards of Intramotev, MelodyArc, and Distillery Labs, and is a frequent contributor to The Wall Street Journal, ESPN, and The Athletic.

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Sepi Motamedi leads marketing for live media and sports at NVIDIA, where she works with broadcasters, sports organizations, and technology partners to bring AI into every stage of live production. She champions real-time AI, accelerated computing, and cloud-native platforms to enable new levels of speed, scale, and creativity in live content. Through close collaboration with partners and media companies across the ecosystem, she advances the next generation of AI-driven production, distribution, and fan engagement.

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Peter is the CEO of TeamSnap and a seasoned technology executive with 20+ years of experience driving growth and innovation in vertical software and platform technology companies. Before TeamSnap, he was an Executive Partner at Waud Capital Partners, focusing on vertical software investments. Previously, he served as Senior Vice President at Intralinks, a $300M+ global FinTech provider, where he led Marketing, Strategy & Innovation, and managed its $70M+ Banking & Securities global business. He played a key role in three sale transactions over 24 months, culminating in a $1.5B sale to SS&C [Nasdaq: SSNC].nnPeter sits on the Executive Committee and Board of the PLAYS Coalition, advocating for youth sport programs in under-resourced communities. He is a mentor in the TechStars SportsTech Incubator and an advisor to multiple high-growth startups. He holds an MBA from NYU Stern, a BS from Syracuse University, and an Executive Certificate from MIT Sloan. Peter lives in southern Connecticut with his wife and three young sons.

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Melissa Pine is the Vice President, WTA 125 Operations, overseeing the global growth and development of over 50 events. As the first female Tournament Director of the WTA Finals and former Vice President of Asia Pacific, she led the most successful WTA Finals in history, including a record attendance of 168,273 over the 10-day sport entertainment event and unprecedented broadcast and digital reach.nnPine also launched the WTA Future Stars junior development program, expanding it from a regional program to a global one across 26 countries. She created and standardized out-of-competition programming, adding grassroots value to WTA events while integrating with the organization’s global business strategies.nnPine’s journey began as a competitive tennis player, becoming a Provincial and Atlantic Champion and National Junior Semifinalist. She received a full scholarship to Washington State University, where she was a two-time All-American Scholar Athlete and played at the No. 1 position in both singles and doubles. After completing her MBA, she started her sports business career with the USTA before joining the WTA. She is committed to giving back, stating, “Tennis has provided me with so many opportunities...I feel a personal responsibility to help other young girls and boys to reach their goals and live a positive life through sport.”

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With nearly 25 years of leadership experience in international cricket, Grave is responsible for overseeing all aspects of MLC’s operations, including league expansion, team development, and strategic partnerships, aiming to strengthen MLC’s position as the premier professional cricket league in the United States. Prior to joining MLC, Grave served as the CEO of Cricket West Indies (CWI) for seven years, where he was instrumental in enhancing governance, fostering a high-performance culture, and maximizing commercial and cricketing opportunities. He also held the position of CEO for the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which was co-hosted with the U.S. Before his tenure at CWI, Grave spent a decade as the Commercial Director at the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) in England and began his career at Surrey County Cricket Club at the Oval in London.

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Asia is a trailblazer redefining how fans connect and how venues come alive through cutting-edge intelligence and immersive technology. An ex-athlete and former professional cricket player, and a champion for women in tech and sports, passionate to deliver game-changing solutions for the world’s leading sports organizations. Realizes bold ideas and a vision that pushes the boundaries of the sports experience!

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Serving as CEO of The Snow League is Omer Atesmen, serial entrepreneur who has successfully built and sold businesses in sports, technology and advertising. Atesmen worked with White previously developing educational sports content at The Skills, and is a former Stanford engineer, Kellogg MBA and management consultant at Boston Consulting Group. Atesmen previously worked with Shaun White developing sports educational content at The Skills and fell in love with the idea of helping Shaun build the league.nLaunched in June 2024, The Snow League is the first professional winter sports league dedicated to snowboarding and freeskiing. Founded by three-time Olympic gold medalist and entrepreneur Shaun White, Season One featur es a four-event global format boasting a $2.5 million season purse, with athletes competing to earn points to determine the overall champions. The season kicked off at Buttermilk in Aspen Snowmass (March 7–8, 2025), headed next to Yunding Snow Park, China (Dec. 4–6, 2025), where 16 of the world’s top freeskiers joined the roster at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games venue. The League returns to Aspen (Feb. 26–28, 2026) and concludes at LAAX, Switzerland (March 19–21, 2026), where the first-ever Snow League World Champions will be crowned.

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Greg Nelson has been instrumental in Hudl’s growth into a global market leader. Over his 15-year tenure with the company, he helped Hudl expand from serving 250 athletic programs to more than 230,000 teams worldwide.nAs Senior Vice President and General Manager of Hudl’s Competitive Business Unit, Greg leads the company’s Competitive Business Unit. His strategic vision has driven innovation and market expansion, including into amateur club sports and the new Hudl Fan business line, which engages communities and supporters through ticketing, livestreaming and automated highlights.nGreg joined Hudl in 2010 as a QA in the support department. In 2014, he moved to the product team full-time as the second product manager, overseeing Hudl’s transformation from a high school football video software to the world’s leading provider of cloud-based technology for the sports industry. He helped to launch key products like Hudl’s playbook, AI-powered reports for opponent predictions, Hudl Recruit and Hudl Assist for football, which now provides data for every high school and college game in the U.S.nGreg remains a driving force in Hudl’s senior leadership, continuously pushing for innovation in sports technology.

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Cassidy is the Vice President of Volleyball for Athletes Unlimited. She was a founding member of Athletes Unlimited’s professional volleyball league, competed in the first two seasons, and served as Chairperson of the Player Executive Committee. Lichtman is a former member of the USA Volleyball Women’s National Team and was an All-American and Academic All-American at Stanford. She is also the founder of P/ATH, an organization that harnesses the power of professional athletes to teach the next generation skills around empathy, equity, and empowerment. Lichtman previously worked at shift7 with former Chief Technology Officer of the United States, Megan Smith, on projects focusing on inclusion and economic inequality. She currently sits on the Board of Directors for USA Volleyball and was named one of AdWeek’s Most Powerful Women in Sports in 2022.

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Brian is a Partner at Ryan Sports Ventures, the sports investment arm of the Chicago-based Ryan family. Ryan Sports Ventures invests in three main verticals within sports: technology, properties, and media. A few notable investments include AFC Bournemouth, Greenfly, Ladder, Men in Blazers, The Snow League, and Youth Inc.n‍nBrian is also the Founder of Stretch 4 Advisory which provides strategic business services to sports technology and data companies including Riddell and Peak Performance Project (P3). Brian previously served as Partner and Group CEO of Phoenix Sports Partners, President of North America for Catapult Sports, and Senior Vice President of Sports Solutions for STATS LLC. Prior to his career in sports business, Brian worked in investment banking and private equity before transitioning into corporate strategy and M&A roles.n‍nBrian received his BA in Economics from Wabash College and his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

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Daniel is the Co-Founder and CEO of WSC Sports. WSC Sports is the pioneer in AI-powered sports content technology and one of the most successful sports technology companies in the market today with over 500 clients worldwide including NBA, NHL, ESPN, Bundesliga, LALIGA, TelevisaUnivision, YouTubeTV, and many more.nnDaniel, along with Aviv Arnon, Shmulik Yoffe and Hy Gal launched WSC Sports in 2011. The technology uses machine learning to analyze live games, identify events, and rapidly create custom videos, helping rights owners maximize content value and personalize fan engagement worldwide.nnIn 2023, WSC Sports was named to Sports Business Journal’s 10 Most Innovative Sports Tech Companies and Inc.’s Power Partners, which recognizes the world’s leading B2B organizations that empower others to grow.

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J.J. Gottsch was named the inaugural CEO and General Manager of the Austin Gamblers in March 2022. Leading both business and team operations, he has guided the organization to unmatched success in the PBR Team Series over its first four seasons. On the dirt, Gottsch oversees all team operations and roster management, including draft selections, trades, and free agent acquisitions, building the league’s most successful team, which has won more games and regular season championships than any other team. Off the dirt, Gottsch has elevated the PBR and Gamblers brand domestically and internationally, notably through an annual training trip to Brazil, where the team participates in the prestigious PBR Brazil Americana event, the “Festa do Peão de Americana.” His leadership has positioned the Gamblers as the league leader in several categories, including corporate sponsorship revenue and social media following among the ten teams. Gottsch brought the Gamblers and PBR to Austin’s Moody Center as its first sports tenant, with the venue, located on the University of Texas campus, earning Pollstar’s “Venue of the Year” award in its inaugural year. He secured key partnerships with Austin-based industry leaders Dell Technologies and YETI, further strengthening the team’s business success.

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Sebastian is the President of the Global Sports Innovation Center powered by Microsoft, a non-profit organization that helps the sports industry leverage the latest technologies to become a digital and sustainable businesses. The GSIC is the largest international sports tech ecosystem with a network of 26.000+ industry execs, 1500 startups and 450+ premium members in 65+ countries, and has supported 250+ sports entities in their digital transformation, reimagining fan experiences, smart stadiums and sports performance. He is a mentor and biz angel of startups and scale-ups. Sebastian currently leads global partnerships between Microsoft and Fortune 500 organizations to reimagine their businesses.nnWith 27 years at Microsoft, Sebastian has held numerous leadership and board roles across Latin America, Europe, and Worldwide. Industrial Engineer and MBA in Buenos Aires, he has specialized in “digital marketing”, “the business of sports, media and entertainment”, and “product innovation” at Harvard Business School, as well as “business sustainability management” at the University of Cambridge. He participates in advisory boards and is a guest speaker at universities and industry conferences.n

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Andrew is the CEO of Profluence Capital. He is also the founder of Profluence, a premium community for builders in sports which has garnered over 150,000 social media followers and 200 million impressions. Profluence’s agency arm has had the opportunity to build over a dozen sports media brands. He is also a founding member of the private syndicate group, DraftDay, where they source equity opportunities for professional athletes. Andrew graduated from Boston University with a B.S.B.A. concentrating in finance. He was also a captain of the Terriers D1 basketball team and a Patriot League Champion.

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Mustafa Ghouse is the Founding General Partner of Centre Court Capital (CCC), India’s first dedicated venture capital fund focused on the sports and gaming ecosystem. With over a decade of experience leading JSW Sports and pioneering key initiatives in Indian sports, he recognized a critical gap—early-stage founders in this sector lacked dedicated capital and the operational expertise needed to scale. CCC was created to bridge this gap, combining investment with hands-on support to accelerate growth in a rapidly evolving industry.nPrior to launching CCC, Mustafa was the founding CEO of JSW Sports, here he played a pivotal role in shaping India’s modern sports landscape. He pearheaded the development of the Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS), a first-of-its-kind high-performance training centre that has nurtured multiple Olympic medalists. Under his leadership, JSW Sports strategically invested in and operated franchises across major leagues, including the Indian Premier League (IPL), Indian Super League (ISL), Pro Kabaddi League (PKL), Women’s Premier League (WPL), and SA20. His ability to anticipate and act on emerging trends has consistently placed him at the forefront of sports development in India.

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Robert Davari is a visionary entrepreneur and dynamic leader, serving as CEO of Santa Monica–based Tixr, a global technology company he cofounded in 2013 to modernize ticketing and live event commerce. Known for his innovation, strategic clarity, and passion for live events, Davari has been recognized as a Billboard Touring Power Player, one of SPIN’s Most Influential People in Music, a UCLA Bruin Business 100 exceptional alumni entrepreneur, and one of Goldman Sachs’ Most Exceptional Entrepreneurs. Under his leadership, Tixr has grown into a global powerhouse with a reputation for creative, industry-shaping solutions. Today, Tixr powers more than 700 leading live entertainment brands in 40 countries with its platform built for unified live event commerce and sales beyond tickets.

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Dylan Robbins is the Founder and CEO of Lucra, the leading provider of white-label gamification software. Lucra enables entertainment, hospitality, fitness, and consumer brands to embed peer-to-peer challenges, group play, and social tournaments directly into their digital experiences—while seamlessly managing payments, compliance, and risk.nSince its launch in 2020, Lucra has become the connective layer for social competition across industries, powering engagement for partners including Dave & Buster’s, Puttshack, and Backyard Baseball. In 2024, the company was named to Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative Companies list, recognizing its role in creating a new category of enterprise gamification. To date, Dylan has raised more than $25M from leading investors such as 7GC, SeventySix Capital, and ARK Invest, alongside strategic backers including Giannis Antetokounmpo, Marc Lasry, John Isner, Zach Ertz, and Emmanuel Sanders.nEarlier in his career, Dylan worked in leveraged finance at Goldman Sachs and as an analyst at AQR Capital Management. He earned his MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a BA in economics from Duke University.nA serial entrepreneur, Dylan also co-founded Lifetime Vintage (acquired in 2023) and Verre Vert, a sustainable wine packaging startup. He mentors early-stage founders through Fulcrum Venture Accelerator, advising on product development, go-to-market strategy, and category creation.

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Ben Simpson is a global leader in elite sports performance, innovation strategy, and organizational transformation. He currently serves as Director of Special Projects & Sports Innovation at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), where he helps shape how one of the world’s most progressive football clubs integrates science, technology, and culture across its performance and medical operations.

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Gregory is the Managing Partner & CEO of Drake Star, a leading tech-focused investment bank, where he oversees the firm’s global operations and leads its international M&A and private equity efforts. A seasoned investment banker, Gregory has advised on complex cross-border transactions across the U.S., Europe, and emerging markets. He’s been recognized with the 2021 Global M&A Leadership Award, the 2016 M&A Advisor Leadership Award, and is a Hall of Fame inductee at The M&A Advisor for his impact on international dealmaking. Beyond Drake Star, Gregory serves as an Advisor at the Harvard Innovation Labs, Non-Executive Chairman of the Investment Committee at Da Vinci Capital, a Non-Executive Board Member of a prominent emerging markets hedge fund, and a Senior Advisor to MEP Capital. He is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and contributes regularly to Bloomberg, Forbes, Reuters, and other leading financial media. Prior to Drake Star, Gregory co-founded Renaissance Capital and The Sputnik Funds, and began his career at Credit Suisse First Boston and Salomon Brothers. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BS in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

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Iris is the Managing Director at GSIC powered by Microsoft, driving innovation, investment, and entrepreneurship across the global sports-tech ecosystem. Since 2015, she has cultivated a network of nearly 200 companies and institutions, fostering collaborations that shape the future of sports. Iris was recognized among Spain’s Top 100 Women Leaders and named one of the country's most influential women in sports by Metadeporte magazine. She also received the Outstanding Woman of Excellence award from the Women's Economic Forum. Iris actively champions female leadership and diversity in sports.

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Gorka Llort is the Director of Digital Business at MotoGP, leading the development and execution of the company’s digital strategy for Dorna Sports. With a career spanning over a decade dedicated to MotoGP’s digital evolution, he built the entire Digital Business area in 2020. Gorka’s focus is on maximizing the user experience and sales conversion across all digital channels. He evolved his role from managing social media and content strategy to driving growth through innovation and technology. He is passionate about turning digital products into powerful tools for storytelling, engagement, and unlocking commercial opportunities for the company and the championship’s stakeholders. His primary objective is to bring the excitement of MotoGP closer to fans worldwide.

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Mohit Pareek, CFA, is an award-winning investment banker with over 15 years of experience specializing in tech M&A and corporate finance advisory, with a particular focus on sports and digital media transactions. Based in Drake Star’s Los Angeles office, he has established himself as a leading advisor in the industry, successfully guiding numerous high-profile M&A and financing deals in sports tech, gaming, esports, and broader digital media.nnSome of the most notable transactions in which Mohit played a key role include the sale of Spiketrap to Reddit, FreshPlanet/SongPop to Vivendi/Gameloft, Echtra Games to Zynga/Take-Two, Nura to Denon/Sound United, Slightly Mad Studios to Codemasters, nWay to Animoca, Firefly Studios to Devolver Digital, Wildworks to Nazara, Lightstream to Xsolla, Tastypill to Azur Games, EyeEm to NewValue, Avira to Investcorp, and AvaFin to Capitec Bank, as well as financing for Cinder by Animoca. His strategic insight and execution excellence have consistently delivered exceptional value for clients across the globe.nnRecently, Mohit was honored with The Americas Rising Star Award at the 15th Annual Americas & Global M&A Atlas Awards. He is a frequent speaker at industry events and is often quoted by tier-1 media publications as an expert in his coverage areas. Mohit is also the lead author of the Drake Star Global Sports Tech Report and co-author of the Drake Star Global Gaming Report. These reports are published quarterly, covered extensively by major media publications, and highly followed by the wider venture capital, private equity, and founder ecosystems.nMohit holds an MBA from IBS Mumbai and is a CFA Charterholder, credentials that underscore his rigorous analytical and financial acumen. His contributions continue to drive innovation and growth in the M&A space.

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Javier Altamirano is the Global Head of Startups at Sportradar, based out of Minneapolis, MN. In the past two years, Javier has spearheaded a transformative initiative by establishing the Futures Hub, Sportradar’s pioneering Venture Client unit dedicated to sports tech.nUnder his leadership, the Futures Hub has already delivered an impressive impact in the millions of USD. His team has meticulously assessed over 494 startups, curating over 104 for Sportradar units to review and select for potential strategic collaborations, effectively turning cutting-edge concepts into tangible realities for the business. This work is a natural extension of his core focus: coaching, mentoring, and collaborating with innovative companies to bring their big ideas in sports and tech to fruition. Javier is also an advisor and investor at The Collectiv, a Sports-Tech fund backed by Mercury Fund and volunteers since 2022 a Board Member of The Minnesota Twins Community Fund.nJavier joined Sportradar in 2016 as a Director of Federation Services, based in Switzerland. Prior to his tenure at Sportradar, he served as Head of Media for World Rowing, where he helped successfully delivering media center, mixed zone operations, and press conferences for the 2016 Rio Olympics.nJavier holds a Masters of Advanced Studies from the International Academy of Sports Science and Technology (AISTS) in Switzerland and is certified by the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA).

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Phil Andrews is the Chief Executive Officer of USA Fencing, the National Governing Body for the Olympic and Paralympic sport of fencing in the United States.nSince assuming the role in 2022, Andrews has led a period of historic growth, cultural transformation and commercial expansion across the organization.nHe founded and built USA Fencing’s modern sponsorship and partnerships program from the ground up, growing it to more than $10 million in active partnerships—a scale considered virtually unheard of among U.S. National Governing Bodies. That commercial momentum has helped fuel nearly 20% membership growth, expanded access initiatives and increased national visibility for the sport.nA recognized leader in access and inclusion, Andrews launched initiatives including a national equipment refurbishment program, the GRACE financial-assistance program, Women’s Mentorship programming and Cultural Community Forums. His work earned the 2023 U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee Large NGB Diversity & Inclusion Award.nPreviously, Andrews served nearly a decade as CEO of USA Weightlifting, where he led a comprehensive organizational turnaround, and later took on interim crisis leadership of the International Weightlifting Federation, gaining international recognition for advancing governance reform and sports integrity.nBorn in England and holding triple citizenship (United Kingdom, United States and Canada), Andrews lives in Denver, Colorado, with his wife and young daughter.

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Wayne is the Managing Partner of SeventySix Capital, a leading sports-tech venture capital firm he founded in 1999. A pioneering investor in sports technology, sports betting, esports, and retail, Wayne has backed startups acquired by Fortune 500 giants including Intel, IBM, Walgreens, and Yahoo!. Alongside notable partners like MLB legend Ryan Howard, Wayne bridges the worlds of sports, entrepreneurship, and investment, empowering athletes to become influential tech investors and entrepreneurs to leverage athletes' networks. He has spearheaded strategic investments in sports betting and analytics firms such as ShotTracker, Swish Analytics, and VSiN. A graduate of the University of Maryland and Delaware Law School, Wayne is driven by a mission to innovate and positively impact society through technology and sports.

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Patrick Carroll currently serves as the Managing Director of Digital Technology at NASCAR, where he spearheads the digital technology strategy and leads the NASCAR Digital Technology team. Carroll has dedicated his career to crafting fan-facing digital products, ensuring that every innovation not only meets but exceeds industry standards. Under his guidance, his team continuously strives to transform digital interactions by focusing on fan and user experiences through state-of-the-art technology solutions.

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Brian Hough is the co-founder and CEO of PressBox, who are building the first verticalized content platform that empowers organizations to create highly-personalized, multi-modal content at scale. Our technology powers some of the largest names in sports, delivering dynamic experiences to fans across broadcast, web, social, audio, and video. Brian has over 20 years of experience as an Engineering and Product leader across sports, user-generated content, and direct-to-consumer, including leading the team behind Bleacher Report’s personalization and publishing technology.

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Rohn is a serial entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience as a founder and mentor to multiple startups, after starting his career as a management consultant at KPMG. He currently operates in two roles: as Founder & Managing Director of Berlin-based SportsTechX, the leading market intelligence company for sports innovation & investment; and as Investment Director at Match Ventures, a prominent European SportsTech VC. A regular speaker at industry conferences, Rohn also serves as a mentor and judge at startup accelerators and competitions, and guest lecturer at various Sports MBA programs.

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David Steele serves as the Director of Texas and Plug and Play Tech Center’s Sportstech vertical in Frisco, Texas, where he leads one of the nation’s most dynamic innovation platforms at the intersection of sports, technology, and entrepreneurship. In this role, he oversees corporate engagement, startup acceleration, and strategic ecosystem development for global brands, professional sports organizations, and early-stage ventures.nDavid’s journey through the sports industry is both deep and diverse. He has held leadership positions including Vice President of Sales, Senior Director of Business Development, and Texas High School Football Coach—roles that have sharpened his ability to build high-performing teams, cultivate strategic partnerships, and drive measurable outcomes in competitive environments. His leadership was pivotal in launching "Origin," a 6,000-square-foot innovation hub at The Star in Frisco, now a destination for startups and global partners such as the Dallas Cowboys, New Balance, and Gatorade.nA champion of both human performance and business performance, David combines technical knowledge with market insight. He holds an MBA in Sports Business from the University of Oregon’s prestigious Warsaw Sports Business Center, with an additional focus in Advanced Strategy & Leadership. He also earned a Master of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Texas-Pan American and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Tarleton State University.nDavid’s passion for innovation is matched by his commitment to community. He actively mentors young entrepreneurs, advises educational institutions, and plays a key role in positioning Frisco as a global hub for sportstech and human potential. Whether he’s working with startups or guiding Fortune 500 partners, David Steele continues to elevate the future of sport and innovation in Texas and beyond.

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Aaron Holland is Co-Founder and CEO of Attend, a ticketing and fan-data platform that helps sports teams, venues, and entertainment organizations launch and scale modern ticketing programs. Attend’s technology powers solutions for over 100 partners globally, making live events more accessible—especially for younger fans—while driving measurable conversion and incremental revenue across major leagues and live entertainment organizations. Aaron leads Attend’s product and go-to-market strategy and is focused on building an AI-first platform that improves acquisition, personalization, fraud revention, and operational efficiency at scale.

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Lance is a Partner at KB Partners, where he leads investments and actively supports portfolio companies including ALO, Asensei, BookSeats, Compliable, Goss, KAYA, Stadium Live, and StatusPRO. Prior to KB Partners, Lance was an investment banker at J.P. Morgan, managing M&A and capital-raising transactions across multiple industries. He began his career as an Engineer Officer in the U.S. Army, serving five years with assignments in Germany, Afghanistan, and the U.S. Lance is an honor graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he competed in Division I basketball, and earned his MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Off-duty, He is an improving golfer, intermediate snowboarder, avid traveler and dabbling magician.

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Andy is the founder of the influential platform, Sports Pundit, where he delivers weekly industry analysis to elite sports and technology executives via a newsletter, podcast, and active group chat and social events. Andy is also a Value Creation Partner at The Players Fund, the UK’s first athlete-backed venture firm, advising high-profile sports IP on their corporate venture strategies. His career spans roles at CSM Sport & Entertainment (Wasserman) and Zone7, an AI-powered injury analytics platform, providing unique insight into cutting-edge sportstech. His expertise in storytelling and trend-spotting also guides companies, making him a vital voice for sports innovation executives.

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Jason is the Founder and CEO of SportsVisio. He has grown and sold multiple multi-million dollar companies. After earning a BS in Computer Engineering and an MS in Electrical Engineering, Jason became a project manager at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). He then went on to found, and later sell, Siege Technologies. Prior to starting SportsVisio, he was General Partner at 10x Ventures. He’s an avid basketball player, enjoying the men’s leagues around his home in New Hampshire.

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Danny Cortenraede is a serial entrepreneur and investor based in Los Angeles, CA. He is the Founder and Managing Partner of InStudio Ventures, an investment firm with a strong focus on sports, technology, and media companies as well as leagues, clubs, and federations (for major and emerging sports). As a seasoned entrepreneur (5X founder) and investor, Cortenraede has built several successful companies on a global scale in recent years. He earned his Executive MBA from Harvard Business School. Besides this, Danny is a General Partner at LEAD (Legacy of Adidas), founded by the grandchildren of Adi Dassler, the founder of Adidas. Danny’s venture firms have invested in more than 70 companies, including, Boardroom (leading investor and Board Member), Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman’s media company, TMRW Sports (Tiger Woods), and Religion of Sports, an award-winning media company founded by Tom Brady, Michael Strahan, and Gotham Chopra, among many others. Over the last 20+ years, Danny has built strong personal and professional relationships with global investors, UHNWIs, family offices, and the world’s top athletes. He is committed to driving innovation and inclusion in the future of sports.

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Leanne is a Future of Sports Architect, blending creativity, technology, fandom, and purpose to shape the industry’s evolution. As Head of Digital & Innovation at Sport Waikato, she drives transformative initiatives while advising GENSport on the commercial development of global women’s sport, unlocking growth and equity for investors. With two decades of experience at the intersection of sport, fandom, digital transformation, and commercial strategy, Leanne is a trailblazer in fan engagement and innovation. She previously led Innovation at New Zealand Rugby, pioneering emerging technologies to deepen connections with the iconic teams in black. Her global impact includes serving as ANZ Regional Partner for FC Barcelona, delivering the club’s developmental philosophy to young athletes across Australia and New Zealand. Leanne is the author of OuterSport, a commentary on the future of sport. She holds governance roles, including on the Table Tennis NZ board, and was previously president of The RugbyDAO, advancing decentralised sports fandom.

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Scott is a co-founder of Profluence, a venture fund built around media and community, connecting and empowering sports industry innovators. With deep roots in sports, Scott helped launch the University of South Alabama’s football program in 2009, where he played for five years. He then transitioned into the sports-tech space with startup CaptainU, which was later acquired by Stack Sports, a venture backed by Jerry Jones. Known as a natural connector and versatile entrepreneur, Scott excels at bringing talented people together to create meaningful opportunities and growth across the sports ecosystem.

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With over 19 years of experience in international cricket, Eddie is a leading strategist driving the sport’s commercial growth across global markets. He is Managing Director at NYZ Consulting, where he leads strategy for Kingsmen Sports Enterprises, and Strategic Advisor at Profluence Capital, advising on sports tech, investment, and growth. He also sits on the board of Wisden, helping guide its evolution into a modern global media platform.nEddie previously worked for the ICC, co-launched Cricket All-Stars in the U.S., and supported the early U.S. expansion of Major League Cricket and the Caribbean Premier League. His work focuses on unlocking value at the intersection of sport and technology with a laser focus on cricket.

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Alex Kopilow is an award-winning sponsorship marketer who has launched and led digital partnership programs for NBA, NHL, and MLB teams. He’s the founder of Sponcon Sports, a digital consultancy trusted by more than 3,500 industry professionals through its weekly newsletter on sponsored content strategy. Alex works directly with professional sports teams, leagues, and brands to uncover undervalued digital inventory and install the systems, workflows, and valuation logic needed to turn digital into a reliable, scalable revenue engine.

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Taylor is the Vice President of Promoter Relations in the Americas for F1 Experiences at QuintEvents, where he manages promoter relationships and oversees business development for F1 Experiences events. Previously, he served as Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, playing a pivotal role in developing the core team and sales strategy for the 2023 F1 event. Before his work in motorsports, Taylor spent over nine years with the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders, notably as Director of Strategy and Business Development, where he led revenue initiatives and provided data-driven analysis during the team's relocation from Oakland to Las Vegas. Taylor holds a Bachelor of Arts in Government and Business from the University of Redlands and an MBA from the University of Michigan.

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Anna is the Program Manager of the AI Skilling Initiative at Founderz, a Microsoft-selected partner dedicated to empowering sports industry professionals and entrepreneurs through practical AI education. She teaches Microsoft's specialized "AI in Sports" certification, enabling sports professionals to leverage cutting-edge AI technologies. Anna excels at simplifying complex AI concepts, helping founders integrate effective and ethical AI strategies into their businesses—driving innovation and competitive advantage in the rapidly evolving sports-tech landscape.

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Cort is Principal of Courtside Ventures, bringing a background in finance and early-stage startups. While he spends time across all three of Courtside's verticals, Cort has a special focus on the fund's wellness category.

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Matt is Analyst & VP of Baseball Operations at Pro Athlete Community. He enjoyed a successful 14-year MLB career, highlighted by a 2011 All-Star selection and career totals of 149 HR, 898 hits, and 503 RBIs. Determined to succeed beyond his MLB career, Matt began investing early in real estate, building a significant single-family property portfolio and converting a school into a 16-unit building. He's a general partner (passive investor) in the Sight Real Estate development fund and owns five F45 fitness studios across Tampa Bay specializing in HIIT, strength, and cardio workouts. Matt has ventured into broadcasting with Bally’s and Apple TV, supports Guardian Baseball (an online baseball equipment retailer), and remains actively involved with the Empire League, an independent baseball league based in upstate New York.

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