Call for Applications: Startups Are Changing the Game With the Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech Accelerator Program
You have an idea for a business. You have a demo of the product—and it’s killer. Now what?
That’s the problem Kelly Pracht faced. Pracht is the founder and CEO of nVenue, a Dallas-based startup that built a predictive analytics app designed to boost fan engagement. With unique analytics, the app provides AI-driven statistics and live predictions during a game before the plays even happen. The app is great. Now, the question is, how do you take it to the next level?
Enter the Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech Accelerator, a customized accelerator designed to find the next big sports tech startup. Founders accepted into the program get access to world-class and top-level mentors, including groups from NBC Sports, NASCAR, GOLF, Comcast Spectator, and U.S. Olympic National Governing Bodies such as USA Swimming, USA Cycling, and U.S. Ski & Snowboard. This mentorship gives these startups a unique chance to get world-class advice to take their products to the next level.
“Every single day we are pinching ourselves that we are getting to share our ideas with the top people in the industry,” says Pracht. “The most amazing thing is the access within the sports media industry that would have taken us years to achieve on our own.”
During the 12-week hybrid program based in Atlanta, founders get a unique chance to see new applications for their products and services. Take, for example, XiQ, an Atlanta-based startup that created a keyless, app-based ignition key for golf carts. One of their biggest clients: NASCAR, which discovered the product through the accelerator program and operates large fleets of golf carts at its tracks. Since joining the accelerator, XiQ doubled its valuation.
“It was really just an introduction to technology we didn’t have on our radar,” says Craig Neeb, executive vice president, innovation and development for NASCAR. “It was the opportunity to discover these really wonderful startup companies that have brilliant ideas and think about things differently in our sport that I never would have even thought of. Now, we’re working hand-in-hand with XiQ, which has been a really positive experience.”
That’s the type of partnership that Charles Rodenkirch found through the accelerator. Based in New York, Rodenkirch is the founder of Sharper Sense, a wearable neurotechnology that enhances vision, hearing, and touch. Being in the program allowed his product to make incredible connections with groups at NASCAR and US Ski & Snowboard.
“We knew the program would be something special coming in,” says Rodenkirch. “Yet, we were still blown away with the tailored and interactive instruction, the experienced mentors perfectly matched to our company’s needs, and the tremendous effort the SportsTech team made to provide us direct access to decision makers at top sports groups. The program has allowed our startup to make invaluable connections with multiple professional sports teams and athletes interested in helping us refine our technology.”
Having the chance to see this type of technology upfront has been valuable for Troy Taylor, who advised on behalf of U.S. Ski & Snowboard. “What sets Comcast SportsTech apart is very much the partner and the intimacy that it has created,” Taylor says. “It’s not just a name on a board or one phone call in three months.... That’s really unique across the accelerators that I’ve been involved in. There’s huge value out of that, specifically on the personal relationships that are going to be built with really influential partners.”
While the startups are the main beneficiaries, it’s also a valuable experience for all the connections to the program.
“We’ve really enjoyed our interaction with the Comcast SportsTech teams,” says Marilou McFarlane, the co-founder and CEO of WiST. “The founders are so talented, so driven, so courageous and so coachable. It’s really just a pretty amazing program, where you connect mentors and strategic advisors with the specific domain expertise to these teams. It’s really exciting to see the caliber of the founders and the startups that are coming up and really disrupting our business in a very positive way.”
Starting a business can be messy—even scary. With the right mentors and programming, however, creating the next big company is possible. For those in the sports tech industry, the first step is connecting with an accelerator designed for them—and they’ll find it at the Comcast SportsTech accelerator. As Pracht, the CEO of nVenue says, “This program has brought us enormous value beyond our imagination.”
Applications for the next round of startups are due by the final deadline of Aug. 15. With top-notch programming, access to connections, and mentors in the sports world, this is an accelerator that brings the technology of tomorrow to the athletes of today. Learn more about the program at comcastsportstech.com. If you have a startup or a game-changing idea, here’s the link to apply.
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