The Profluence Pod 🌐

Eberg Capital is a venture capital firm focused on early-stage investments across the sports entertainment ecosystem, including sports franchises, betting, media, and technology-driven experiences. Roger Ehrenberg brings decades of expertise from the tech and venture worlds to the evolving sports landscape, backing founders building the next generation of transformative companies.

By investing early in high-potential businesses, Ebe...

Geetansh Sahni is a venture capitalist at Yashaa Global Capital, a firm focused on investing in the future of sports, gaming, and performance. With a presence across Asia and support from elite athletes and experienced investors, Yashaa backs early-stage companies that are redefining the sports and media landscape.This conversation explores Yashaa’s investment thesis, geographic focus, and approach to evaluating opportunities in em...

Brooks Schaden is the co-CEO of Tom’s Watch Bar, the fast-growing sports bar concept redefining how fans experience live games. With 14 profitable venues across major sports cities and plans to expand by 50% this year, Tom’s is becoming the go-to destination for immersive sports viewing—with 360-degree screens, elevated stadium food, and all-sports-all-the-time programming.Brooks shares how Tom’s is tapping into evolving fan demogr...

Chad Wilton is the Co-Founder & CEO of PEAK, a new global gathering built to unite the world of SportsTech. As the industry rapidly evolves across athlete performance, fan engagement, and stadium innovation, PEAK is positioning itself as the central hub where top founders, investors, and executives come together to shape what’s next.With a background in launching high-impact events, Chad shares the inspiration behind PEAK, how ...

Rob Thompson, the creator of Punch Bowl Social, is launching his next venture—Valhalla SC Arena. Designed to merge the energy of live sports with immersive technology and social experience, Valhalla marks a bold step into the future of sports entertainment.

Rob brings decades of experience in hospitality and experiential spaces, now applying that playbook to a new category: sports-driven social arenas. With the first public reveal o...

Chris Hetherington is an 11-year NFL veteran turned serial CEO, now leading the charge as CEO of Fathead. With a Yale degree in psychology and executive education from Harvard and Wharton, Chris brings elite performance from the field into the boardroom—where he's known for building strong teams, scaling brands, and turning vision into action.At Fathead, Chris is reviving and evolving the iconic fan brand through strategic mark...

Nic Sulsky is the Co-Founder and CEO of The Curling Group, a bold new venture on a mission to modernize and globalize the sport of curling. With a background in entrepreneurship and media, Nic is bringing fresh energy and innovation to a sport rich in tradition but ripe for reinvention.

In 2024, The Curling Group acquired the Grand Slam of Curling—an elite series featuring the top men’s and women’s teams from around the world. With ...

Cory Heitz is the founder of PREP Athletics, a company dedicated to helping basketball players find the right-fitting prep schools. With over 15 years of experience coaching, scouting, and working with international and domestic athletes, Cory has placed players in over 55 prep schools across 35+ countries. His mission is to guide athletes through the complex prep school landscape, ensuring they maximize their exposure and opportun...

Dr. Jim Borchers is the President and CEO of the U.S. Council for Athletes’ Health (USCAH) and the Chief Medical Officer for the Big Ten Conference. With nearly two decades as a team physician for Ohio State football and seven years as head team physician for the entire athletic department, Dr. Borchers is a leading advocate for athlete health and safety.

USCAH partners with 300+ universities, 20+ conferences, and numerous high scho...

John D’Orsay is the CEO of EventConnect, a leading technology platform transforming the way sports tournaments are managed. With over 20 years of experience in technology, data, and automation, John is dedicated to streamlining tournament operations through innovative digital solutions. EventConnect is redefining sports event management by integrating cutting-edge technology with unparalleled service. Their platform helps organizer...

Akshat Prakash is the CTO of Camb.ai, an AI-driven company revolutionizing language accessibility. With a background in AI from Carnegie Mellon and experience at Apple AI, Ack is at the forefront of innovation, helping enterprises and creators reach global audiences.Camb.ai’s proprietary models, MARS & BOLI, have been leveraged by sports leagues, filmmakers, and content creators to seamlessly adapt content across languages. The...

Ryan Weldon, the founder of 13th Bridge Games Studio, is a life-long gamer and sports fanatic with an extensive background in marketing, sales, and management. He previously served in high-level roles at Bausch Health and Johnson & Johnson, overseeing multi-billion dollar transactions. Ryan also worked as a consultant for major brands like Nike, bringing his expertise in sports marketing and brand building to the table. His pas...

Max Ade, Co-Founder of Pickleheads, is leading the charge in solving one of the biggest challenges facing the fastest-growing sport in America — pickleball. With 36.5 million players and counting, the sport’s rapid rise has created a surge in court shortages, long wait times, and overwhelmed organizers.To tackle these issues, Max and his team built Pickleheads, a platform that helps players connect, find local games, and organize m...

Keith Stein, CEO of the Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball team, is making waves in sports by spearheading the return of professional women’s baseball — the first league of its kind in North America since the 1950s. The Women’s Pro Baseball League (WPBL) is set to debut in 2025, with six teams playing in intimate ballparks and plans for a national broadcast deal.Keith’s journey into baseball was inspired by his collaboration with Justine...

Elite 7 Sports Medicine is redefining athlete care by providing innovative, on-site medical services at sports events nationwide. With a team of experts boasting over 100 years of combined experience, Elite 7 ensures athletes receive seamless, sport-specific treatment—whether competing, recovering, or returning home.

Kelly Morgan, CEO and Medical Director, is an emergency physician and former athlete dedicated to improving access to...

Lucra Sports is redefining gamification in sports, entertainment, and media. As a venture-backed startup, Lucra provides innovative engagement solutions for consumer platforms, live events, and media companies, transforming the way fans interact with their favorite sports.

Michael, the company’s Chief Operating Officer, brings a wealth of experience from Goldman Sachs, where he worked in investment banking and corporate strategy. He...

This month’s panel explored the rapidly evolving landscape of racquet sports, highlighting key investment trends, technological advancements, and the growing influence of community-driven initiatives. As racquet sports like padel, pickleball, and tennis continue to surge in popularity, industry leaders are shaping the future with innovative strategies and bold investments.

Key topics included the rise of padel and its investment pot...

IMG Academy is the world’s leading sports education brand, serving over 150,000 student-athletes and 40,000 coaches annually through its boarding school, camps, online coaching, and recruiting services. Under the leadership of CEO Brent Richard, IMG Academy has evolved from a campus-based institution into a global powerhouse shaping the next generation of elite athletes.

Brent Richard’s vision is to make IMG Academy’s life-changing ...

Balltime is the first-ever Volleyball AI platform, trusted by 3,800+ teams worldwide for their video and analytics needs. By fully automating stats and data collection, Balltime provides teams with instant access to crucial performance metrics like serve speed, attack height, jump trajectories, and 3D play visualization—empowering athletes and coaches with game-changing insights.Now, Hudl, a global leader in sports technology, has ...