The Players Fund

The Players Fund

Venture Capital and Private Equity Principals

A globally trusted outlet for athletes investing in the future of the digital consumer. Built by athletes, for athletes.

About us

The Players Fund is pioneering a new frontier in venture capital as the UK's first athlete-led firm, founded by athletes, to empower the athlete community as investors. Our first-of-its-kind strategy brings together a collective of renowned athlete investors alongside seasoned VCs, leveraging their combined expertise, global access to opportunities and value creation ability, to support exceptional entrepreneurs and accelerate the future of athlete investing.

Website
https://playersfund.vc/
Industry
Venture Capital and Private Equity Principals
Company size
2-10 employees
Headquarters
London
Type
Partnership
Founded
2023

Locations

Employees at The Players Fund

Updates

  • View profile for Patrice Evra, graphic
    Patrice Evra Patrice Evra is an Influencer

    Investor, Founder, Activist, Author, Speaker, Host. #ILoveThisGame

    Startup CEOs and pro footballers = match made in heaven. And there is a good reason for this: •⁠ ⁠My old teammates Gary Neville and Rio Ferdinand are at the top of their game in football broadcasting and launching audience-driven businesses and then some! •⁠ ⁠Another compañero, Gerard Piqué Bernabéu is also doing his thing with Kosmos, and Iker Casillas is focused on Sports Tech with SportBoost.  - Athlete investment funds are booming. My friend, CHRIS SMALLING is part of the The Players Fund. There are my friends at APEX, an athlete fund with a community of top players like my French brother, Raphaël Varane and fellow Real Madrid legend Marcelo Vieira. Not to forget my other French brother, Blaise Matuidi at the Origins Fund. There is a good reason for this movement. Footballers have big audiences. So if you are a startup CEO with a consumer-facing business, this is one of the few partnerships that can increase the value of your asset and help you be in the top 1% who do make it. BIG announcement coming at 11am tomorrow so stay tuned!  …and don’t forget to LOVE THIS GAME!

  • The Players Fund reposted this

    View profile for Ruari Bell, graphic

    Founder & Managing Partner at The Players Fund

    Naomi Osaka: "We are thrilled to welcome The Players Fund as an investor in Hana Kuma. Their extensive network of elite athletes from all backgrounds aligns perfectly with our mission to uplift diverse voices and perspectives through innovative storytelling." I am proud to announce The Players Fund have invested alongside LeBron James, Epic Games, Nike and Fenway Sports Group into Hana Kuma, the Emmy nominated production company and creative platform founded by tennis champion Naomi Osaka and agent Stuart Duguid. The Players Fund's investment in Hana Kuma opens doors for athlete investors to participate in one of the most promising new media and content production companies. Hana Kuma has made an impressive name for itself producing celebrated projects like the Emmy nominated New York Times op-doc Mink, the Bloomberg original Footsteps, and the video podcast Good Trouble With Nick Kyrgios - all celebrating multicultural stories and perspectives for a young and diverse audience. Fergus Bell Mike Turns Rowena Samarasinhe Cherry Beagles Benjamin Andrew Stokes Danielle Carter George Burrough Haaris Shah Rebecca Wheeler Ehsen Shah Stuart Duguid Thorsten Wirth Philip Green Peter Coates Sebastiano Cossia Castiglioni CHRIS SMALLING Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill Kelvin Au Andy Marston Harley Kisberg Robin Shelley Robbie Earle

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  • As the old adage goes “Let your winners ride” - last week we enjoyed part of that ride at Lio London as we celebrated one of our most exciting portfolio companies, Seat Unique. Seat Unique, the UK’s leading premium ticketing and hospitality platform, was recently recognised as the 4th fastest-growing tech startup in the UK and Ireland by Sifted, a testament to their innovative approach to transforming the sports and live event industry. Under the ballroom lights in the presence of live performers we brought together our athlete community and leading investors within our ecosystem to celebrate their remarkable story and look ahead to the future. We have strong conviction in the continued growth of the premium experience sector and the transformative impact Seat Unique’s platform can have on sports, music and creative industries. Our ability to open doors to key rights holders filled a strategic role on Seat Unique's cap table in 2023 and their subsequent strategy to activate athlete networks and ambassadors has been brilliantly executed since. This has manifested in a 530% annual growth rate and their recent oversubscribed round, led by Nickleby Capital, is testament to the break-out velocity they are experiencing. Thank you to everyone who joined us for this special evening, and we’re wishing Robin Sherry, Phillipa Hicks and all the Seat Unique’s team a bright future ahead! Kelvin Au | Sebastiano Cossia Castiglioni | Philip Green | Peter Coates | Matthew Roberts | Rowena Samarasinhe | Fergus Bell | Ruari Bell | Haaris Shah | George Burrough | Ehsen Shah | Rebecca Wheeler | Mike Turns | Andy Marston | Cherry Beagles #ThePlayersFund #SeatUnique #SportsInnovation #AthleteInvestors

  • View organization page for The Players Fund, graphic

    3,094 followers

    🎉 Investment Announcement |  Seat Unique: Fourth Fastest-Growing Startup in the UK & Ireland! 🎉 We are delighted to finally announce our investment in Seat Unique, the premium ticketing and hospitality platform that has taken the sports and live event industry by storm. We firmly believe in the future of premium experiences and Seat Unique's incredible growth has recently earned them the prestigious ranking of the fourth fastest-growing tech startup in the UK and Ireland, according to Sifted 📈 Seat Unique's innovative dual-sided platform has significantly disrupted the premium hospitality & ticketing space with a series of high-profile partnerships across the sports and live event spaces. Their impressive list of venues & collaborations includes WRU - Welsh Rugby Union, Jacksonville Jaguars, Burnley FC, Emirates Old Trafford, Lancashire Cricket Club, Watford Football Club and more across music and theatre. 🏟️ By harnessing The Players Fund's extensive network across the UK, Europe, US and India, we have always believed that we are uniquely positioned to accelerate Seat Unique's already remarkable growth trajectory. Our relationships will help unlock partnerships with leading rightsholders worldwide, solidifying Seat Unique's position as an industry leader in their burgeoning sub-sector. 🌍 We are also delighted to see TPF athlete Stuart Broad join forces with Seat Unique, further strengthening the connection between our two organisations. Stuart's involvement after recent retirement underscores the value and potential of this collaboration. 🤝 Our investment marks an exciting new chapter for both Seat Unique and The Players Fund as we collaborate to deliver value for portfolio companies beyond just capital. By bridging the worlds of sports and startups, we aim to create meaningful opportunities for athletes and entrepreneurs alike. 🏅 We extend our warmest congratulations to Robin Sherry & Phillipa Hicks, co-founders of Seat Unique, and their exceptional team for their outstanding achievements. Together, we’re looking forward to disrupting the ticketing and hospitality industry. 👏 Congrats to the team at Seat Unique on their press & success: Robin Sherry | Phillipa Hicks | Madeleine Robinson | Simeon Klein | Gemma Parkes | Nathan Dale | Guy Davis | Davina Dempsey Thanks to the everyone @ TPF that worked on this: Kelvin Au | Sebastiano Cossia Castiglioni | Philip Green | Peter Coates | Matthew Roberts | Rowena Samarasinhe | Fergus Bell | Ruari Bell | George Burrough | Rebecca Wheeler | Mike Turns #ThePlayersFund #SeatUnique #SportsInnovation #AthleteInvestors

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  • View organization page for The Players Fund, graphic

    3,094 followers

    “I think the education the Players Fund provides is really important. There are so many athletes who don’t understand the process of how to invest in future businesses. I think what the Players Fund is trying to do is an incredible start to that.” Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill Recently our Gamechangers event brought together some of the UK’s most pioneering female athletes, who are all paving the way for a new generation of sportspeople to participate in entrepreneurship and investment opportunities outside of their sporting roles. The panel provided valuable insights on the importance of community and the power of ‘the collective’. At The Players Fund, our mission is to break the status quo and create a likeminded and engaged community of athlete investors to unlock value for founders. In light of Britain’s most successful female Olympian - Dame Laura Kenny’s retirement, we seek to highlight the importance of athletes transitioning into life after sport. Through education leading to empowerment, The Players Fund hopes to help athletes, such as Laura, develop continued success in their lives outside of sport through supporting their pathway to investment and entrepreneurship. We hope this event provided a new perspective on the growing movement amongst female athletes as both investors and entrepreneurs. We would once again like to extend our thanks to our partners and panellists for ensuring the night was a resounding success. Thank you to our partners at True., SHERIDANS | SPORT, Omnia Media, Sports Pundit, Jennis, EUVC and to the panel of Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, Dame Laura Kenny, Charley Hull, Danielle Carter and Chloe Chong led by Rowena Samarasinhe

  • Very well said Myrto Lalacos!

    View profile for Myrto Lalacos, graphic
    Myrto Lalacos Myrto Lalacos is an Influencer

    Ex-VC turned VC Builder | Principal at VC Lab

    A new generation of VCs is emerging in 2024.   🦖 Traditionally, VC funds have been built by either Operators, who know how to create and scale companies, or Financiers who have a technical understanding of finance and access to capital.   It's been nearly impossible to start a VC firm if you didn't come from one of these two paths. But this is changing.   🥚 The 'Community Builder' VC is rising 🦅   Community Builders have been around for a while as the driving force shaping the local startup ecosystems.   They've been the ones running accelerators, hosting the podcasts, creating content and organizing events. They've shaped vision into resilient startups as they are the first point of contact for anyone (thinking of) starting something new.   They were leveraged as mega-connectors by VCs who stayed close to them to tap into their networks.   They've amplified the visions of founders and unlocked their network to support their growth. Many have championed diversity and elevated diverse success stories.   LPs are starting to favor them for their direct and early access to exceptional talent. Community Builder are now building their own funds.   At last, Community Builders are starting to make their own investment decisions and reaping the rewards of their dedication to founders over the years.   The VC landscape is changing. Your local community builder will become your investor.   🔦 Watch. This. Space.

  • So great to have you along Chris Baker! Thanks again for all your help Everything in Sport and PowerPlay The Future

    View profile for Chris Baker, graphic

    Exciting opportunity! Recently, at The Gamechanger event in collaboration with The Players Fund, we had the privilege of being part of an inspiring panel of trailblazing women in both sports and business. The line-up featured renowned figures such as Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, Dame Laura Keeny, Chloe Chong, Danielle Carter, Charlie Hull and wonderfully moderated by Rowena Samarasinhe each sharing invaluable insights on the intersection of women in sport and business. The Players Fund, as the UK's pioneering athlete-led venture capital firm, is reshaping the landscape of investment. Founded by athletes, for athletes, our unique approach combines the expertise of seasoned VCs with the unparalleled insights and networks of top-tier athletes. Together, we empower the athlete community to become influential investors, driving innovation and growth in various sectors. At PowerPlay The Future, we specialise in connecting investors with female founders leading start-up ventures in the sports industry. Through exclusive investment conferences, we provide a platform for these innovative entrepreneurs—referred to as 'players'—to showcase their robust business ideas to potential investors. Our mission is to foster opportunities for women from diverse backgrounds in the sports business sector, facilitating the expansion of their ground breaking sports products. Whether you're a female-led start-up, investor, or someone passionate about contributing to this transformative event, I invite you to reach out via DM to explore how you can get involved. Let's collaborate and propel the future of sports entrepreneurship together! PowerPlay The Future Everything in Sport #Sportforsocialchange

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