Sports Accelerator leAD – Legacy Of Adi Dassler – Launches First Program To Create Legacies

Adi Dassler with his grandsons.

The grandsons of Adidas’ founder are returning to the sports industry with the new accelerator leAD – the legacy of Adi Dassler.  The three co-founders, Dr. Klaus, Horst and Stefan Bente, have committed to leverage their grandfather’s legacy by creating a platform for sports, innovation, and entrepreneurship as one of the first movers in Europe.

Together with some of the leading experts in the field, their aim is to fund and nurture disruptive sports startups in a next-generation accelerator model, built like a sports tournament. The 3-month long program provides tightly aligned support for entrepreneurs, linked with a fund capturing value from the accelerator’s partners, creating a unique ecosystem for sports innovation.

Team Up With Outstanding Mentors & Investors

No sports legend ever has ever settled for “just good” and neither does leAD. Adi Dassler’s visionary thinking, unique work ethic, and passion for sports are what made him the so-called father of the modern sports industry and has a lasting impact on it to this day. These core values are also held high by the accelerator, as it is looking for startups to join their program in Berlin.

From September 12th to December 8th, 2017 early-stage & seed startups, as well as profitable ventures, will have the chance to live their passion for sports and enter leAD’s program to pitch in front of more than 100 VCs.

Get The Ball Rolling

“Our search field is relatively wide; the startups don’t necessarily have to be aimed at the sports market, as long as their product is fitting”, says Horst Bente. In fact, leAD’s has opened their program to young companies from various sectors, namely:

• Tracking
• Media and entertainment
• Venues and ticketing
• Fan engagement and merchandise
• (Connected) equipment and (functional) clothing
• Gaming and virtual reality
• New sports or new sport formats
• Inclusive sport and integration sports

The startups which make it past the group stage to the quarter final will already benefit from an extensive partner network, including VCs, angel investors, and marketing and media experts. Raphael Brinkert (Jung von Matt), Andrew White (5Oceans Partnership), Christine Thoma (ZEAL Investments), Björn Brüggemann (Red Bull) and Jörg Rheinboldt (Axel Springer Plug’n’Play) are only a few names of a list that is constantly growing.

The Game Plan

As already mentioned, leAD’s acceleration program is built similar to a tournament, with different phases leading up to the final, the Demo Day on December 8th. Here’s the game plan:

leAD will host your startup in Berlin, one of the most promising startup capitals globally. The program will enrich your team spirit, feed your entrepreneurial savviness, boost your learning curve, challenge your pivoting skills, grow your network and open doors to the most important players in the sports industry.

“Adi Dassler created a whole industry with his passion, his innovative strength, and his firm sense of conviction”, says Horst Bente.

Want to transform the industry? Apply until May 31st to create your legacy now!

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