Billie Jean King Enterprises, Elysian Park Ventures, the Los Angeles Dodgers and R/GA Ventures on Tuesday said they are launching the Trailblazer Venture Studio.
Organizers said the new entity will be focused on what they characterized as the biggest growth opportunity in sports: women.
The parties said Trailblazer Venture Studio will seek to accelerate the future of women and sports by providing industry access, insight and strategic advantages to selected companies. They added the studio will partner with entrepreneurs and companies, ranging from early-stage startups to later-stage businesses, that put women leaders, athletes, and fans at the forefront of their thinking.
The Trailblazer Venture Studio will concentrate on the opportunities at the intersection of women and sports at all levels, from communities and schools to the elite amateur and professional-level women athletes. Studio areas of interest include retail and commerce, fan experience, and Esports and gaming.
The Studio reportedly will provide selected startups with relationship capital, creative capital and investment capital.
The Trailblazer Venture Studio is the third endeavor between Elysian Park Ventures, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and R/GA Ventures. The three previously partnered to launch the LA Dodgers Accelerator, a sports tech accelerator, in 2015, and they currently are partners in the Global Sports Venture Studio (GSVS).
“There is a huge growth opportunity for women and sports as traditionally they have been under-resourced and underfinanced,” Billie Jean King said in a statement. “We need more people, especially our male allies, to invest in and champion the development of high-quality opportunities. We are proud to partner with Elysian Park, the Dodgers and R/GA Ventures and committed to making a real difference for the next generation of trailblazers.”
Ilana Kloss, CEO of Billie Jean King Enterprises, added: “Billie Jean and I have always been focused on ensuring women have equal access to opportunities in sports and in life. Our team often meets entrepreneurs who have the ability to influence the growth and sustainability of women and sports. Through this studio we are excited to support these companies with access to funding, services, and connections that will allow them to reach their maximum potential.”
Cole Van Nice, co-founder and Managing Partner of Elysian Park Ventures, noted when his company first launched the Dodgers Accelerator programs back in 2015 and 2016, the global sports tech market was nascent. He recalled it was the first time a global spotlight was put on the space, and there were only a handful of funds investing and even fewer success cases.
“Some of those young companies pioneered their markets and have since grown into market leaders,” Van Nice said. “They are scaling big businesses in areas such as sports betting, AI-powered video and data, digital media and youth sports. Now, we see the same pattern and opportunity materializing for women and sports. The time is right, and five years from now people will look back on the companies coming through this program and see the emergence of future market leaders.”
Fielding Jamieson, Managing Director of the Trailblazer Venture Studio, chimed in: “As a lifelong athlete and sports fan, to say that I am excited about this studio is an understatement. By bringing together partners across sports, venture capital and creative services, this studio is positioned to drive transformative growth for women and sports. It is time to finally level the playing field and we are proud to play a role in doing that.”
Stan Kasten, President and CEO of the Los Angeles Dodgers, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Billie Jean King Enterprises, Elysian Park Ventures, and R/GA Ventures to invest in an area of great importance and value, women and sports. This is our third, and possibly most important, collaboration and one which will help cultivate a new generation of women focused businesses by providing them with capital and insight.”
