SAN FRANCISCO, March 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Scrum
Ventures, a San Francisco and
Tokyo-based early-stage venture
capital firm, announced that NBA Champion and entrepreneur
Kyle Kuzma, will join the fund as an
advisor.
Kuzma, who is just as well known for his versatility on the
court as his entrepreneurial spirit off of it, will play a pivotal
role in bolstering Scrum Ventures' sports and entertainment
investments, including collaborating with the firm's global
investment partners, supporting the firm's portfolio, and helping
source and evaluate new investment opportunities.
"As an advisor for Scrum Ventures, I'm excited to engage with
founders directly as they begin their company-building journey
across sports, entertainment, and technology," said Kuzma. "This
new role allows me to collaborate with global brands who share my
passion for creating impactful opportunities that can directly
influence and advance the sports and entertainment industries. I
look forward to contributing to the growth and success of Scrum's
portfolio on a global scale."
Founded in 2013, Scrum Ventures has been the go-to firm for over
a decade — helping launch and grow innovative startups with an eye
toward expanding into Japan and
beyond. Its unique venture model serves as an innovation gateway
between the United States and
Japan, helping to connect founders
to the world's most iconic brands, customers, and technologies to
expedite growth and create category-leading businesses. Most
recently, Scrum put resources toward helping startups in the global
sports tech category, an industry estimated to surpass $40 billion by 2026.
"Sports and entertainment are witnessing unprecedented growth
worldwide," said Michael Proman,
partner and managing director of Scrum Ventures. "Kyle brings a
unique perspective to our team, not just as a professional athlete,
but as someone who is passionate about brand innovation and
technologies that can transform the sports and entertainment
industry. His involvement will be instrumental in helping companies
expand their reach into Japan,
leveraging the Scrum network to unlock opportunities for growth and
innovation across the region and globally."
Kuzma connected with Scrum after the firm launched its first
vertical focus area, Sports and Entertainment. The new initiative
uncovers and invests in startups driving growth in the post-COVID
era, where digitalization and new technologies are transforming the
sports and entertainment industry. "With Kuzma's entrepreneurial
history, energy and connections, we knew right away he would be the
perfect addition." continued Proman. Scrum has already made several
investments focused on Sports and Entertainment, including
Misapplied Sciences, Project Admission, Tappp, Boom Entertainment,
and Arcturus.
Scrum's other portfolio investments span a variety of
industries, including healthcare, artificial
intelligence, IoT, automotive, retail, and space. To date, the
firm has made 120 investments, and backed unicorns
including Noom and GrubMarket.
In addition to venture capital, Scrum Ventures operates a yearly
open innovation program through Scrum Studio and recently launched
Scrum Connect Online, which connects startups and corporations via
a robust online platform.
About Scrum Ventures
Scrum Ventures is an early-stage
venture firm based in San
Francisco with a growing Tokyo office. With entrepreneurial expertise
and a strong network in Japan, we
actively support portfolio global growth and success. Learn more at
Scrum Ventures.
Media Contact:
Mary Magnani, CodePR
marym@codePR.com
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SOURCE Scrum Ventures