Judges Roster
Listed in alphabetical order by last name:
Javier Altamirano Director of Innovation Sportradar
Mark Bachman CEO FlipGive Inc.
Keith Bank CEO and Founder KB Partners
Bobby Basham Director of Player Development Chicago Cubs
Kim Blair Partnering Lead Cooper Perkins
Henrik Brandt Founder and Manager Sports Hub Denmark (IdrætsPlatformen Danmark)
Dan Bravato President SeventySix Capital Sports Advisory
2021 SFIA VIRTUAL START-UP CHALLENGE #SFIAStartUpChallenge 1
Judges Roster
Listed in alphabetical order by last name:
Meridith Cass CEO Nix
Art Chou GM - North America Rapsodo
Brandon Chubb Managing Partner Captain Partners
Brian Collins Sr. Global Director - Equipment Spalding
Carsten Couchouron Founder & Director Sports Lab Copenhagen
Ryan Cruthirds Chief Global Category & Brand Development Officer Implus
CJ Davis Assistant General Counsel, Head of Sports Business & Legal Affairs PUMA
2021 SFIA VIRTUAL START-UP CHALLENGE #SFIAStartUpChallenge 2
Judges Roster
Listed in alphabetical order by last name:
Jolyn de Boer Founder Racquet Sports Alliance
Kate Delhagen Founder & President Oregon Sports Angels
Michael Dill Partner Holland & Hart LLP
Charley Dumphy Director of Sales Select Sport America
Scott Eichner Sr Director Athletic Compliance | COO University of Tennessee | Armony Sports
Derek Ernst Chief Commercial Officer Augusta Sportswear Brands
William Flickinger CEO Solestretch, LLC
2021 SFIA VIRTUAL START-UP CHALLENGE #SFIAStartUpChallenge 3
Judges Roster
Listed in alphabetical order by last name:
Mark Flynn President Gridiron Football
Heather Fraser Founder and CEO Synthera Health
Sean Gagnon CEO The Abs Company
Skip Gilbert CEO US Youth Soccer Association
Charlie Greenwood CEO/ Co-Founder Sports Loft
Lorin Hamlin Head of Open Innovation Under Armour
CJ Handron Co-Founder and CEO Diamond Kinetics, Inc.
2021 SFIA VIRTUAL START-UP CHALLENGE #SFIAStartUpChallenge 4
Judges Roster
Listed in alphabetical order by last name:
Timothy Hatten Department Chair and Professor Rock Valley College
Darren Hay Vice President, Business Development (Global Health) Hypertec
Joshua Hensley CEO RAD Innovation
Arno Hermans Founder Sport eXperience
Timothy Hoerr CEO Serra Ventures LLC
Mary Horwath Owner Mary Horwath Marketing & Branding
Taylor Host CEO Miro AI
2021 SFIA VIRTUAL START-UP CHALLENGE #SFIAStartUpChallenge 5
Judges Roster
Listed in alphabetical order by last name:
Michael Hoyer Principal AMG Heuer Group
Amy Huchthausen Commissioner America East Conference
Jim Kelley President, Sports The NPD Group
Al Kidd President & CEO Sports Events & Tourism Association (Sports ETA)
Jeff Kunowski Associate Director, Innovation Programs Global Sport Institute @Arizona State University
Alex Lewis VP Sales, Brand Protection SURYS
Sam Li Founder and Managing Partner Calvert Drive Ventures
2021 SFIA VIRTUAL START-UP CHALLENGE #SFIAStartUpChallenge 6
Judges Roster
Listed in alphabetical order by last name:
Marjorie Lopez Vice President Rx3 Growth Partners
Jason McConnell Director of Product, Innovation and Monetization SportsEngine
Scott McDonald CEO Body-Solid Inc.
Marilou McFarlane CEO/Founder Women in Sports Tech, Inc.
Rachelle Manning Sporting Goods Channel Manager SanMar
Noel Mavura Founder Global Investors Hub
David Meltzer Founder David Meltzer Enterprises
2021 SFIA VIRTUAL START-UP CHALLENGE #SFIAStartUpChallenge 7
Judges Roster
Listed in alphabetical order by last name:
Angela Meyer Vice President Exponent
Alison Minter Managing Partner North Castle Partners
Pete Moore Managing Partner Integrity Square
Neil Morton CEO ATA International
Ross Moses Director of Analytics and Research U.S. Soccer
Brendan Moylan COO & Co Founder Sports Endeavors Inc.
Ric Munoz Vice President of Business Development JR286
2021 SFIA VIRTUAL START-UP CHALLENGE #SFIAStartUpChallenge 8
Judges Roster
Listed in alphabetical order by last name:
Lisa Neirotti Professor The George Washington University
Jill Nickels Principal Gensler
Ajay Nwosu CEO Teqball USA
Roman Oben Vice President - Football Operations NFL
Federico Olivares Founder and VP of Innovation 2nd Skull
Aaron Parker Partner FINNEGAN LLP
Dev Pathik Founder SF Companies
2021 SFIA VIRTUAL START-UP CHALLENGE #SFIAStartUpChallenge 9
Judges Roster
Listed in alphabetical order by last name:
Katrina Perito Trade Advisor, Sports Business France
Bill Powell Partner, Managing Director Stadia Ventures
Rob Quinn CEO SymGym
Ravi Rajcoomar Chairman Consortium
Jasmine Robinson Principal Causeway Media Partners
Michael Rojas President, Co-CEO Iron Grip Barbell Company
Jason Sacks Executive Vice President, Business Development & Philanthropy Positive Coaching Alliance
2021 SFIA VIRTUAL START-UP CHALLENGE #SFIAStartUpChallenge 10
Judges Roster
Listed in alphabetical order by last name:
Jochen Schaefer Legal Counsel of the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry and of the Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry/ Attorney-at-Law Law Office Dr. Schaefer
Robb Schikner President/CEO UST Mamiya
Michael Schroeder VP, Sales and Marketing-Retail and Global Lifestyle Brands Gildan
Neil Schwartz President SBRnet, Ibc
Aaron Segal Consultant Consultant
Michael Shapiro Director - Innovation & Venture Investing Major League Baseball
Savi Sharma Founder Mantra Strategists and Advisors
2021 SFIA VIRTUAL START-UP CHALLENGE #SFIAStartUpChallenge 11
Judges Roster
Listed in alphabetical order by last name:
Travis Shives VP, Advertising & Channel Partnerships SportsEngine
Bryan Smeltzer President LiquidMind Inc
Laura St George Managing Manager at Gared Holdings, EVP of GARED GARED
George Stepancich CEO Invisionate
Melanie Strong Managing Partner Next Ventures Sports and Wellness VC
Matthew Tingler Managing Director Baird
Luca Tomat Head of Global Sales Lotto Sport Italia SpA
2021 SFIA VIRTUAL START-UP CHALLENGE #SFIAStartUpChallenge 12
Judges Roster
Listed in alphabetical order by last name:
Michael Vaughan-Cherubin Director, National Program Expansion U.S. Soccer Foundation
Steve Vogelsang Vice President, Sales & Marketing--Team Sports Litania Sports Group
Jason Volk Director of Brand Partnerships Sezzle
Matthew Wagman Attorney Miles & Stockbridge PC
Tom Waller Chief Science Officer lululemon
Paul Webb President Century Martial Arts
Steven Webster CEO asensei
2021 SFIA VIRTUAL START-UP CHALLENGE #SFIAStartUpChallenge 13
Judges Roster
Listed in alphabetical order by last name:
Thomas Wilhelm Director - Corporate Strategy, Programming & Acquisitions Tennis Channel
Alex Zurita Head of Sport Tech Hub Sport Tech Hub / London Sport
Brian Zwerner Founder Beyond The Game Network
2021 SFIA VIRTUAL START-UP CHALLENGE #SFIAStartUpChallenge 14