Join Venture Club and Sports Tech HQ at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for a front row seat at the intersection of sports and technology in Indiana, and dive into what makes Indiana the Amateur Sports Capital of the World!
- Showcasing 6 startups in the space! Be inspired by their passion for the future of sports!
- Fireside chat with Pacers President & COO, Todd Taylor, and Jeff Hintz, Executive Director of Sports Tech HQ
Speaker Bios:
Todd Taylor is the President and Chief Commercial Officer of Pacers Sports & Entertainment (PS&E), entering his 12th year with the organization. He oversees all sales and marketing initiatives, including ticket sales, corporate partnerships, broadcast, game operations, analytics, promotions, branding, advertising, and interactive marketing. He also manages Pacers Gaming and the business operations of the Mad Ants.
Before joining PS&E, Taylor was Executive Vice President of Ticket Sales and Marketing for the Texas Rangers, responsible for all aspects of ticketing operations and leading the marketing department. From 2006 to 2010, he served as Vice President of Consumer Marketing for the Milwaukee Brewers, significantly boosting ticket sales and fan attendance. Taylor also held positions with the Portland Trail Blazers and the Columbus Blue Jackets, where he implemented successful ticket sales programs.
In 2011, Taylor was named to the SportsBusiness Journal’s “Forty Under 40” list, recognizing his influence as a sports executive.
Jeffery Hintz serves as the Vice President of Innovation for the Indiana Sports Corp and the Executive Director for Sports Tech HQ. In these roles, he spearheads innovation for the most renowned sports commission in the United States while driving Indiana’s mission to become an international hub for the sports tech sector. Sports Tech HQ, a non-profit organization, is dedicated to cultivating, growing, and accelerating a vibrant sports tech ecosystem.
Showcase Lineup:
RootNote
Jason Burchard is a co-founder and CEO of RootNote. He previously co-founded and pioneered one of the first equity-based investment models that invested directly into creators. Before that he worked as a fellow at a social impact focused venture capital fund in London and as a consultant in Texas. His experience spans the broader world of business, finance, and entertainment and he holds a BSc in Civil Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and MSc in Management from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
EDGE Sound Research
Valtteri Salomaki is the Co-founder and CEO of EDGE Sound Research, developing a new audio infrastructure for personalized and embodied experiences. He holds an MBA in information systems and marketing strategy, and has a background in researching and leading the development of emerging technologies."
RefReps
Kyle Armstrong, a seasoned tech entrepreneur, caught the entrepreneurial bug during childhood. What started with lemonade stands and lawn mowing blossomed into a career devoted to using technology to solve problems within the sports officiating industry. He is currently leading a driven team of talented professionals at RefReps, who are on a mission to help the world see the game through the eyes of the officials. RefReps is an education technology company that creates and provides digital curriculum to empower high schools and organizations to teach sports officiating as a class. In less than two years, RefReps classes have been taught by more than 1,000 schools and organizations across 43 states. With over a decade of experience building and launching new technologies designed for officiating, he is excited to usher in a new era of sports officials to solve today’s officiating shortage, while simultaneously creating a more sustainable future for everyone in the sports industry. Kyle resides in Brownsburg, Indiana, with his wife, Brittany, and three energetic kids– Sophie (14), Gavin (14), and Maverick (5) who is also a redhead and a true representation of his name!
Ganance
Alex Ocampo is the visionary behind Ganance, a pioneering venture that seamlessly merges the elegance of traditional watches with smart technology. As Founder & CEO, Alex leverages his extensive tech experience to shape Ganance’s trajectory, from forging vital partnerships with established watch brands to curating strategic roadmaps. With a background that includes six years at IBM Watson, Alex brings a unique perspective to the wearables sector. Believing in the importance of giving back, Alex also serves as a part-time lecturer at Tufts University's Derby Center for Entrepreneurship, enabling the next wave of entrepreneurs to learn from his experiences.
EmpwrU
Kerry Perry is recognized as an empowering and transformative leader, entrepreneur and investor in the college sports space. As the current CEO and Founder of EmpwrU, a sports tech company in the NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) space, Kerry’s mission is to Empower, Educate and Ensure all athletes have access to opportunities and resources to achieve a college degree and be better prepared for life. Kerry also founded and led KP Sports, a multimedia rights company in the collegiate sports space, to successful acquisition by industry leader, Learfield IMG in 9 years. She served as the President and CEO of USA Gymnastics, responsible for transforming an Olympic sports organization facing extraordinary crisis to one that empowered athletes. Kerry started her career with Pitney Bowes, Inc., a Fortune 500 corporation, where she achieved outstanding results leading diverse, high performing business units for 14 years. Kerry was recently inducted in the Hall of Fame at the Anderson School of Management where she received her MBA and served as an Adjunct Professor at UNM teaching marketing, strategy and leadership classes to undergraduate and graduate students. Kerry serves on several boards including Sports Tech HQ in Indiana and the University of New Mexico Anderson School of Management. She is an advisor and mentor with the Techstars Sports Accelerator in Indianapolis and an investor and member of Indiana University Angel Network, Vision Tech Partners and Venture Capital of Indiana.
Sportable
Dugald Macdonald co-founded Sportable in 2016 with the vision of deepening the connections between fans, players and the sports they love. Sportable has grown into a global business with offices in the USA, UK, Australia, and South Africa. Dugald holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Cape Town and a master’s degree from the University of Oxford. He is currently the CEO and a board member of Sportable.
