New technology from startup ventures is transforming the global sports industry. This Startup Series has introduced over 200 startup companies in the sports technology space to a broader audience by allowing Founders of promising new ventures to tell their story and pitch their idea. Feel free to submit your startup’s answers to the below questions or contact us if you know of a startup that should be considered for inclusion in this series.
Company: Just Play Sports Solutions
Founders: Austin Barone, Andy Wachter
Headquarters: Lawrence, KS and New York, New York
1. What is your elevator pitch?
Millennials learn and consume information fundamentally different than 5-10 years ago. Just Play creates a unique interactive learning cycle that helps coaches teach better and faster using our learning tools and mobile app.
2. Problem & Solution
Problem: Coaches and players are faced with the problem of connecting in a digital age. The age difference causes major differences in the way that coaches and players connect, teach and consume information due to technological advances, digital media and the younger generation’s need for mobile media.
The specific problem is two-fold. First, how coaches prepare for games is spread across multiple platforms, and athletes are expected to jump from one application to another for all the information they need. Second, a majority of coaches are still handing out paper while athletes live and learn in a digital world. Coaches struggle to get effective results teaching this way.
Solution: Just Play is the first dynamic learning platform that aggregates text, diagrams, images, video, (from anywhere, including any video analysis solution) to streamline any coach’s ability to teach his or her team. Whether coaches import the information or build in Just Play, we streamline preparation, optimize learning for athletes and provides coaches with data to show how effectively players are studying.
Just Play bridges the gap between coaches and players and flips the learning process for athletes.
3. Market – your target market and the overall market
The market for better teaching tools is vast in multiple verticals. However, we are focused currently on the sports space, specifically football and basketball programs at the high school, college, and professional levels.
4. Business Model – how do you make money?
Teams or individuals can license Just Play through annual subscriptions.
5. Management Team – with titles
Austin Barone, Co-Founder
Andy Wachter, Co-Founder
Advisory Team:
Jon Baum, Chief Executive Officer, George K Baum & Co.
Brian McClendon, VP of Maps and Business Platform, Uber Technologies Inc.
Wally Meyer, Director of Entrepreneurship Programs, University of Kansas
Domonique Foxworth, NFL Alum, Harvard MBA, Writer for ESPN the Undefeated
6. What else do you want the audience to know about your venture?
During a Press Conference, Mike Gundy said, “he believes smartphones have made players less prepared for what they face on the gridiron than those who competed a decade or two ago, according to the Sporting News’ Jordan Heck.
This is a problem that hadn’t had a solution until Just Play. As former College D1 athletes, Andy and I built a platform specific to this need. Our solution has been proven to reduce mental mistakes, develop players faster, reduce a coach’s prep time and help teams win more games.
Bonus question: If you were to invite any CEO to dinner who would it be and why?
Mark Cuban – He’s a sports junkie and serial entrepreneur, not to mention outspoken and opinionated. There would be endless topics to discuss, laugh and opportunity to gain insight.
If you’re an investor, startup founder or influencer, we recommend you check out ProInfluence, a platform that is uniting sports entrepreneurs and leaders to form mutually beneficial business partnerships.