Wimbledon has done quite a bit in the way of merging sports and technology, and this month it was revealed that one of its champions, Andy Murray, will do the same. The 28 year old U.S. Open winner has signed a deal to partner with Seedrs, an equity crowdfunding platform based in London. Murray will invest millions into various UK technology startups.
Crowdfunding has been made popular by various startups such as Kickstarter, (see Deflategate crowdfunded Super Bowl ring), Indiegogo and Seedrs. Via an online platform, large numbers of people can make several small investments into startups helping them to raise funds for their businesses. It is an easier way to fundraise and gain investors, and can create a community of support for a business.
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Having received sponsorships as a tennis player throughout his entire career, Murray understands the importance to a person’s success of having someone back your brand and essentially believe in you. Not only the sponsors, but the mentorship has taught him the value of having this type of support, so to have an opportunity to give back in a similar fashion was a no-brainer for him.
“I’ve always been interested in investment, and being able to get involved in an innovative way to help support British startups really appealed to me,” said Murray. “Equally as important was working with people I trusted and who fully understood the huge responsibility of handling people’s money. I’m looking forward to working with Seedrs and the entrepreneurs of tomorrow.”
Murray is no novice to investing. In fact, he’s quite savvy. He has investments in several different companies, which include the Cromlix, a luxury hotel located in Scotland. This latest investment will place him the Seedrs Advisory Board where he will give business advice in the areas of health, sport and wearable technology spaces. That will be the extent of his advising capacity, however, as he will not be offering advice to individual investors nor making recommendations on specific campaigns.
Jeff Lynn, CEO and cofounder of Seedrs, said: “We are particularly looking forward to working with him as a member of our Advisory Board: we believe he can bring a different perspective into certain aspects of the early-stage business community in the health, sport and wearable technology spaces, and we look forward to his input and support.”
According to a statement from Seedrs, the company has expanded its business by 15 percent every month since it started in July 2012, and has invested in approximately 200 deals. Already open to European entrepreneurs and investors, it plans to start in the U.S. sometime this year.