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Silicon Valley ventures may become more frequent for NBA players and professional athletes in general after The Players Technology Summit.
Warriors stars Stephen Curry and Andre Iguodala will host the summit Aug. 14-16 in San Francisco, as announced Monday.
The summit, presented by Bloomberg, is intended to “bring together top leaders in the technology, venture capital and sports communities to exchange ideas and share expertise in an educational and empowering forum.”
Curry specifically touched on the connection between professional athletes and venture capitalists.
“Playing in Silicon Valley’s backyard has exposed me to information and resources that I’m excited to share through the Summit,” Curry said in a statement. “Whether you’re thinking about your first move into entrepreneurship or investing, or perhaps already a veteran in the space, it’s about surrounding yourself with the right team and putting in the work to always be improving as a professional.”
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In regard to this event, Curry surrounded himself with Iguodala — who is already entrenched among Silicon Valley VCs.
“I’ve been fortunate to learn from some of the best in the tech and venture capital business and have put those learnings to work,” Iguodala said in the statement. “The Players Technology Summit is about sharing those learnings and relationships and building a lasting impact.”
Curry is a co-founder of the marketing startup Slyce and an investor in mobile applications like Pinterest while Iguodala is an investor in companies like Thrive Global and The Players Tribune.
They both seemingly envision more athlete involvement in tech investment.
“Once content to watch each other from the sidelines, professional athletes and Silicon Valley investors and entrepreneurs now realize they have a lot to learn from each other,” Bloomberg Technology editor Brad Stone said in the statement. “I’m excited for Bloomberg to present The Players Technology Summit and to see where the conversation goes this year.”
Andre Tyler Iguodala (ig-wə-DAH-lə; born January 28, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The swingman was an NBA All-Star in 2012 and has been named to the NBA All-Defensive Team twice. Iguodala won an NBA championship with the Warriors in 2015, when he was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player. After losing in the NBA Finals in 2016, Iguodala helped the Warriors return to the Finals for a third straight year in 2017, where he claimed his second NBA Championship. He was also a member of the United States national team at the 2010 FIBA World Championship and 2012 Summer Olympics, winning the gold medal both times.
