NFLPA Hosts 10th Annual Pitch Day Uniting Athletes, Venture Capital and Innovation

The lineup features Nate Burleson, Bryce Young, Cam Jordan, Marshall Faulk, Richard Sherman, Logan Ryan, and venture leaders including Mary Meeker of BOND and Beth Ferreira of Serena Ventures

WASHINGTON, D.C., February 2, 2026 — The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) will host its 10th Annual Pitch Day on February 4 in San Francisco, marking a decade of bringing together athletes, entrepreneurs, investors, and business leaders at the intersection of sports, innovation, investment, and entrepreneurship.

NFLPA Pitch Day is the union’s premier platform connecting players with leading venture capital firms, founders, and operators to drive athlete-focused products, services and long-term value creation. Nate Burleson, an 11-year NFL wide receiver turned business builder and Emmy Award-winning broadcaster, will serve as host for this year’s dynamic lineup.

Game-Changing Startups Take Center Stage

NFLPA Pitch Day features a signature startup competition in which early-stage, tech-driven companies pitch their ideas to a panel of NFL players, investors, and industry leaders. This year’s judges include NFL great-turned-Emmy Award–nominated broadcaster and business advisor Richard Sherman, alongside legendary venture capitalist executives and BOND Capital General Partner Mary Meeker. Pitch Day offers entrepreneurs a unique platform to showcase their innovations to some of the most influential voices in business and sport. This year's lineup features:

• Epicore Biosystems – Delivering real-time, science-backed hydration and performance insights through advanced sweat-sensing wearables and cloud analytics.
• Diddo – Transforming video content into shoppable, interactive experiences that bring audiences closer to what they’re watching.
• Somnee – Helping people fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and wake up feeling better with cutting-edge wearable technology. 

The winning company will be awarded Super Bowl tickets, exclusive NFLPA event access, and tailored business support, including expert coaching and consultations on athlete marketing, fundraising, and strategic growth from NFLPA advisors, staff, board members and partners.

For nearly a decade, NFLPA Pitch Day has been a proving ground for innovation beyond sports. Past winners such as WHOOP, Culina Health, and VRTL have gone on to reshape their industries, accelerated by early athlete trust, adoption and partnerships forged through Pitch Day. 

Expert-Led Conversations  

Complementing the competition are discussions exploring how athletes are redefining ownership, investment and influence on and off the field.

• One of the event’s featured conversations, “The NIL Effect: Shaping the Pro Athlete of Tomorrow” explores how NIL has reshaped college sports and why its most consequential impact is now reaching the professional ranks. The discussion examines how NIL and private investment are shaping the next generation of pro athletes as investors, owners, and business builders. Moderated by Kenneth Shropshire, a leading voice on athlete rights, the panel includes Bryce Young, pro quarterback and former Alabama standout, and Marshall Faulk, legendary great and current head coach at Southern University.

• “The Athlete Ownership Era” focuses on how athletes are emerging as a new venture class by founding companies, backing ideas and translating on-field leadership into business ownership. Moderated by Beth Ferreira, General Partner at Serena Ventures, the conversation features Cam Jordan, star defensive end and business owner, and Logan Ryan, 2x Super Bowl champion and broadcaster, explores why investors increasingly view athletes as strategic partners who bring insight, credibility, and long-term alignment, not just capital.

• A fireside conversation with Matt Curtin, President of NFL Players Inc., and Dr. Kristen Holmes, Global Head of Human Performance at WHOOP, will spotlight one of Pitch Day’s most compelling success stories. The discussion traces WHOOP’s evolution from the first Pitch Day winner in 2017 to one of the most trusted performance wearables in global sports.

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For coverage details, please contact: david@mvppr.com   

About the NFL Players Association

The National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) is the union for professional football players in the NFL and headquartered in Washington, D.C. Established in 1956, the NFLPA has a long history of protecting the health, safety and financial future of its more than 2,000 player members, who are the backbone of North America's most popular and highest revenue-generating sport. Through a wide offering of programs, resources and engagement opportunities, the NFLPA provides world-class service to players throughout their career lifecycle and builds solidarity to advocate on their behalf in the areas of healthcare, revenue, compensation and working conditions. The current CBA will govern the sport through the 2030 season. Learn more at nflpa.com.

About NFL Players Inc.

NFL Players Inc. is the for-profit marketing and licensing arm of the NFLPA. Founded in 1994, NFL Players Inc. manages the group rights of more than 2,000 active players, connecting brands to the authenticity, reach and cultural influence of NFL athletes. It supports over 150 partners -- including licensees, sponsors, and media platforms -- across e-commerce, retail, digital and direct-to-consumer channels. NFL Players Inc. drives growth and generates player revenue through group licensing, player activations and brand collaborations that bring fans closer to the game. Backed by the strength and legacy of the NFLPA, NFL Players Inc. ensures that players remain at the center of the business of football. Learn more at nflpa.com/partners/players-inc.