SAN FRANCISCO, March 29, 2024 — Scrum Ventures, a San Francisco and Tokyo-based early-stage venture capital firm, announced that NBA Champion and entrepreneur Kyle Kuzma, will join the fund as an advisor.
Kuzma, who is just as well known for his versatility on the court as his entrepreneurial spirit off of it, will play a pivotal role in bolstering Scrum Ventures’ sports and entertainment investments, including collaborating with the firm’s global investment partners, supporting the firm’s portfolio, and helping source and evaluate new investment opportunities.
“As an advisor for Scrum Ventures, I’m excited to engage with founders directly as they begin their company-building journey across sports, entertainment, and technology,” said Kuzma. “This new role allows me to collaborate with global brands who share my passion for creating impactful opportunities that can directly influence and advance the sports and entertainment industries. I look forward to contributing to the growth and success of Scrum’s portfolio on a global scale.”
Founded in 2013, Scrum Ventures has been the go-to firm for over a decade — helping launch and grow innovative startups with an eye toward expanding into Japan and beyond. Its unique venture model serves as an innovation gateway between the United States and Japan, helping to connect founders to the world’s most iconic brands, customers, and technologies to expedite growth and create category-leading businesses. Most recently, Scrum put resources toward helping startups in the global sports tech category, an industry estimated to surpass $40 billion by 2026.
“Sports and entertainment are witnessing unprecedented growth worldwide,” said Michael Proman, partner and managing director of Scrum Ventures. “Kyle brings a unique perspective to our team, not just as a professional athlete, but as someone who is passionate about brand innovation and technologies that can transform the sports and entertainment industry. His involvement will be instrumental in helping companies expand their reach into Japan, leveraging the Scrum network to unlock opportunities for growth and innovation across the region and globally.”
Kuzma connected with Scrum after the firm launched its first vertical focus area, Sports and Entertainment. The new initiative uncovers and invests in startups driving growth in the post-COVID era, where digitalization and new technologies are transforming the sports and entertainment industry. “With Kuzma’s entrepreneurial history, energy and connections, we knew right away he would be the perfect addition.” continued Proman. Scrum has already made several investments focused on Sports and Entertainment, including Misapplied Sciences, Project Admission, Tappp, Boom Entertainment, and Arcturus.
Scrum’s other portfolio investments span a variety of industries, including healthcare, artificial intelligence, IoT, automotive, retail, and space. To date, the firm has made 120 investments, and backed unicorns including Noom and GrubMarket.
In addition to venture capital, Scrum Ventures operates a yearly open innovation program through Scrum Studio and recently launched Scrum Connect Online, which connects startups and corporations via a robust online platform.
About Scrum Ventures
Scrum Ventures is an early-stage venture firm based in San Francisco with a growing Tokyo office. With entrepreneurial expertise and a strong network in Japan, we actively support portfolio global growth and success. Learn more at Scrum Ventures.
