The Players Fund

Merci Patrice Evra! Appreciate you speaking about the importance of professional athletes in business and for mentioning our role in helping athlete investment at The Players Fund. Fergus Bell Mike Turns CHRIS SMALLING Benjamin Andrew Stokes Danielle Carter George Burrough Haaris Shah Rebecca Wheeler Ehsen Shah Stuart Duguid Thorsten Wirth Philip Green Peter Coates Sebastiano Cossia Castiglioni Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill Kelvin Au Andy Marston Robin Shelley Robbie Earle

Naomi Osaka: "We are thrilled to welcome The Players Fund as an investor in Hana Kuma. Their extensive network of elite athletes from all backgrounds aligns perfectly with our mission to uplift diverse voices and perspectives through innovative storytelling." I am proud to announce The Players Fund have invested alongside LeBron James, Epic Games, Nike and Fenway Sports Group into Hana Kuma, the Emmy nominated production company and creative platform founded by tennis champion Naomi Osaka and agent Stuart Duguid. The Players Fund's investment in Hana Kuma opens doors for athlete investors to participate in one of the most promising new media and content production companies. Hana Kuma has made an impressive name for itself producing celebrated projects like the Emmy nominated New York Times op-doc Mink, the Bloomberg original Footsteps, and the video podcast Good Trouble With Nick Kyrgios - all celebrating multicultural stories and perspectives for a young and diverse audience. Fergus Bell Mike Turns Rowena Samarasinhe Cherry Beagles Benjamin Andrew Stokes Danielle Carter George Burrough Haaris Shah Rebecca Wheeler Ehsen Shah Stuart Duguid Thorsten Wirth Philip Green Peter Coates Sebastiano Cossia Castiglioni CHRIS SMALLING Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill Kelvin Au Andy Marston Harley Kisberg Robin Shelley Robbie Earle

As the old adage goes “Let your winners ride” - last week we enjoyed part of that ride at Lio London as we celebrated one of our most exciting portfolio companies, Seat Unique. Seat Unique, the UK’s leading premium ticketing and hospitality platform, was recently recognised as the 4th fastest-growing tech startup in the UK and Ireland by Sifted, a testament to their innovative approach to transforming the sports and live event industry. Under the ballroom lights in the presence of live performers we brought together our athlete community and leading investors within our ecosystem to celebrate their remarkable story and look ahead to the future. We have strong conviction in the continued growth of the premium experience sector and the transformative impact Seat Unique’s platform can have on sports, music and creative industries. Our ability to open doors to key rights holders filled a strategic role on Seat Unique's cap table in 2023 and their subsequent strategy to activate athlete networks and ambassadors has been brilliantly executed since. This has manifested in a 530% annual growth rate and their recent oversubscribed round, led by Nickleby Capital, is testament to the break-out velocity they are experiencing. Thank you to everyone who joined us for this special evening, and we’re wishing Robin Sherry, Phillipa Hicks and all the Seat Unique’s team a bright future ahead! Kelvin Au | Sebastiano Cossia Castiglioni | Philip Green | Peter Coates | Matthew Roberts | Rowena Samarasinhe | Fergus Bell | Ruari Bell | Haaris Shah | George Burrough | Ehsen Shah | Rebecca Wheeler | Mike Turns | Andy Marston | Cherry Beagles #ThePlayersFund #SeatUnique #SportsInnovation #AthleteInvestors

🎉 Investment Announcement |  Seat Unique: Fourth Fastest-Growing Startup in the UK & Ireland! 🎉 We are delighted to finally announce our investment in Seat Unique, the premium ticketing and hospitality platform that has taken the sports and live event industry by storm. We firmly believe in the future of premium experiences and Seat Unique's incredible growth has recently earned them the prestigious ranking of the fourth fastest-growing tech startup in the UK and Ireland, according to Sifted 📈 Seat Unique's innovative dual-sided platform has significantly disrupted the premium hospitality & ticketing space with a series of high-profile partnerships across the sports and live event spaces. Their impressive list of venues & collaborations includes WRU - Welsh Rugby Union, Jacksonville Jaguars, Burnley FC, Emirates Old Trafford, Lancashire Cricket Club, Watford Football Club and more across music and theatre. 🏟️ By harnessing The Players Fund's extensive network across the UK, Europe, US and India, we have always believed that we are uniquely positioned to accelerate Seat Unique's already remarkable growth trajectory. Our relationships will help unlock partnerships with leading rightsholders worldwide, solidifying Seat Unique's position as an industry leader in their burgeoning sub-sector. 🌍 We are also delighted to see TPF athlete Stuart Broad join forces with Seat Unique, further strengthening the connection between our two organisations. Stuart's involvement after recent retirement underscores the value and potential of this collaboration. 🤝 Our investment marks an exciting new chapter for both Seat Unique and The Players Fund as we collaborate to deliver value for portfolio companies beyond just capital. By bridging the worlds of sports and startups, we aim to create meaningful opportunities for athletes and entrepreneurs alike. 🏅 We extend our warmest congratulations to Robin Sherry & Phillipa Hicks, co-founders of Seat Unique, and their exceptional team for their outstanding achievements. Together, we’re looking forward to disrupting the ticketing and hospitality industry. 👏 Congrats to the team at Seat Unique on their press & success: Robin Sherry | Phillipa Hicks | Madeleine Robinson | Simeon Klein | Gemma Parkes | Nathan Dale | Guy Davis | Davina Dempsey Thanks to the everyone @ TPF that worked on this: Kelvin Au | Sebastiano Cossia Castiglioni | Philip Green | Peter Coates | Matthew Roberts | Rowena Samarasinhe | Fergus Bell | Ruari Bell | George Burrough | Rebecca Wheeler | Mike Turns #ThePlayersFund #SeatUnique #SportsInnovation #AthleteInvestors

“I think the education the Players Fund provides is really important. There are so many athletes who don’t understand the process of how to invest in future businesses. I think what the Players Fund is trying to do is an incredible start to that.” Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill Recently our Gamechangers event brought together some of the UK’s most pioneering female athletes, who are all paving the way for a new generation of sportspeople to participate in entrepreneurship and investment opportunities outside of their sporting roles. The panel provided valuable insights on the importance of community and the power of ‘the collective’. At The Players Fund, our mission is to break the status quo and create a likeminded and engaged community of athlete investors to unlock value for founders. In light of Britain’s most successful female Olympian - Dame Laura Kenny’s retirement, we seek to highlight the importance of athletes transitioning into life after sport. Through education leading to empowerment, The Players Fund hopes to help athletes, such as Laura, develop continued success in their lives outside of sport through supporting their pathway to investment and entrepreneurship. We hope this event provided a new perspective on the growing movement amongst female athletes as both investors and entrepreneurs. We would once again like to extend our thanks to our partners and panellists for ensuring the night was a resounding success. Thank you to our partners at True., SHERIDANS | SPORT, Omnia Media, Sports Pundit, Jennis, EUVC and to the panel of Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, Dame Laura Kenny, Charley Hull, Danielle Carter and Chloe Chong led by Rowena Samarasinhe

Very well said Myrto Lalacos!

So great to have you along Chris Baker! Thanks again for all your help Everything in Sport and PowerPlay The Future

-> We are celebrating the announcement of our new female athlete cohort 🎉 We welcome an exceptional group - Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, Eniola Aluko MBE, Allyson Felix, Nikita Parris and Danielle Carter - as new partners at The Players Fund, the UK’s first athlete-founded VC firm. These icons of women's sports, with achievements including numerous Olympic medals, World Cup appearances, and world championship titles, will bring invaluable perspectives as investors and entrepreneurs. They aim to create meaningful change, opening up venture capital to a wider, more diverse group of athletes and founders. The group has strong experience as athletes turned founders and investors. Dame Jessica and Allyson both launched startups after retiring from competition, while Eni actively invests in and advises funds and companies. Their first-hand expertise will be a fantastic asset as we back exceptional founders. As part of our community, they will support The Players Fund’s efforts to educate and empower the next generation of female athletes as investors and entrepreneurs. Together with existing partners like Benjamin Andrew Stokes, Stuart Broad, Hector Bellerin, Serge Gnabry, Jos Buttler and KL Rahul they will expand our capabilities and outreach. Launched this year, we've created an unprecedented consolidation of reputable investors through our unique athlete-led model. We provide elite sportspeople with a trusted platform for participating in venture capital and making an impact beyond sport. We’re immensely excited these talented women are joining our mission to help athletes thrive in all aspects of their lives. Their continued success, on and off the field, continues to serve as an inspiration to all. Find out more about The Players Fund here: www.playersfund.vc

Our Partner, CHRIS SMALLING, sat down with Charlie Stebbings and Harry Stebbings, on a sports business podcast, to speak about the launch of The Players Fund and how surrounding yourself with the right team is crucial. On the episode they discuss: 🎙️ 1️⃣The importance of having options beyond football 2️⃣Balancing family and commitments 3️⃣The pressures he faced As a professional footballer for AS Roma and formerly Manchester United, CHRIS SMALLING understands the realities of building a career in sports. From making decisions around education to handling pressure, the podcast shares insights on his journey. With rapid career changes, little breaks, and constant pressure, footballers have unique challenges. CHRIS SMALLING offers a thoughtful perspective on maximising your potential on and off the pitch. His example shows how athletes can make an impact beyond sport. Tune in here to give it a listen: https://lnkd.in/eCfdSMaA

Our Partner, CHRIS SMALLING, recently sat down with James Pringle and Hector Mason, pioneering thought leaders in the field of venture capital and growth startups, to speak about the launch of The Players Fund and his journey as an investor. On the episode they discuss: 🎙️ 1️⃣The Players Fund  2️⃣Alligning CHRIS SMALLING's investments with his plant based lifestyle   3️⃣CHRIS SMALLING's journey as an investor CHRIS SMALLING is a Professional Footballer for AS Roma, with 31 Caps for England Football. Starting his career at non league Maidstone United Football Club, Chris then joined Fulham Football Club and Manchester United followed by his current team AS Roma CHRIS SMALLING started investing a few years ago aligning it with his plant based lifestyle. Leveraging his experience, he co-founded The Players Fund, a pioneering venture capital firm led by athletes and the first of its kind in the UK. Tune in here to give it a listen: https://lnkd.in/e9pgmhzJ