🏟️ 2025 Upside US Summit. New Speaker: Coach Klask (NBA coach / Ex Denver Nuggets), Dean Riddle (Action Apps), Josh Harris (Myocene); Upside VIP MLS Dinner, New Sponsor: Myocene.
Dear colleague,
As you know, on October 21, 2025, we will host our annual 2025 Upside US Sports Tech Summit at the Amerant Bank Arena, the home of the Florida Panthers, the 2 times Stanley Cup NHL Champion, in Sunrise, Florida. We are excited about catching up with all of you there. We have a packed agenda for you guys with a great lineup of speakers, pro teams, vendors and investors. Speaking slots are filling up quickly. We already have nearly 50 speakers confirmed. Some top speakers (Teams, investors, athletes, etc) have yet to be announced. Stay tuned!
This week our new sponsor is Myocene. We have 1 booth left so this booth will go quickly. So if you want to exhibit, sponsor or speak at our summit, please reach out to us ASAP at julien@upsideglobal.co. We would also like to give a big thank you to our 26 sponsors namely Kinmetrix, HigherDOSE, Winback, Maxxx Force, Kinvent, Multi Radiance, Vert, Orreco, VALD, Quantum Movement, Aris, Cerbrec Beyond Blood, BrainLit, ActivBody, OxiWear, Myocene, Prism Neuro, Machina Sports, Respo.Vision, GameRun.ai, Summus Medical Laser, Box Altitude, ThermoHuman, KinetikIQ, Output Sports.
Due to high demand, we are also extending our early bird special. So you can use the code 70CODE for 70% off tickets ($150 Vs $500 regular price) by clicking on the “Get your discounted ticket(s) button below. The Promo ends on October 15 so hurry up.
We will also soon announce the details of our VIP dinner at the MLS Symposium in mid December 2025 in Atlanta GA. If you want to present in front of top MLS Practitioners (Head of performance, HAT, Head S&C coach, Head of rehab..) please email us at julien@upsideglobal.co. We only have 5 spots for vendors to present.
We are looking for some extra volunteers (student preferred) to help our at our US Summit on October 21, so if you are interested in volunteering please email us at julien@upsideglobal.co thank you.
If you cannot attend our Upside US Summit in person, no worries. You can now sign up here, email us and we will send you for free the recorded videos of the panels and keynotes by clicking on the link below:
Some of the Participating Teams and Leagues:
Hotel Partner - US Summit
We are also teaming up with the Double Three in Sunrise FL So if you are looking for a hotel to stay while attending our US Summit, you can benefit from a discounted rate on the hotel rooms. Please note that it also allows for cancellation and full refund up to 2 days prior to check in. Click on the link below to get access to the discounted rate:
Location / Time:
Location: Amerant Bank Arena, the home of the Florida Panthers (NHL), in Sunrise, Florida.
Date: October 21, 2025
Time: 7.30 am to 8.30 pm EST
Highlights:
300 Sports tech executives
50+ Top Teams & Leagues: NBA, WNBA, MLB, MLS, NWSL, NHL, NFL, NCAA, UFL, Premier League, etc
50 Top Speakers
15+ VCs (Sports tech VCs, Family offices, Team owners, Sports tech accelerators, angel investors..)
Media (TV, newswires..)
30 exhibitors
10 Speaking Sessions
2 Keynotes
1 after party
1 hour speed dating session with teams
Featured Speakers
This week we are delighted to announced our new speakers at our 2025 Upside US Sports Tech Summit in Sunrise, FL We have a lot more speakers (teams, leagues, vendors, VCs, team owners, athletes) across various leagues (NBA, WNBA, NFL, MLS, NWSL, MLB, NCAA, pro tennis..) to be announced. This week’s new speakers are Coach Charles Klask, a longtime assistant coach in the NBA (ex Denver Nuggets); Dean Riddle, the Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) at Action Apps; Josh Harris, a Performance Solutions Manager at Myocene.
Coach Klask will be speaking on the panel on our new panel on the Art of and Science of Coaching, moderated by Dean Riddle. Josh Harris will be speaking on the panel on the future of injury reduction by 2030.
Charles Klask is a longtime assistant coach in the NBA known especially for his analytical and scouting work. He began his NBA journey in the early 2000s with the Detroit Pistons as a video intern. From there he progressed through roles including video coordinator, advance scout, and scouting information manager—most notably with the Orlando Magic. Klask is often described as a “stats guy,” someone who emphasizes numbers and data when preparing game plans, studying opponents, and supporting head coaches in strategy development.
In 2018, Klask joined the Denver Nuggets’ coaching staff under Michael Malone, bringing his strengths in scouting, advanced analytics, and game-plan preparation. He was part of the staff when Denver won the NBA championship in 2023.
Dean Riddle serves as the Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) at Action Apps, where he applies his deep expertise in sports performance to guide strategic vision and product development as a founding partner for the athlete management platform - Power AMS. Dean has had a long career in human performance from the late 1980’s beginning of New Zealand with Rugby League before moving to the United Kingdom for 20 years across a variety of sports and now lives in the United States working with sports brands, teams and technologies. Dean’s early career included working as head S&C coach at Sheffield Eagles, Castleford Tigers and Leeds Rhinos in the English Super League. He worked in cricket for Yorkshire and was the head S&C coach for the England national cricket team before transitioning to soccer where he is held performance manager positions at Sheffield United, Leeds United, as well as consulting positions with Crystal Palace, LutonTown, Ferencvárosi Torna Club in Hungry and Chendu Blades in China. Moving to the United States 2011 he established and led Nike’s SPARQ performance network, building a global community of high-performance practitioners and oversaw 2 global performance conferences at the Nike World Headquarters in Oregon. He then served as Applied Sports Scientist for the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks from 2014 to 2020, focusing on blending technology, process and integrated performance systems for athletes and coaches.
Josh Harris, M.S., is a Performance Solutions Manager with Myocene who brings over a decade of experience at the intersection of sports science, strength and conditioning, and performance technology. Holding degrees in Sports and Exercise Science (B.S., West Texas A&M) and Exercise Science and Human Performance (M.S., Texas State), his research explores fatigue, power output, and long-term athlete readiness. His career includes roles as an Exercise Scientist at Gideon Health, where he worked on biosignal analysis and wearable tech development, and as an Applied Sports Scientist at the University of Texas, optimizing performance for Olympic sports programs. He has also served as a Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, giving him practical insight into bridging research and application. At Myocene, Harris partners with elite programs to advance force monitoring, fatigue management, asymmetry tracking, and return-to-play strategies, with a focus on integrating cutting-edge tools—ranging from AMS to AI—into practical solutions for athlete health and performance.
Agenda:
At our 2025 Upside US Sports Tech Summit, we will have 2 keynotes and various panel discussions on timely topics. Here is the detailed agenda.
7.30 am: Registration
8.30: Opening remarks by Julien Blin, CEO, Upside Global
8.40 am - 9.10 am: Opening Keynote
Dr Brian Moore, CEO, Orreco
9.10 am - 10 am: Panel discussion:
Title: NCAA / College Sports:
Summary:
– Why is the NCAA the next big opportunity for tech startups?
– What is the process to adopt new technologies, hot areas of tech interest, opportunities for tech startups in the NCAA?
Participants:
- Dr. Reuben F. Burch V, Ph.D., Associate VP for Research, Mississippi State University (NCAA)
- Dr Tony Ricci, Assistant Professor, Exercise and Sports Science, College of Osteopathic Medicine, School of Rehabilitative Sciences, Nova Southeastern University (NCAA)
- Steven Simmons, COO, NILENT
- Dr. Stefan Valdes, Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) & Experienced NBA & NFL S&C coach
Moderator: Dr. Zacharias Papadakis, PhD, Director of the Human Performance Laboratory, Barry University.
10 am - 11 am: Speed dating session between pro teams and select vendors
11 am - 12 pm: Panel discussion:
Title: The Emergence of next gen biomarkers:
Summary:
– Are biomarkers (lactate, cortisol, glucose, hydration…) the new holy grail for teams?
– What types of new biomarkers are likely to emerge in the future?
Participants:
– David Iglesias, CCO, ThermoHuman
- Gonzalo Rodriguez Garcia, Director of the Health & Performance Department, Orlando City SC (MLS)
- Paul Robbins, experienced NBA/NFL sports performance expert, BioCore,
- Manfredi San Germano, Founder & CEO, Beyond Blood Diagnostics (HypoXcell).
- Dr Bill Burgos, LONU CEO, Former NBA S&C coach
- Dr Brian Moore, CEO, Orreco
Moderator: Dr. Zacharias Papadakis, PhD, Director of the Human Performance Laboratory, Barry University.
12 pm - 1.30 pm: Lunch & Networking
1.40 pm - 2.20 pm: Panel discussion:
Title: Training and Rehab for the Future: What Will Performance Training and Return-to-Play Look Like in 2030?
Summary:
A forward-looking discussion on how AI, biomechanics, genetics, and wearable tech will transform the rehabilitation and performance training process.
Participants:
- Athan Kollias, Founder & CEO, Kinvent
- Rico Rogers, CEO, Box Altitude
- Richard Albright, CEO, Summus Medical Laser
- Nick Soto, Assistant S&C coach, University of Miami (NCAA)
- Emma Meehan, Founder, CEO & CTO, KinetikIQ
- Dr Martin O’Reilly, CEO, Output Sports
Moderator: Dr Marco Nunez, Former Head Athletic Trainer, LA Lakers (NBA)
2.20 pm - 3 pm: Panel discussion:
Title: The Future of Fan Engagement with AI and Personalization.
Summary:
– Tailoring content and experiences for individual fans.
– AI-powered fan engagement and training tools
Participants:
–Stevland Wilson, VP, Postproduction, Design & Animation, Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE)
- Bill Chapman, Emmy® Award-winning live director and producer, Warner Bros Discovery
- Pawel Osterreicher, Co-Founder & CEO, Respo.Vision
- André Antonelli, CEO, Machina Sports
- Steven Lund, Head of Sales Cerbrec
- Robert Hull, CFO, Panini America
– Moderator: Chris Pfaff, CEO, Chris Pfaff Tech/Media LLC
3 pm - 3.40 pm: Panel discussion:
Title: The Future of injury reduction by 2030
Summary:
– Current modalities (AMS, biomechanics assessment tools, AI tools..) used to reduce injuries
– Future modalities to reduce injuries by 2030.
Participants:
– Dr. Stefan Valdes, Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) & Experienced NBA & NFL S&C coach
- Shaun Jayachandran, Product Advisor, GameRun.ai
- Dr Marco Nunez, Former Head Athletic Trainer, LA Lakers (NBA)
- Devan McConnell, High Performance Director, Utah Mammoth (NHL)
- Carlos Del Barro, Experienced Sports scientist, Atletico Madrid (Laliga)
- Josh Harris, M.S., Performance Solutions Manager, Myocene
– Moderator: Julien Blin, CEO, Upside Global
3.40 pm - 4.20 pm: Panel discussion:
Title: Rehab panel: Key metrics, The Science of Comebacks
Summary:
Highlighting new technologies like AI-driven rehab programs, regenerative medicine, and advanced wearables for tracking recovery.
Are we measuring the right things (Cognitive, motor skills)?
Challenging traditional return-to-play benchmarks and exploring new data-driven approaches to assessing readiness.
Participants:
- Kim Brouzes, CEO, Kinmetrix
- Erin Angelini, Director of Rehabilitation, Orlando Pride (NWSL)
- Joe Rogowski, Athletic Heart CEO, Former NBPA Chief Medical Officer
- Gordon Waddington, Australian Institute of Sport/University of Canberra Professor of Sports Medicine Research, Co-founder, Prism Neuro
Moderator: Len Zaichkowsky, PhD, Retired Professor, World-class’ sports biofeedback expert, Boston University
4.20 pm - 5 pm: Panel discussion:
Title: Winning Plays: Unlocking ROI in Sports Tech Investments
Summary:
- Beyond the hype, what are the real opportunities for return on investment in sports tech? This panel of experienced VCs will dissect the key metrics that drive successful sports tech investments. They’ll discuss due diligence, valuation, exit strategies, and the long-term potential of various sports tech sectors, offering valuable insights for both seasoned investors and those looking to break into the market.
– Is AI the next gold rush in the sports tech investment world?
Participants:
- Wayne Kimmel, Managing Partner, SeventySix Capital
- Meredith McPherron, CEO & Managing Partner, Drive by DraftKings
- Joshua A. Bonhotal, Director, Sequence Equity
– Konrad von Moltke, Principal, WISE Ventures
- Ryan Murphy, Former olympic athlete (Team USA / Swimming) & Investor, NVP.
- Ian Seltzer, Principal, Pierce Yates Ventures
Moderator: Jeff Hintz, Executive Director, Sports Tech HQ
5 pm - 5.40: Panel discussion:
Title: Women in sports:
Summary:
– What types of emerging technologies for women teams and athletes will be see in the future? What are the main challenges faced by women teams today?
– What can we do to increate the number of research towards women teams?
Participants:
– David Gil, Performance Lab Director, VERT Sports.
- Cory Price, Director of Medical & Performance, Orlando Pride (NWSL)
Moderator: Julien Blin, CEO, Upside Global
5.40 pm - 6.20 pm: Closing keynote
Speaker: Kyle Harris, BrainLit AB CEO
6.20 pm - 7 pm: Panel of The Art and Science of Coaching
Participants:
- Zack Evenden, ATP coach
- Coach Charles Klask, NBA Coach (Ex Denver Nuggets)
Moderator: Dean Riddle, Chief Strategy Officer (CSO), Action Apps
7 pm - 8 pm: After party
So why should you attend our Upside US Summit?
Our exclusive 2025 Upside US Summit will give you the opportunity to:
Meet practitioners (Athletic trainers, strengths coaches, sports scientists, head of performance, team doctors..) of top teams to present your product.
Meet innovative companies in areas (rehab tech, thermography, wearables, AI based injury reduction tools, hydration assessment tools, AMS, OTT/Web 3.0, etc.)
Meet top VCs, team owners, family offices, athletes and investors as part of your fund raising effort.
Speak on our panels and keynotes about the latest trends in sports and tech (Load management, injury reduction, OTT/Web 3.0, etc.)
If you are interested in sponsoring our event, exhibiting or speaking at our event, please reach out to us ASAP and click on the button below or email us at julien@upsideglobal.co
You want to know what it was like to attend our NY Summit at Citi Field, and hear what attendees loved about it?
Here are some video testimonials of some of the attendees (Vendors, sports organizations, VCs..) at our NY Summit:
At our 2025 Upside US Sport Tech Summit, we will have 50 top speakers. You can check our first speakers below. We will soon announce many more new speakers for our 2025 US Sports Tech Summit.
Our sponsors:
As always, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me.
Best,
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