🏟️ 2025 Upside US Tech Summit (Florida Panthers stadium) Recap: Recorded Videos of Keynotes & Panels. Thank you! VIP MLS Dinner: New Speakers: Garrison Draper and Dr Robert Butler.
Dear colleague,
Thank you for attending the 2025 Upside US Upside Sports Tech Summit at the Amerant Bank Arena, home of the two-time Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers, last Tuesday. Your support far exceeded our expectations. We are grateful to have hosted over 250 attendees, along with 30 teams, 60 vendors and top VCs and Family Offices. What a great turn out.
We also want to thank our 26 sponsors and exhibitors namely Kinmetrix, HigherDOSE, Winback, Maxxx Force, Kinvent, Multi Radiance, Vert, Orreco, Exerfly, VALD, Quantum Movement, Aris, Cerbrec Beyond Blood, BrainLit, Danu Sports, ActivBody, Myocene, Prism Neuro, Machina Sports, Respo.Vision, GameRun.ai, Summus Medical Laser, Box Altitude, ThermoHuman, KinetikIQ, Output Sports.
We truly appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedules to gather with us and others from the Sports Tech community. Your presence and participation made the day a memorable and engaging experience. We hope you enjoyed the Summit and found it valuable.
You can watch in the sections below the full videos of our opening remarks, keynotes and panel discussions.
📅 What’s Next for Upside
Join us at our upcoming events:
2025 Upside VIP Dinner – MLS Symposium | December 10 | Atlanta, GA
2026 Upside VIP Dinner – NBA Summer League | July 2026
2026 Upside VIP Event – Atlético Madrid Stadium | September 2026
2026 Upside Annual Summit | Date & Location TBD
We are working on organizing additional Upside events in the US and Europe in 2026.
Want to Speak or Sponsor an Upside Event?
If you’re interested in speaking or sponsoring one of our future Upside events, please contact us at: julien@upsideglobal.co
As a reminder we will be hosting our VIP dinner at the MLS Symposium on December 10, 2025 in Atlanta GA where the following speakers will be speaking. Garrison Draper and Dr Robert Butler are the latest speakers confirmed to speak on this panel.
Dave Tenney, Director of High Performance at Atlanta United FC (MLS).
Darcy Norman, Director of Performance at Chicago Fire FC (MLS).
Garrison Draper, VP Performance, Cincinatti FC (MLS)
Dr Robert Butler, Director of Performance, Nashville SC (MLS)
If you are a startup and would like to present in front of 50 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 already have 20 MLS practitioners registered so hurry up. If you are an MLS practitioner and would like to get a pass to attend our MLS VIP dinner please email us at julien@upsideglobal.co as well.
We hope to see you there! If you are interested in attending, speaking, exhibiting, or sponsoring our 2025 MLS VIP Dinner, or any of our 2026 Upside events feel free to email us at julien@upsideglobal.co
As always, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me.
Best,
Big Thank you our 26 sponsors! Without your support, this Summit would not have been possible!
Big thank you to the Upside Team for their exceptional work:
We also want to thank all the great speakers that came to our 2025 Upside US Tech Summit:
Our speed dating session between the teams and vendors was a great success:
Participating Teams & Leagues:
🌟 Highlights from the Summit
Inspiring Speakers: 50+ industry experts—shared powerful insights shaping the future of sports.
Speed Dating with Pro Teams: One of the most anticipated sessions brought together 27 innovative exhibitors and 30+ pro teams from the NBA, MLB, NHL, MLB, NWSL, UFL, USL, NCAA, WWE, tennis —5 minutes per team, real conversations, real deals.
Unmatched Networking: Over 250 leaders across sports tech, venture capital, elite teams, startups, and performance connected to collaborate and innovate.
Top-Tier Content & Innovation: 10 panels, 2 keynotes, and 27 cutting-edge exhibitors showcased the latest in AI, wearables, biometrics, rehab tech, performance analytics, fan engagement, and venue innovation.
You can watch below the full videos of our opening remarks, keynotes and panel discussions.
8.40 am - 9.10 am: Opening Keynote
Josh Seligman, Director of North America Sales, Exerfly
Alex Ehlert, Sport and human performance scientist, Exerfly
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., VP for Research, Texas Christian University (TCU / 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
- Robert Mazzucchelli, Co-Founder, Chairman & Chief Marketing Officer, SportsEdTV
- 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.
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
- Paul Robbins, experienced NBA/NFL sports performance expert, BioCore,
- Manfredi San Germano, Founder & CEO, Beyond Blood Diagnostics (HypoXcell).
Moderator: Dr. Zacharias Papadakis, PhD, Director of the Human Performance Laboratory, Barry University.
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
- Phil Harrington, Medical Director, Clinical Manager, 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:
- 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)
- 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)
- DaeSean Hamilton, former NFL player for the Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins (NFL)
- 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
- Thomas Mitchell DC, CCSP, Clinic Director, Chicago Institute for Health & Wellness and Senior Vice President of Exercise Science & Performance at Maxxx-Force.
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
– Konrad von Moltke, Principal, WISE Ventures
- Ryan Murphy, Former olympic athlete (Team USA / Swimming) & Investor, Norwest
- 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)
- Mary Vander Heiden, Owner of MVH Sports Medicine, LLC, and Head Athletic Trainer for the Arlington Renegades (UFL)
Moderator: Erwin Benedict Valencia, former Medical, Performance & Wellness Lead, New York Knicks (NBA),
5.40 pm - 6.20 pm: Panel Discussion:
Title: The Art and Science of Coaching
Participants:
- Zack Evenden, ATP coach
- Coach Charles Klask, NBA Coach (Ex Denver Nuggets)
- Mark Strickland, Former NBA player & coach, ex Miami Heat
- Federico Boscarino, ATP/WTA Coach
Moderator: Dean Riddle, Chief Strategy Officer (CSO), Action Apps
6.20 pm - 7 pm: Closing keynote
Participants:
- Kyle Harris, CEO, BrainLit AB
- Alex Rodrigo, Senior Advisor, Global Sports, Entertainment & Venue Strategy, Xvisory
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