WE HELP SPORTS ORGANISATIONS
INNOVATE BEYOND THE PITCH
We act as a bridge between the sport and venture ecosystem, building bespoke innovation and venture programmes to diversify revenue streams, create new sponsorship assets, and optimise your operational efficiency.
ALREADY TRUSTED BY LEADING SPORTS ORGANISATIONS
One Infrastructure. Two Ways To Engage.
We build the programme to fit your organisation. With or without equity.
Sequenced to grow with your ambition.
WHAT IS AN INNOVATION PROGRAMME?
The Opportunity
Every organisation has operational gaps that better technology could close. An innovation programme gives you early access to the startups solving them, before they're on anyone else's radar.
What It Solves
Organisations usually take on new vendors reactively, when something breaks or when something appears in their inbox at the right moment. Instead we offer a proactive approach, curating young companies, matched to your needs, and tested inside your organisation.
Most of what we surface here sits in sports tech. It’s tools built specifically for the problems you're solving day to day.
WHAT IS CORPORATE VENTURE?
The Opportunity
Sports organisations rarely engage with startups until later in their journey, when sponsorship becomes a viable option. Our venture-as-a-service model gives you the tools to build relationships with startups earlier - turning your brand, audience and access into equity in the businesses you help grow.
What It Solves
TPF Labs sits alongside the venture ecosystem, complementing the capital, judgement and company-building support already surrounding strong companies. We identify situations where a sports organisation has a specific ability to accelerate growth and can create mutual value through structured collaboration.
We work across venture categories. Relevance depends on the company's growth needs and the organisation's ability to help.
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TPF Labs builds and operates venture and innovation programmes for clubs, leagues and rights holders. We combine sports-sector operating experience, venture capital discipline and proprietary AI sourcing to turn strategic priorities into practical commercial opportunities.
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TPF Labs helps rightsholders create assets & value beyond traditional sponsorship and media rights. Depending on the model, this can mean new revenue opportunities, access to relevant technology, operational efficiencies, stronger partner activation, a clearer innovation narrative and the option to build long-term strategic equity in high-potential companies.
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Innovation Programmes are equity-optional and focus on testing technology, solving operational challenges and creating new value without requiring club capital. Corporate Venture is equity-led, using relevant club assets and access to build strategic alignment with high-potential companies (often looking much broader than sports-tech).
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No. TPF Labs acts as an extension of your team, covering strategy, sourcing, diligence, programme design, pilot structuring and activation. Your internal stakeholders remain involved where their expertise and decision-making matter most.
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We combine inbound applications with proactive sourcing through SCOUT, our proprietary AI platform. Every company is assessed for founder quality, product maturity, market fit and alignment with your organisation’s specific priorities before it reaches your team.
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Each programme is structured separately from existing sponsorship relationships; you are always in control. In Corporate Venture, the rightsholder can veto opportunities that could conflict with current commercial revenue, ensuring the programme creates future value rather than cannibalising existing partnerships.
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We don’t have a fixed cost as we create each programme bespoke to the needs of the organisation. However, as we’re able to lean on existing internal resources from The Players Fund, we’re able to be more cost-efficient than employing an in-house team. Contact us to get a quote.
FAQS
