Durham, NC – NextPlay, a trusted provider of comprehensive career success software and services for collegiate athletes, announced this week that it has raised $235,000 in equity financing. The seed financing comes from a group of angel investors that includes 2005 NBA Rookie of the Year Emeka Okafor, a technology executive from a multi-billion dollar software company, and a managing partner from a venture capital firm.
The funds will allow NextPlay to further develop its software platform while continuing to provide career development services to student-athletes at partner institutions. The company will also use the software platform to offer additional career development support and transition assistance for student-athletes at non-partner institutions.
“Given the volatility of the current job market, it is more important than ever for current and former student-athletes to stay connected and to get the training and resources they need to pursue a career with confidence,” said Kyle Mumma, Founder & CEO of NextPlay. “Our successful seed round will allow us to enhance the support we can give our partners by growing our team, further developing our software product, and scaling our impact nationally.”
“Being an athlete is all about preparation and performance,” said NBA veteran Emeka Okafor. “We do countless drills in the pursuit of perfection in our sport, why not the same for life after sport? NextPlay is an invaluable tool for exactly that purpose. It provides a framework for athletes to learn and acquire crucial skills that will make their transition into the workforce as smooth as their game.”
The $235,000 seed round is the first round of investment for NextPlay since launching in 2018 and will allow the company to pursue its mission of preparing athletes to take ownership of their transition to life after sports.
About NextPlay
NextPlay is a career development service dedicated to empowering student-athletes by giving them the tools they need to succeed in a career after sports. Based in Durham, North Carolina and founded in 2018, NextPlay continuously strives to provide up to date resources and career development services specifically tailored to the needs of each individual partner athletics program. Visit www.nextplay.me for more information.