The Upside Newsletter

Today we have the honor of interviewing Megan Rottler Hattori, the Associate Director of Sports Performance for Olympic Sports at Duke University (NCAA). She is also the primary sports performance coach for the women’s soccer and volleyball teams. Before her tenure at Duke, Rottler Hattori was the Associate Director of Strength and Conditioning at Harvard University. There, she was responsible for...

Today we have the honor of interviewing C.J. Watson, a former NBA player (Chicago Bulls, Warriors, Broolyn Nets) turned investor and author of children books. C.J. Watson is a former professional basketball player who transitioned into a successful career as a children's book author and philanthropist. Born on April 17, 1984, in Las Vegas, Nevada, Watson played college basketball at the University...

Today we have the honor of interviewing José María Oliva Lozano, the Director of Research and Innovation at the US Soccer Federation . José María Oliva Lozano serves as the Director of Research and Innovation at the U.S. Soccer Federation, a role he has held since November 2023. In this position, he leads initiatives that integrate advanced technologies and data-driven methodologies to enhance pla...

Today we have the honor of interviewing Jeff Hintz, executive director of Sports tech HQ, a sports tech ecosystem builder based in the state of Indiana. With over two decades of experience in the sports industry, Jeff has held leadership roles with the PGA of America and major events like the Ryder Cup. He was recognized as the 2016 Sportsperson of the Year by the Star Tribune for his work with th...

Today we have the honor of interviewing Dr. Stefan Valdes, a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), Board-Certified Sports Specialist (SCS), and Certified Strength & Conditioning Coach (CSCS). A Miami native, he founded Movement Lab in 2019 to bridge the gap between rehab and performance. Dr. Stefan specializes in sports and orthopedic rehab, bringing experience from the collegiate level, private secto...

Today we have the honor of interviewing André Antonelli, CEO of Machina Sports , a leading AI agent platform for sports. Machina Sports is an AI infrastructure platform designed specifically for the sports industry, enabling teams, media companies, and sportsbooks to build and deploy intelligent AI agents that automate content creation, fan engagement, and data analysis workflows. Their platform c...

Today we have the honor of interviewing Dr Richard Albright, CEO of Summus Medical Laser , a leading class 4 laser therapy device company. Richard was joined by Dr Phil Harrington, the Chief Medical Officer of the company. Summus Medical Laser develops and manufactures Class IV laser therapy devices utilized across medical, dental, and veterinary fields. These devices deliver specific red and near...

This week we have the honor to interview a group of rehab and performance experts across the NFL and F1. We discussed neck training, their approach to neck training, the various modalities, best practices and trends that they are seeing in the market. * Pieter Bulsink, the CEO of Maverick Training , a sports performance company focused on elite athletes in F1 and other sports. Pieter has worked wi...

Cartan Capital is a private investment firm specializing in growth-oriented partnerships with businesses across a range of sectors, including technology, healthcare, and financial services. The firm takes a long-term, research-driven approach to investing, combining deep industry expertise with a commitment to operational excellence. Cartan Capital collaborates closely with management teams to sup...

This week we have the honor to interview again a group of sports performance executives to talk about the latest trends in the world of sports performance and rehabilitation. * Jason Han, the former head of rehabilitation at LAFC (MLS). Jason is also the head of business development in North America at OneBase health. * Michael Messer, the head of rehabilitation at Nashville SC (MLS). * Chris Wolb...

This week we had the honor to interview a group of ATP/WTA sports performance experts in pro tennis. * Al Murphy, senior S&C coach at Tennis Australia. Al works with tennis players such as Rinky Hijikata, Emerson Jones and Aleks Vukic. He is also the head of sports science at Tennis Australia. * Zack Evenden, an experienced performance coach. Zack has worked with top tennis players like Frances Ti...

Today we have the honor of interviewing Emma Meehan, CEO of KinetikIQ, a leading real time excercie feedback and analysis company. KinetikIQ, developed by Precision Sports Technology, is an innovative LiDAR based app that provides real-time, sensor-free movement assessments. Utilizing AI-powered computer vision, it analyzes movement patterns to deliver instant metrics on biomechanics, such as rang...

Today we have the honor of interviewing Michael D'Auria, EVP Partnerships, Sports and Technology at Genius Sports , a leading sports technology company. Genius Sports is a global sports technology company that provides data, technology, and broadcast solutions to the sports, sports betting, and media industries. Essentially, they act as a crucial link between sports leagues, betting operators, and...

This week we had the honor to interview a group of NCAA sports performance experts. * Dr. John DeWitt, director of applied sports science in the athletic department and a faculty member, Rice University (NCAA team). * Eric Renaghan, Executive Director of Sport Performance, University of Miami (NCAA team). * Drew Lukes, Senior PT at Duke University and the head of sports science, Duke university’s...

This week we have the honor to interview again Dr. Ron Dick, associate professor of sports marketing at Duquesne University in the school of business. Ron also worked for 20 years in sports, including 15 years in the NBA with the Sixers and the Nets, and then five years in the NCAA. Watch the full video interview by clicking on the link below: You can read the full transcript of the podcast interv...

Monarch Collective is a venture capital firm dedicated to investing in women's sports. Launched in 2023 by Kara Nortman and Jasmine Robinson, the firm initially raised $100 million, with backing from notable investors such as Billie Jean King, Laela Sturdy, and Cindy Holland. As of March 2025, Monarch Collective expanded its fund to $250 million, reflecting growing interest in the sector. The firm...

Today we have the honor of interviewing ​ Dr. John DeWitt, the director of applied sports science in the athletic department and a faculty member at Rice University (NCAA). ​Dr. John DeWitt has been working a Rice University since July 2023. In this role, he aims to develop a premier sports science program that integrates various sports within the department and collaborates with external research...

This week we had the honor to interview   InnoPower CEO and former NFL player, Emil Nagbo Ikior. InnoPower is a venture-driven organization focused on fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in underserved communities in the U.S. and emerging markets in Africa. Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Ekiyor moved to the United States at 15 to pursue educational opportunities, eventually earning a football schol...

This week we have the honor to interview a group of NFL sports performance executives to talk about the latest trends in the world of sports performance, load management, sleep/recovery management, rehabilitation and data & wearable tech integration, and mental performance in the NFL. * Ted Rath, Director of sports performance, New Orleans Saints (NFL team). * Ryan Juarez, Director of rehabilitati...

Today we have the honor of interviewing Kyle Sela, CEO of AVA Cooling Technology , a leading performance enhancement company leveraging thermoregulation through palm cooling. Picture: AVA Cooling Technology What is Palm Cooling? Palm cooling is a thermoregulation technique that leverages the body's natural heat exchange mechanisms to enhance performance, delay fatigue, and accelerate recovery. It...

This week we had the honor to interview Joshua Bonhotal, Director at Sequence Equity, a leading multi strategy investment platform dedicated to backing resilient technologies, sports, and innovative businesses that enhance the human experience. Picture: Josh Bonhotal, Purdue University Joshua is a Director at Sequence Equity, where he leads investments across sports teams, leagues, and sport adjac...

This week we had the honor to interview again Dr. Ron Dick, associate professor of sports marketing at Duquesne University in the school of business. Ron also worked for 20 years in sports, including 15 years in the NBA with the Sixers and the Nets, and then five years in the NCAA. You can read the full transcript of the podcast interview with Ron located at the top of this blog post. Here are som...

This week we have the honor to interview a group of NHL sports performance executives to talk about the latest trends in the world of sports performance, load management, sleep/recovery management, rehabilitation and data & wearable tech integration, and mental performance in the NHL. * Alexi Pianosi, Head S&C coach, Colorado avalanche (NHL Team). * Adam Douglas, S&C coach, Pittsburgh Penguins (NH...

Today we have the honor of interviewing Pieter Bulsink, CEO of Maverick Training, a sports performance company focused on elite athletes in F1 and other sports. Pieter has been working with top athletes such as 4 times world champion in F1 Max Verstappen (Red Bull). Picture: Pieter Bulsink (left), Max Verstappen (right) Picture: Max Verstappen (middle), Pieter Bulsink (right) Pieter has also worke...

Today we have the honor of interviewing James Morehen, sports nutritionist from the England men national rugby team . James originally started out as a snowboard instructor in Canada from ages 18 to 21, but then decided he wanted to pursue an academic career in sports science. He studied at Liverpool John Moores University, where he completed an undergraduate degree in sports science, a master’s i...