Unofficial Partner Podcast UP512 Other People's Money: APEX, the athlete investor trend, Red Bull Ventures, Baller and TGL
Oct 23, 2025
António Caçorino, founder and CEO of APEX, discusses his innovative athlete investor model that combines the capital of over 70 athletes from various sports. He highlights notable investments in ventures like TGL and Baller League, showing how athletes bring credibility and insight to the table. António delves into the strategic shift towards institutional investors, including Red Bull Ventures as a key backer, and the evolving role of agents as strategic advisors. The conversation also explores the future of women's sports and how APEX navigates potential conflicts with corporate partnerships.
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Sports-Born Investment Model
- APEX was founded from sports people for sports investing, using athlete capital to build industry credibility.
- Athlete involvement supplies capital, sector insight, and network effects that accelerate deal flow and validation.
High‑Profile Athlete Network
- APEX's roster includes F1 stars Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz, footballers Raphaël Varane and Marcelo, and cyclists like Mark Cavendish.
- The network spans ~200 athletes across 17 sports and is expanding globally with U.S. names joining.
Athlete Capital Adds Real Due Diligence
- Athletes invest because they understand sports risk and can better assess theses in sports businesses.
- Their industry validation and due diligence materially strengthens investment decisions.