#250: Erik Minnick, Versus Ventures - Investing in the Future of Sports, Gaming & Fintech with

Erik Minnick is a General Partner at Versus Ventures, a pre-seed and seed-stage fund investing in the future of sports tech, gaming, and fintech.A former D1 wrestler turned developer and investor, Erik brings a rare mix of technical depth, competitive grit, and operator empathy to the table. Before co-founding Versus, he served as CIO at Andover Ventures, gaining experience on both sides of the startup-investor relationship.In this episode, Erik shares what Versus looks for in early-stage founders, the trends he’s watching across the sports innovation landscape, and the most common pitfalls startups face when raising capital. We also talk about the shifting dynamics in college athletics, the role of AI in the sports stack, how to craft a winning investor pitch, and where he sees the next breakout opportunities.

Chapters:

01:32 Changes in Wrestling and Sports Ecosystem

04:14 Overview of Versus and Investment Strategies

07:14 Understanding Venture Capital Decision-Making

10:00 The Role of AI in Sports Tech

12:23 Due Diligence in Early-Stage Investments

14:01 Common Mistakes Founders Make

15:34 Concerns in College Sports Funding

20:06 Opportunities in College Sports

22:01 Navigating the Future of College Athletics

25:21 Understanding Market Dynamics and KPIs

26:59 Engagement with Founders Post-Investment

30:50 Investment Thesis: Gaming, Sports Tech, and Fintech

34:00 Building Incentive Networks in Sports Tech

37:06 The Art of Storytelling in Capital Raising

41:01 Navigating SAFE vs. Price Rounds

43:28 Connecting with Fans: The Team Owner's Perspective

Erik Minnick:

🏠Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-minnick-12652340/

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.versusvc.com/

Andrew Petcash:

🏠 Website: https://profluence.com

🐣 Twitter: https://twitter.com/andrewpetcash

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewpetcash/Thanks for watching! Hit the “subscribe” button to stay updated on new podcasts.