9.58 Ventures Backs Its First Four Companies & Partners with Deion Jones, David Vanterpool, Francis Tiafoe, Jalen Mills
Key Investments in pocstock, SkinnyDipped, NeuroTrainer and Kokoon, Visit us at: www.958vp.com
SAN FRANCISCO, CA, USA, September 28, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ — 9.58 Ventures Backs Its First Four Companies
Partners with Deion Jones, David Vanterpool, Francis Tiafoe, Jalen Mills and other athletes and coaches from the NFL, NBA, NCAA and UTA
Newly formed 9.58 Ventures (www.958vp.com) announced that it has backed its first four companies. Co-Founders and General Partners, Omar Sillah (Spectra Management) and Fred Toney (Launchpad Digital Health), alongside David Vanterpool (NBA) and Deion Jones (NFL), formed the partnership to focus on investing in the top technology companies in health, sports, lifestyle and culture, along with its partners, which includes many professional athletes and coaches from the NFL, NBA, UTA, NCAA and more.
Key partners and investors include Francis Tiafoe (currently #11 ranked UTA professional tennis player in the world), Deion Jones (NFL player, Pro Bowler, and currently with the Carolina Panthers), David Vanterpool (NBA coach currently with the Washington Wizards), and Jalen Mills (NFL player, Super Bowl Champion, and currently with the New England Patriots), among others. Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati (WSGR Investments) is also a key partner and investor. Scott Murano, partner at WSGR, stated, “we are delighted to be investing in the 9.58 companies as we help them grow into successful enterprises during this important expansion phase, and as the partners have an outsized impact on the portfolio.”
Deion Jones stated, “we seek the best teams representing all colors and backgrounds to lead our companies. It’s great to formalize this group of terrific investors and players.”
David Vanterpool stated, “we seek companies that are differentiators and can rapidly gain scale, run by top managements. We look forward to building a large and successful portfolio of tech companies.”
Francis Tiafoe stated, “we have so many opportunities to back brands and companies, and we are only picking the absolute best opportunities. As a leading player, we associate with winning companies.”
Jalen Mills stated, “we are investing in the best fast-growing technology companies as we build our stellar portfolio. 9.58 Ventures are our guys.”
The four initial investments include:
– pocstock, 9.58 as lead investor alongside other athletes – founded by advertising media veterans, the leading global stock media platform that focuses unapologetically on people of color and other diverse groups, leading to media images that better reflect the diversity of our world. Steve Jones, CEO. www.pocstock.com
– Skinnydipped, other investors include CAVU Consumer Partners, AF Ventures, Pentas Ventures, David Grutman, Amy Schumer, Mark Wahlberg, Becky G, Post Malone, Odell Beckham Jr., Tan France, Alesso, Kevin Durant, Rich Kleiman and others – with products available in 25,000 retail stores nationwide, the groundbreaking brand is synonymous with delicious, better-for-you and anxiety-free snacks. Breezy Griffith, CEO. www.skinnydipped.com
– NeuroTrainer, 9.58 as lead investor alongside LG Novo, M34 Capital and others – a Mental Fitness system that enables athletes to achieve new levels of human performance with cognitive training, combining neuroscience, sports science and immersive virtual reality media, where athletes improve focus, decision speed, and situational awareness that translates to overall athletic performance. NeuroTrainer is used by NBA, NHL, MLB, and collegiate DI teams, as well as elite athletes, trainers and coaches. Noah Rolland, CEO. www.neurotrainer.com
– Kokoon, alongside Committed Capital, Sequel and a commercial partnership with Philips Electronics – featured in Vogue, GQ and the Wall Street Journal, the leading sleep platform for customizing sleep programs that learn and grow with the user nightly. With your very own sleep and relaxation audio experience, you’ll get the insights needed to keep you sleeping soundly. Developed with sleep scientists, the Kokoon app works with your Nightbuds and Relax Headphones to help you sleep soundly, night after night. Tim Antos, CEO. www.kokoon.io/en-us
These venture-backed companies, managed by great entrepreneurs, are launching new products and scaling for success. They are prepared for the rigors of the marketplace, as they have met the high standards we set at 9.58 Ventures.
“These four companies are indicative of what we are achieving with 9.58 Ventures, from a myriad of backgrounds, true to our mission. They each have hit the ground running, already capturing significant market presence, and we are pleased that they are each closing substantial institutional co-investors alongside us,” said Fred Toney, co-founder of 9.58 Ventures.
Omar Sillah, co-founder of 9.58 Ventures stated, “we are thrilled with the quality and early progress of the first four companies for 9.58 Ventures, as well as the many important partners who will help make these companies successful. Our lineup of athletes and coaches can be gamechangers as investors in these portfolio companies.”
9.58 Ventures is reviewing business plan applications for investments. Submissions for evaluation may be made at www.958vp.com.
About 9.58 Ventures
Founded by Omar Sillah, Fred Toney, David Vanterpool (NBA), and Deion Jones (NFL). Collectively, the team has backed hundreds of companies and professionally excelled in business and sports.
WHY 9.58? We focus on the world’s top performers in athletics and tech startups. We express our goal of achieving excellence by honoring Usain Bolt’s historic 100-meter record…in just 9.58 seconds. Years of hard work, perseverance, and talent led to this outcome. Join us in achieving that excellence every day.
OUR MISSION: Back the best entrepreneurs with highly diversified backgrounds building technology companies in these sectors: health, sports, lifestyle, culture, alongside our team of world class athlete investors. We do this by investing in early-stage companies and mentoring their teams.
OUR VISION & LEGACY: Successful people come from all backgrounds and colors, and we help build leading companies run by passionately driven founders.
OUR FOCUS: Investing in and mentoring the best technology startups, alongside world class athletes. Typical investment entry points at Seed, A & B rounds. www.958vp.com
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati (WSGR), the leading Silicon Valley- and San Francisco-based law firm in the technology sector, is a substantial investor in the 9.58 Ventures portfolio of companies.
To find out more, visit us at www.958vp.com and see how your startup can benefit from an investment from this community.
Fred Toney
9.58 Ventures
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