Portrait of a Young Speaker Standing on a Conference Stage. Technology Startup Founder Using a Laptop Computer, Speaking About Software Integration at a Business Meeting with Professional Audience
QUARTERLY PITCH COMPETITION

The NIL Athlete Network Draft

Shark Tank for student-athletes. Pitch your post-graduation business idea to alumni investors for real seed funding.

The ultimate "Long Game" event—from NIL deals to entrepreneurial career

$25,000

NIL Athlete Network Grant + Mentorship

Real seed funding for the winner

Next Draft Event:

47
DAYS
:
12
HOURS
:
34
MINS
Apply to Pitch Past Winners

Live-streamed quarterly • Open to all NIL Athlete Network athletes

How The Draft Works

From NIL Incubator to live pitch—the ultimate Long Game pathway

1

Develop Your Idea

Work with the GamePlan Incubator to refine your post-graduation business idea. Access mentorship, business planning tools, and market research.

Timeline: 2-3 months before Draft

2

Submit Application

Submit your 2-minute pitch video and executive summary. Our selection committee reviews all applications.

Selection Rate: Top 8-10 finalists chosen per quarter

3

Pitch Prep & Coaching

Selected finalists get 1-on-1 coaching from alumni investors to refine pitch, financials, and presentation skills.

Includes: 3 coaching sessions + pitch deck review

4

Live Draft Event

8-minute live pitch to alumni investor panel. Streamed to entire GamePlan community. Winner gets $25K + mentorship.

Prize: $25,000 GamePlan Grant + 6 months mentorship

Meet Your Judges: Alumni Investor Panel

Marcus Williams

Former D1 Football

VC Partner • $50M Fund

Sarah Chen

Former D1 Soccer

Angel Investor • Tech

Jordan Taylor

Former D1 Basketball

CEO • SaaS Startup

Alex Rodriguez

Former D1 Baseball

Real Estate Dev

Taylor Brown

Former D1 Track

CPG Brand Founder

All judges are former student-athletes from the GamePlan Alumni Network

Past Winners

Q3 2024 WINNER

NutriPro

Founder: Marcus J. • Former D1 Football • University State

Personalized nutrition app for college athletes using AI meal planning. Secured $25K grant + additional $75K from judge angels.

$100K
Total Raised
2.4K
Active Users
12
Universities

"The Draft gave me the credibility and capital to launch. Within 6 months we had paying customers across 12 campuses."

Q2 2024 WINNER

GameDay Gear

Founder: Sarah W. • Former D1 Basketball • Tech University

Sustainable athleisure brand made from recycled materials. Direct-to-consumer model targeting Gen Z athletes.

$150K
Total Raised
$42K
Monthly Rev
3
Full-time Hires

"Winning The Draft connected me with mentors who understood the athlete mindset. We're now in talks with major retailers."

Ready to Pitch Your Idea?

Applications for Q1 2025 Draft are now open. Limited to 10 finalists.

Application Requirements:

  • Current GamePlan NIL member in good standing
  • 2-minute pitch video
  • Executive summary (2 pages max)
  • Financial projections (optional but recommended)
Submit Application

Application deadline: 30 days before each quarterly Draft event