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Start your morning with a mix of sport, culture, and conversation. Kick off with check-in, networking, and a light breakfast, then jump into a premium Crosscourt basketball run (15 hoopers) or a HIIT class. Afterward, connect over refreshments before a panel featuring athletes, investors, founders, and creators on the convergence of sports, tech, and media. The day wraps with networking, photos, and community connections over food and coffee from local partners.
Event Flow:
• 8:00 – 8:30 AM
Check-in, networking, warm-up, light breakfast
• 8:30 – 9:30 AM
Basketball/HIIT (15 hoops, 10HIIT max)
• 9:30 – 10:00 AM
Networking/light bites
• 10:00 – 11:00 AM
Panel Discussion
Panel Discussion Topics:
• The Convergence of Sports, Tech, and Media
• How Athletes are Investing and Building Businesses
• The Creator Economy and Personal Branding in the Digital Age
• Tech Trends Reshaping the Sports Industry
• Raising Capital: Lessons for Founders from Both Sides of the Table
Ben Gardner is Partner and Head of Portfolio Success at Will Ventures, specializing in sports, entertainment, and consumer startups. Previously at Andreessen Horowitz, he led go-to-market strategy and advised high-growth companies like Instacart and Substack. A Stanford alum and former NFL athlete, he brings both athletic and business acumen to his work.
Charles Seltzer is the Founder & CEO of Crosscourt, where he’s building community through basketball and innovation. A graduate of the University of Southern California, Charles launched Crosscourt to reimagine how people connect on and off the court by combining technology, sports, and culture. His vision is rooted in making basketball more accessible and impactful, fostering connections that extend well beyond the game.
Darrick “DJ” Johnson grew up in Compton, beat the odds to graduate from Georgetown, and went on to leadership roles at Apple, Dell, and Microsoft. A former college and pro football player, he’s now the founder of Sherpa Software, building data-driven tools to empower athletes and agents in shaping the future of sports representation.
Baron Davis is a two-time NBA All-Star, entrepreneur, investor, and creator. After a successful NBA career, he built a portfolio of investments in companies like Vitaminwater, Thrive Market, Super Coffee, and Hims, while founding ventures such as Sports, Lifestyle in Culture (SLiC) and Business Inside the Game (B.I.G.). Through his production company, No Label, he has produced and directed acclaimed projects including Crips and Bloods: Made in America, ESPN’s Sole Man, and Hulu’s WTF, Baron Davis. A strong advocate for financial literacy and underrepresented communities in venture capital, Davis continues to drive impact across sports, culture, and technology—all while prioritizing his most important role: Dad to his two kids in Los Angeles.
As a Director at Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), Ronnie Harris II leads the Los Angeles-based Start-up Banking Team, focusing on empowering start-ups with business development support, access to capital, and community building in the innovation economy.
Ronnie is also the Founder/CEO of Thoreau Giving, a non-profit committed to providing affordable housing for at-risk youth and single mothers, aiming to foster sustainable change and security for vulnerable communities.
All non-SVB named companies listed are independent third parties and are not affiliated with Silicon Valley Bank, a division of First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company.
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