Arizona State is hoping a dedicated studio, along with educational resources will help student-athletes grow their brands in the age of NIL.
According to post on the school's website, the Student Athlete Venture Studio gives student-athletes tools and education to be successful in their NIL efforts.
Arizona State is hoping a dedicated studio, along with educational resources will help student-athletes grow their brands in the age of NIL.
According to post on the school's website, the Student Athlete Venture Studio gives student-athletes tools and education to be successful in their NIL efforts.
"By leveraging sports as an entrepreneurial platform, this program is the ideal place to launch your entrepreneurial journey with interdisciplinary collaboration across the university and Sun Devil Nation," the post states.
Jeff Kunowski and Kate Fitzgerald are co-founders of the studio. Fitzgerald, a former Sun Devil beach volleyball player, also carries the title of Sports Innovation Entrepreneurship Catalyst at the J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute.
"As student athletic council president, I saw a need to help other athletes access these same resources: launching businesses, securing grants, and building networks," Fitzgerald said. "The Student-Athlete Venture Studio embodies this mission, empowering athletes to thrive through NIL and entrepreneurship."
Fitzgerald launched her own company, VB America, while she was an athlete at ASU.
“It’s a volleyball lifestyle clothing brand," she told News 12. "What I did when working with Jeff is say, ‘okay, this is everything I wish I had as a student-athlete that would’ve helped me. How can we make it possible for other student-athletes to get these same resources?”
