Dounghnut Jar: Conversations in AI

Episode 005: How AI is Disrupting Sports, Gaming and Gambling

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A Conversation with Kai Bond | Partner, Courtside Ventures. Entrepreneur. Founder. Investor.

Welcome to Doughnut Jar: Conversations in AI, the weekly podcast where Donnovan Andrews, founder of Doughnut Jar; Global Consulting Principal, Artificial Intelligence with Ogilvy Consulting; and serial entrepreneur; will feature in-depth talks with prominent figures in AI from diverse sectors like academia, marketing, governance, and development.

In Episode 005, we are speaking with Kai Bond about how AI is disrupting gaming, sports and gambling. Kai is a partner at Courtside Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in companies at the intersection of sports, gaming and lifestyle.

Courtside Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm with a strategic focus on sports, lifestyle, and gaming. The firm partners with founders who are pioneering new definitions in these sectors, which are seen as significant areas for growth where the next generation is expected to spend more in terms of money and time. Courtside Ventures has raised over $200 million across three funds and has made more than 80 active investments, with an impressive enterprise value of over $9 billion for their entire portfolio.

The firm has gained attention for launching a star-studded $100 million Fund III, attracting a wide array of investors including prominent sports figures and business executives. Some of the notable investors in this fund include Shaquille O’Neal, Larry Fitzgerald, David Blitzer, as well as major stakeholders from teams like the Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Golden State Warriors, among others. These investors bring not just capital but also strategic value and connections to the firm and its portfolio companies. Courtside Ventures prides itself on backing culture-shaping companies that drive innovation and has made early investments in companies that have gone on to be acquired by larger corporations or have had successful exits, indicating a strong track record in the venture capital domain.

You can find more about Kai here.

Follow along for future episodes with other notable figures in this emerging and important space.

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