Episode
088 Vasu Kulkarni (Courtside VC) on SportsTech, Fundraising & Running a $200M VC
- Published
- May 18, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2067
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Summary
Vasu Kulkarni is the founding partner of Courtside Ventures, an early-stage venture firm with over $200 million in assets under management and more than 100 investments across sports, gaming, collectibles, wellness, and media. Courtside’s investor base has included legends like Michael Jordan as an LP. Vasu shares his journey from walking onto the basketball team at the University of Pennsylvania to founding Krossover, one of the earliest sports analytics platforms used by over 10,000 teams globally before its acquisition in 2017. He also discusses launching Courtside Ventures alongside Dan Gilbert, making early investments in companies like StockX and The Athletic, and what founders need to understand before raising venture capital. The conversation dives into the realities of building in sports tech, the evolving venture landscape, AI’s impact on investing, and why Vasu believes sports, health, and entertainment will remain enduring industries for decades to come