NBA Champion Giannis Antetokounmpo recently announced the launch of Build Your Legacy (BYL) Ventures. This firm focuses on investments in sports and entertainment, driven by the Antetokounmpo family’s dedication to driving innovation and entrepreneurship. BYL Ventures is positioned to utilize the Antetokounmpo family’s expanding business empire and capital to maximize impact within sports, entertainment and media, intellectual property, consumer products, and technology.
This fund represents a platform that helps industry leaders and forward-thinking entrepreneurs connect with promising founders to support growth. By utilizing Antetokounmpo’s industry expertise and expansive network, BYL Ventures empowers bold founders to optimize opportunities, drive meaningful change, and create lasting value across industries. And Antetokounmpo will leverage his close relationships with the world’s most influential people to ensure the entrepreneurs in which he invests are uniquely able to grow and scale their businesses.
This fund, which will concentrate on early-stage investing, already started deploying capital from its first round, making two seed investments, Unrivaled, a new 3v3 professional women’s basketball league, and Candy Funhouse, an influencer confectionary platform. And BYL Ventures will expand on Giannis’ past experience as an entrepreneur and investor, from launching Improbable Media, to investments in the Milwaukee Brewers, Nashville SC and LA Golf Club, a TGL franchise, and others.
BYL Ventures will also act as an incubator for certain companies, offering hands-on mentorship, operational guidance and strategic support. Founders in BYL Ventures’ incubation program will also gain access to personalized growth plans, resources to refine their market strategies and connections that are critical for success in highly competitive industries.
KEY QUOTES:
“I’m incredibly energized to launch BYL Ventures as a way to give back and support the next generation of visionaries. This fund is not just about capital; it’s about forging partnerships and opening my network to accelerate the growth trajectory for companies. I want to help other entrepreneurs, especially those who have faced barriers, to grow and succeed. BYL Ventures will be focused on finding people with big dreams and helping them make those dreams a reality.”
– Giannis Antetokounmpo, Founder and General Partner, BYL Ventures
“BYL Ventures is built to support the next wave of innovative startups in multiple high-growth categories. Giannis brings an unmatched combination of global reach, acumen and a commitment to empowering diverse entrepreneurs. BYL Ventures will be a powerful force for founders who want to redefine industries and make a lasting impact.”
– Tashi Nakanishi, General Partner, BYL Ventures
“Since Giannis and the Antetokounmpos joined the Candy Funhouse team last year, they have helped accelerate our business to new heights. Through their strong connections, expansive platform and unique understanding of content that resonates with communities across verticals, they have helped us spread joy and positivity to a vast, new audience.”
– Jamal Hejazi, CEO, Candy Funhouse
