‘Dutch Sport Tech Fund has a strong starting position thanks to its unique mix of expertise’

Marco de Ruiter has many years of experience in the fields of media, entertainment, and entrepreneurship. After having worked as Managing Director, Executive Vice President Benelux & Germany at FOX Network Group, he is now, following the acquisition of 21st Century FOX by Disney, employed as Country Manager and Head of Media Benelux at The Walt Disney Company. De Ruiter has recently joined the Innovation Committee of the Dutch Sport Tech Fund and, in this interview, shares the opportunities he sees for the fund.

“I am an investor in the fund and, due to my expertise, I was asked to join the Innovation Committee. I have been an angel investor (someone who invests in the early stages of startups) since 2011. Through these activities and a previous adventure as an internet entrepreneur, I have learned a lot about entrepreneurship and growing tech companies. I was looking for a way to invest together with others, to benefit from each other's knowledge and to learn from one another. In doing so, I specifically looked for a fund focused on sports technology, because I see many opportunities in this market.”

“As a member of the Innovation Committee, I analyze how innovative the (potential) investments are. I also consider the role of the entrepreneur and test the assumptions of the founding team against my own experiences, for example in the field of (OTT) content. A common pitfall for startups is that many are essentially ‘a solution looking for a problem’. That’s why I always ask the questions: what does this innovation do for the consumer? Is there really a demand for this innovation? Who is your potential target group and how big is that market? Can this idea be protected as intellectual property? And is it perhaps possible to ‘export’ it from the sports market to other markets?”

“I see great potential for the Dutch Sport Tech Fund. The market for sports technology is growing tremendously. This is due to the breakthrough of new technologies, which are finding their way onto sports fields to improve athletes’ performance or to deepen or strengthen the relationship with fans. For example, think of the rise of sports betting and crypto-based forms of interaction with fans. Dutch Sport Tech Fund is therefore enjoying good timing.”

“In both the Netherlands and Europe, there is still a significant gap between inventions and how they reach the consumer. Money, knowledge, and expertise can help entrepreneurs to commercialize innovations. The Dutch Sport Tech Fund can play a major role in this. This so-called Valley of Death for innovation (the most challenging phase for startups) can be bridged with all the knowledge and expertise of the fund, so that they can grow and flourish earlier and faster.”

“Dutch Sport Tech Fund has a unique mix of professionals from various disciplines. Think of former top athletes who are involved as ambassadors or directly, who can easily assess whether an innovation will benefit the sport. The Investment Committee includes many professionals with financial and fiscal expertise, which naturally comes in handy.”

“The Innovation Committee, on the other hand, is brimming with knowledge about technology, media, sponsorship, and entering the consumer market. There is also a lot of entrepreneurial experience in the fund’s leadership. This powerful mix of expertise, combined with access to funding, provides a very strong starting position for the fund. That’s why I am happy to be associated with it.”

“OTT makes it possible to distribute sports content (such as livestreams) in a different way. For example, the rights owner, such as a sports federation or club, can deliver content directly to the target audience. This market is developing rapidly, especially for sports that are less popular than football, such as triathlon or various women’s sports. Clubs and sports that can publish their own content benefit because they can also organize other activities around it. That creates a lot of value for the sport, sports organizations, and athletes. It also gives them more control over the value chain, as they are less dependent on the broadcaster model.”

“Every market for OTT is different, but you could say that OTT also drives other sports technologies and indirectly accelerates the digital transformation of traditional sports. It opens the way to a direct relationship with the consumer, and that fan relationship can be monetized.

Personally, I find the new blockchain possibilities super interesting. These kinds of applications create new opportunities for engagement and loyalty, such as NFTs.

When you consider that 8 out of 10 consumers call themselves sports fans, you’re talking about a huge reach. Whoever ensures that sports enthusiasts do more than just watch a match has a winning product in their hands.”