“Technology will only play an even bigger role in elite sports”

Ralph van den Bosch played basketball at the highest level in the Netherlands and even competed in the sport at a European level. In this interview, he explains why technology is having an increasing impact on sports and why he decided to invest in the Dutch Sport Tech Fund.

Even as a junior, Van den Bosch played basketball at the highest level, becoming Dutch champion. He progressed to the Eredivisie, played for Eiffeltowers and Matrixx Magixx, won the Dutch cup, and competed at the European level – comparable to the UEFA Cup. This allowed him to play matches in places such as Latvia and the former Yugoslavia.

“But to be honest, I have to admit that I lacked the talent for the absolute top,” says Van den Bosch. “After my studies, I decided to start working in consultancy. I was a partner at House of Performance. That company merged with Highberg, a consultancy firm specializing in transformation and performance improvement. I am a specialist in organizational change and promoting data-driven change. In other words: I help guide transformations.”

“When I played basketball at a high level, technology didn’t play a major role yet. But if you look at how basketball is developing, I expect technology will play an increasingly important role in (top-level) sports. Take, for example, the scouting reports in the NBA, where more and more use is being made of data,” says the former basketball player. “Sports technology enables athletes to develop even faster on an individual level. And it helps teams perform better, because they are able to come up with a data-driven strategy.”

The realization that technology will play an increasingly important role in sports is one of the reasons why Van den Bosch invests in the Dutch Sport Tech Fund. “By the way, I’m not doing this alone, but together with two friends who also have a lot of experience in top-level sports and entrepreneurship. It’s great that it’s possible to join from €100,000, which makes it more accessible to a wider audience.”

Van den Bosch: “There are three important reasons for me to invest in the Dutch Sport Tech Fund. Firstly, because I foresee that technology will play an increasingly significant role in sports. Secondly, an investment fund offers entrepreneurs the opportunity to grow further. Facilitating entrepreneurship really appeals to me. Thirdly, it is great that there are experts in specific sports and technology involved with the fund. As a result, the Dutch Sport Tech Fund has more to offer than just money. It provides the necessary specific expertise, exactly what startups need to continue growing.”

“If you want to reach the top, you need a lot of talent and good guidance. That applies in sports, but also for entrepreneurs. If startups want to scale, they need different skills than at the start of the business. A fund with a track record in scaling promising startups offers added value in that respect. This creates a win-win situation for all parties at the table: investors and entrepreneurs.”