Who We Are
45
Members
27
Companies
7
Million Invested
We are a diverse team of sports industry/business professionals & investors.
We value inclusion, innovation, and collaboration.
We are a member-based organization that operates as a network.
We strive to improve access to capital and mentoring for underrepresented founders.
Executive Team
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
Kate is a proven senior leader, board director, entrepreneur, and angel investor with deep digital and commercial experience in consumer goods and service sectors. In 2017, she created a new investor network, Oregon Sports Angels, to focus on early stage sports product and tech companies and teams.
Prior to launching OSA, she concluded a 12-year run at Nike, where she created and led Nike’s Global Digital Wholesale Business Strategy & Operations. She also held senior strategy and general management roles at Nike, lucy activewear, Forrester Research, Starwave (ESPN.com), and Rodale Press.
Kate’s a Built Oregon board member, an active alumni volunteer for Princeton University, a board member for two outdoor brands, and a passionate advisor to several Oregon-based consumer product startups.
FAVORITE SPORT TO PLAY: I LOVE TO RUN. Also, bike, swim, gym-rat-nastics.
FAVORITE SPORT TO WATCH: March Madness. Track & Field. Ninja Warrior.
FAVORITE SPORT MOMENT: Shalane Flanagan’s F* Yeah 2017 NYC Marathon Victory.
WORDS TO LIVE BY:
Give more. Get more.
Advisory Board: Looptworks
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
Sandy is a proven leader with 35 years of experience in the Sport and Fitness Industry, the last 29 with the iconic brand, Nike. Her first role with Nike was in Visual Merchandising as the company was beginning to establish a strong and more demanding retail footprint. Over the course of her time at Nike Sandy advanced to hold Vice Presidential leadership positions in Geography General Management, Marketplace Transformation, Product and Merchandising, and Women’s Category.
Never afraid of a new challenge or opportunity to learn and grow, Sandy readily accepted opportunities to live abroad and gain global business and cultural experiences. She held leadership positions in Asia Pacific in Retail Development and in Europe as the Vice President of Product and Merchandising.
One of the things Sandy enjoys most is leading and working with diverse teams to help individuals succeed and teams win. She continues to be a mentor to up-and-coming talent in the Sport and Fitness Industry. Additionally, and regardless of where she lives, Sandy involves herself in her community. She currently serves as a Board Member for p:ear, a non-profit organization devoted to working with, and providing for, homeless youth in the Portland area.
FAVORITE SPORT TO PLAY: Sandy is a fitness enthusiast! She loves riding hard on her Peloton bike to achieve personal best performance and, when off the bike, running to stay in 5K shape.
FAVORITE SPORT TO WATCH: Women’s Gymnastics! I was a gymnast growing up and I’m amazed at the level of today’s performance.
FAVORITE SPORT MOMENT: Watching the Olympics – Summer and Winter. I love to hear the athlete’s personal stories and watch them reach their dreams.
WORDS TO LIVE BY OR FAVORITE QUOTE:
Trust your gut! It is usually right.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
Jinky is an accomplished global executive, coach and mentor with over 20 years of international experience in general management, merchandising, strategy, brand and product creation at Nike. She’s managed businesses across Asia, Latin America, U.S. and Europe, in country, regional and global roles.
Jinky started her career with the Nike Distributor in the Philippines as an Apparel Line Manager and culminated her Nike stint as the VP/GM for the Women’s business in Emerging Markets. In this role, she led the launch of the Women’s offense in Asia (except China & Japan), Latin America and Africa, that started a sports movement for tens of thousands of young women in these growing markets.
While at Nike, Jinky was also a huge proponent of Diversity and Inclusion and was an active coach and mentor for both the Asia Pacific Network and the Women of Nike.
Jinky is currently a mentor to start-up founders, for the SPM Program at the University of Oregon and for the Built Oregon Accelerator Program. In addition, her consulting business helps diverse women-owned / led companies grow.
FAVORITE SPORT TO PLAY: Yoga, every day at 9am.
FAVORITE SPORT TO WATCH: Basketball, and my heart is with the home team. Go Blazers!
FAVORITE SPORT MOMENT: Tiger Woods staging the greatest comeback in sports at the 2019 Masters.
WORDS TO LIVE BY OR FAVORITE QUOTE:
There are times when it is better to be kind than be right. —Dad
In Memoriam
We mourn the loss of one of OSA’s original members,
our beloved mentor and dear friend, Len Bergstein.
We extend our condolences to his family.
Announcements
OSA invests in Q30, an innovator in brain injury-prevention products
August 16, 2023
OSA is excited to announce the addition of our newest portfolio company, Q30. Their revolutionary product, the Q-Collar is proven to help reduce the incidence of traumatic brain injury in athletes and military personnel. You can see it in action on dozens of NFL players, including Dallas Cowboys Running Back Tony Pollard.
Beyond football, the Q-Collar is also being used in soccer, lacrosse, hockey, volleyball, MMA, boxing and other contact sports. It’s the first and only FDA-cleared solution that helps protect the brain during repetitive head impacts.
OSA INVESTS IN ELAVI, A GUT-FRIENDLY SNACK COMPANY CREATED BY FITNESS INSTRUCTORS
July 13, 2023
OSA is thrilled to announce that ELAVI is our newest portfolio company. ELAVI is a woman-owned wellness company founded by two fitness trainers who after struggling with health issues from conventional packaged foods, created ELAVI snacks that are both gut-friendly and satisfying.
With two product lines — keto/vegan dessert nut butters and collagen-boosted protein bars, ELAVI’S mission is to produce high-performance snacks that fuel athletes as well as busy people who are on the go.
ELAVI’S core belief: when you fuel better, you feel better.
How We Work
We Focus
On sports product, technology and innovation companies across the United States.
We Screen
We continually evaluate new ideas and potential deals for our quarterly pitch sessions.
We Invest*
We provide startup funding for sports product, experiential and technology companies that have achieved an early level of market success and consumer adoption.
*Our members are individual investors
We Partner
With other Angel investors, seed and venture funds, local sport & educational institutions. For OSA, investing in startups is a team sport.
How You Benefit
Beyond startup funding, our individual investors mentor, open doors and provide unique networking opportunities to create a competitive advantage for your business.
OSA Pitch Cycle and Events Calendar: 2023
| January | February | March | April |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 8: Quarterly Pitch Day | |||
| May | June | July | August |
| May 10: Quarterly Pitch Day | Aug 2: Quarterly Pitch Day | ||
| September | October | November | December |
| Nov 1: Quarterly Pitch Day |
Key:
Screening. OSA is accepting submissions to pitch during these months.
Due Diligence. OSA is not accepting submissions to pitch during these months.
| January | February | March |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 2: Quarterly Pitch Day | ||
| April | May | June |
| Jun 1: Quarterly Pitch Day | ||
| July | August | September |
| Aug TBD: Annual Membership Mtg | Sept 7: Quarterly Pitch Day | |
| October | November | December |
| Dec 7: Quarterly Pitch Day |
Key:
Screening. OSA is accepting submissions to pitch during these months.
Due Diligence. OSA is not accepting submissions to pitch during these months.
Valued Professional Service Partners
