#250: Erik Minnick, Versus Ventures - Investing in the Future of Sports, Gaming & Fintech with

Erik Minnick is a General Partner at Versus Ventures, a pre-seed and seed-stage fund investing in the future of sports tech, gaming, and fintech.A former D1 wrestler turned developer and investor, Erik brings a rare mix of technical depth, competitive grit, and operator empathy to the table. Before co-founding Versus, he served as CIO at Andover Ventures, gaining experience on both sides of the startup-investor relationship.In this episode, Erik shares what Versus looks for in early-stage founders, the trends he’s watching across the sports innovation landscape, and the most common pitfalls startups face when raising capital. We also talk about the shifting dynamics in college athletics, the role of AI in the sports stack, how to craft a winning investor pitch, and where he sees the next breakout opportunities. Chapters: 01:32 Changes in Wrestling and Sports Ecosystem 04:14 Overview of Versus and Investment Strategies 07:14 Understanding Venture Capital Decision-Making 10:00 The Role of AI in Sports Tech 12:23 Due Diligence in Early-Stage Investments 14:01 Common Mistakes Founders Make 15:34 Concerns in College Sports Funding 20:06 Opportunities in College Sports 22:01 Navigating the Future of College Athletics 25:21 Understanding Market Dynamics and KPIs 26:59 Engagement with Founders Post-Investment 30:50 Investment Thesis: Gaming, Sports Tech, and Fintech 34:00 Building Incentive Networks in Sports Tech 37:06 The Art of Storytelling in Capital Raising 41:01 Navigating SAFE vs. Price Rounds 43:28 Connecting with Fans: The Team Owner's Perspective Erik Minnick: 🏠Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-minnick-12652340/ 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.versusvc.com/ Andrew Petcash: 🏠 Website: https://profluence.com 🐣 Twitter: https://twitter.com/andrewpetcash 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewpetcash/Thanks for watching! Hit the “subscribe” button to stay updated on new podcasts.