PODCAST

The Upside Newsletter

Julien Blin

Data, insights, and stories from the world of sports, business, and technology. www.theupside.us

All Episodes

13:22

🎙️ Upside Chat with Dr Stefan Valdes, An Experienced...

The Upside Newsletter ·

2025/05/08

Today we have the honor of interviewing Dr. Stefan Valdes, a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), Board-Certified Sports Specialist (SCS), and Certified Strength & Conditioning Coach (CSCS).A Miami native, he founded Movement Lab in 2019 to bridge the gap between rehab and performance. Dr. Stefan specializes in sports and orthopedic rehab, bringing experience from the collegiate level, private sector, and the NBA, where he previously served as a hybrid Physical Therapist and Strength Coach for the

18:23

🎙️ Upside Chat with Andre Antonelli, CEO of Machina...

The Upside Newsletter ·

2025/05/06

Today we have the honor of interviewing André Antonelli, CEO of Machina Sports, a leading AI agent platform for sports.Machina Sports is an AI infrastructure platform designed specifically for the sports industry, enabling teams, media companies, and sportsbooks to build and deploy intelligent AI agents that automate content creation, fan engagement, and data analysis workflows. Their platform combines structured sports data (like match statistics) with unstructured sources (such as news and fan

21:40

🎙️ Upside Chat with Dr Richard Albright (CEO) & Dr...

The Upside Newsletter ·

2025/05/01

Today we have the honor of interviewing Dr Richard Albright, CEO of Summus Medical Laser, a leading class 4 laser therapy device company. Richard was joined by Dr Phil Harrington, the Chief Medical Officer of the company.Summus Medical Laser develops and manufactures Class IV laser therapy devices utilized across medical, dental, and veterinary fields. These devices deliver specific red and near-infrared wavelengths of laser light to induce therapeutic effects, aiming to support the body's natural

29:43

🔥Upside NFL/F1 Group Chat with Pieter Bulsink...

The Upside Newsletter ·

2025/04/29

This week we have the honor to interview a group of rehab and performance experts across the NFL and F1. We discussed neck training, their approach to neck training, the various modalities, best practices and trends that they are seeing in the market.* Pieter Bulsink, the CEO of Maverick Training, a sports performance company focused on elite athletes in F1 and other sports. Pieter has worked with F1 drivers such as Max Verstappen at Red bull (F1).* Kim Brouzes, an experienced Canadian sports

8:11

⭐Upside VC Profile: Cartan Capital & Chat with CiCi...

The Upside Newsletter ·

2025/04/24

Cartan Capital is a private investment firm specializing in growth-oriented partnerships with businesses across a range of sectors, including technology, healthcare, and financial services. The firm takes a long-term, research-driven approach to investing, combining deep industry expertise with a commitment to operational excellence. Cartan Capital collaborates closely with management teams to support strategic expansion, innovation, and value creation, often providing both capital and advisory

43:35

🔥Upside Chat with Mike Messer (Nashville SC / MLS),...

The Upside Newsletter ·

2025/04/23

This week we have the honor to interview again a group of sports performance executives to talk about the latest trends in the world of sports performance and rehabilitation.* Jason Han, the former head of rehabilitation at LAFC (MLS). Jason is also the head of business development in North America at OneBase health.* Michael Messer, the head of rehabilitation at Nashville SC (MLS).* Chris Wolbert, the director of rehabilitation at Sporting KC (MLS). * Derek Lawrance, the Assistant Athletic trainer

50:03

🔥Upside ATP/WTA Group Chat with Al Murphy (Tennis...

The Upside Newsletter ·

2025/04/21

This week we had the honor to interview a group of ATP/WTA sports performance experts in pro tennis. * Al Murphy, senior S&C coach at Tennis Australia. Al works with tennis players such as Rinky Hijikata, Emerson Jones and Aleks Vukic. He is also the head of sports science at Tennis Australia.* Zack Evenden, an experienced performance coach. Zack has worked with top tennis players like Frances Tiafoe, and Michael Mmoh. * Abdul Sillah, an experienced performance coach. Abdul has worked with top

22:26

🎙️ Upside Chat with Emma Meehan, CEO of KinetikIQ, a...

The Upside Newsletter ·

2025/04/17

Today we have the honor of interviewing Emma Meehan, CEO of KinetikIQ, a leading real time excercie feedback and analysis company.KinetikIQ, developed by Precision Sports Technology, is an innovative LiDAR based app that provides real-time, sensor-free movement assessments. Utilizing AI-powered computer vision, it analyzes movement patterns to deliver instant metrics on biomechanics, such as range of motion, velocity, and asymmetries. This technology aims to assist physiotherapists, strength and

27:54

🎙️ Upside Chat with Michael D'Auria, EVP...

The Upside Newsletter ·

2025/04/15

Today we have the honor of interviewing Michael D'Auria, EVP Partnerships, Sports and Technology at Genius Sports, a leading sports technology company.Genius Sports is a global sports technology company that provides data, technology, and broadcast solutions to the sports, sports betting, and media industries. Essentially, they act as a crucial link between sports leagues, betting operators, and media outlets. Their services include capturing and distributing live sports data, facilitating sports

41:43

🔥Upside NCAA Group Chat with Eric Renaghan...

The Upside Newsletter ·

2025/04/07

This week we had the honor to interview a group of NCAA sports performance experts.* Dr. John DeWitt, director of applied sports science in the athletic department and a faculty member, Rice University (NCAA team).* Eric Renaghan, Executive Director of Sport Performance, University of Miami (NCAA team).* Drew Lukes, Senior PT at Duke University and the head of sports science, Duke university’s women soccer team (NCAA team).* Brandon DeSantis, Director of Integrated Health and Sports Performance,

19:19

🔥Upside Video Chat: Dr Ron Dick, Duquesne University,...

The Upside Newsletter ·

2025/04/04

This week we have the honor to interview again Dr. Ron Dick, associate professor of sports marketing at Duquesne University in the school of business. Ron also worked for 20 years in sports, including 15 years in the NBA with the Sixers and the Nets, and then five years in the NCAA.Watch the full video interview by clicking on the link below:You can read the full transcript of the podcast interview with Ron located at the top of this blog post.📝Show Notes: Through this interview, we touched on the

12:51

⭐Upside VC Profile: Monarch Collective & Chat with...

The Upside Newsletter ·

2025/04/02

Monarch Collective is a venture capital firm dedicated to investing in women's sports. Launched in 2023 by Kara Nortman and Jasmine Robinson, the firm initially raised $100 million, with backing from notable investors such as Billie Jean King, Laela Sturdy, and Cindy Holland. As of March 2025, Monarch Collective expanded its fund to $250 million, reflecting growing interest in the sector. The firm focuses on investments in women's sports teams, leagues, and related businesses, with current holdings

46:01

🎙️ Upside Chat with John DeWitt, Director of Applied...

The Upside Newsletter ·

2025/04/01

Today we have the honor of interviewing Dr. John DeWitt, the director of applied sports science in the athletic department and a faculty member at Rice University (NCAA).Dr. John DeWitt has been working a Rice University since July 2023. In this role, he aims to develop a premier sports science program that integrates various sports within the department and collaborates with external research partners. Prior to joining Rice, Dr. DeWitt served as the Senior Biomechanist and Exercise Device Project

36:00

🔥Upside Chat: Emil Nabo Ekiyor, InnoPower CEO &...

The Upside Newsletter ·

2025/03/27

This week we had the honor to interview InnoPower CEO and former NFL player, Emil Nagbo Ikior. InnoPower is a venture-driven organization focused on fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in underserved communities in the U.S. and emerging markets in Africa. Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Ekiyor moved to the United States at 15 to pursue educational opportunities, eventually earning a football scholarship to the University of Central Florida. Despite only playing the sport for a short time, his

36:17

🔥Upside NFL Group Chat with Ted Rath (New Orleans...

The Upside Newsletter ·

2025/03/25

This week we have the honor to interview a group of NFL sports performance executives to talk about the latest trends in the world of sports performance, load management, sleep/recovery management, rehabilitation and data & wearable tech integration, and mental performance in the NFL.* Ted Rath, Director of sports performance, New Orleans Saints (NFL team).* Ryan Juarez, Director of rehabilitation, Washington Commanders (NFL team).* Roderick Moore Jr, coordinator of sports science, Pittsburgh

34:10

🎙️ Upside Chat with Kyle Sela, CEO of AVA Cooling...

The Upside Newsletter ·

2025/03/20

Today we have the honor of interviewing Kyle Sela, CEO of AVA Cooling Technology, a leading performance enhancement company leveraging thermoregulation through palm cooling.Picture: AVA Cooling Technology What is Palm Cooling?Palm cooling is a thermoregulation technique that leverages the body's natural heat exchange mechanisms to enhance performance, delay fatigue, and accelerate recovery. It involves cooling the palms of the hands, which contain specialized blood vessels called arteriovenous

65:39

🔥Upside Chat: Joshua Bonhotal, Director at Sequence...

The Upside Newsletter ·

2025/03/18

This week we had the honor to interview Joshua Bonhotal, Director at Sequence Equity, a leading multi strategy investment platform dedicated to backing resilient technologies, sports, and innovative businesses that enhance the human experience.Picture: Josh Bonhotal, Purdue University Joshua is a Director at Sequence Equity, where he leads investments across sports teams, leagues, and sport adjacent technologies. Prior to this role, he served as VP of Operations at Future, scaling the company from

21:58

🔥Upside Chat: Dr Ron Dick, Duquesne University, Ex...

The Upside Newsletter ·

2025/03/14

This week we had the honor to interview again Dr. Ron Dick, associate professor of sports marketing at Duquesne University in the school of business. Ron also worked for 20 years in sports, including 15 years in the NBA with the Sixers and the Nets, and then five years in the NCAA.You can read the full transcript of the podcast interview with Ron located at the top of this blog post.Here are some of the best quotes of our conversation with Ron:1. NHL and NBA Championship Favorites* Ron Dick: “The

34:57

🔥Upside NHL Group Chat with Alexi Pianosi (Colorado...

The Upside Newsletter ·

2025/03/11

This week we have the honor to interview a group of NHL sports performance executives to talk about the latest trends in the world of sports performance, load management, sleep/recovery management, rehabilitation and data & wearable tech integration, and mental performance in the NHL. * Alexi Pianosi, Head S&C coach, Colorado avalanche (NHL Team).* Adam Douglas, S&C coach, Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL Team).* Chris Stackpole, VP Athlete Care, NJ Devils (NHL Team).📝Show Notes: Through this interview, we

20:57

🎙️ Upside Chat with Pieter Bulsink, CEO, Maverick...

The Upside Newsletter ·

2025/03/10

Today we have the honor of interviewing Pieter Bulsink, CEO of Maverick Training, a sports performance company focused on elite athletes in F1 and other sports.Pieter has been working with top athletes such as 4 times world champion in F1 Max Verstappen (Red Bull). Picture: Pieter Bulsink (left), Max Verstappen (right)Picture: Max Verstappen (middle), Pieter Bulsink (right) Pieter has also worked with top women drivers such as Emely De Heus, F1 Academy Driver and Red Bull - Ford Junior for the last

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