Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Dontari Poe is a force on the field, as the 6-foot-3, 346-pounder is a two-time Pro Bowl selection.
Poe, 26, is also looking to make an impact in tech, as he told SportTechie in this Q&A that he invests in Lab Sensor Solutions, a Redwood City, Calif.-based company that developed mobile sensors that track the temperature and location of labratory samples.
1) You’re known as a versatile player who can not only stop offenses, but also score touchdowns. What skills do you have that translate into making the right investments in tech?
I have a team around me that I rely on, like how I rely on my football team. They are teaching me and I’m learning a lot. What it comes down to is how easily the company can explain what they do. Nothing is that complicated that you can’t explain it like you would your grandmother. The companies that I like are the ones that can explain what they do in a language that I can understand. If I don’t understand something, I ask questions or have my team follow up. That’s how we do it on the field. Break it down into simple pieces that everyone can understand. Tech is no different.
2) What excites you about investing in technology, and where do you see areas for growth?
Everything we do now is based on technology. The younger generation is all about tech. I feel like there is growth everywhere. Healthcare is one where I see a lot of growth because people always get sick. That will never change and tech can help people get better. Right now, healthcare is the only one I’m focused on.
3) What companies are you investing in and why?
Lab Sensor Solutions. I believe in what they are doing. I feel like that they are really trying to help people. That’s the only one right now. I’m taking it slow and learning all I can.
4) How did you first develop an interest in tech investments?
Tech is all around us. The top companies in the stock market are all tech companies. In terms of investments, a friend of mine told me I should look into it. I slowly looked into it and then I talked to my financial manager, and he did more digging. That’s how I got connected with Lab Sensor Solutions.
5) Tell us more about the healthcare startup, and what excites you about the company?
LSS makes sure that when your blood is drawn that it does not spoil. That’s important because doctors need lab tests to figure out what’s wrong with you. What excites me is that they want to help people. Medicine needs tech in order to make sure that things get done right. That’s important to me that an investment I make is in a company has a mission to help people.
6) What does it mean to you to be able to give back with the Poe Man’s Challenge that brings the startup culture to youth in the Kansas City area?
It means a lot. I’m investing because that’s the way that the world is moving. Startups are everywhere. It’s important that kids get exposed to what startups are all about. It will put them in a good position. I feel that they’ll be ahead of me, at my age, if they start now. Even if they never do a startup, learning how to pitch is an important life skill. We are always pitching ourselves for all sorts of things.
