New technology from startup ventures is transforming the sports industry. The mission of this series will be to introduce startup companies in the sports technology space to a broader audience and allow Founders of promising new ventures to tell their story.
Company: OpenRuns
CEO: Christian A. Hanish
Headquarters: Los Angeles, CA
1. What is your elevator pitch?
OpenRuns is a mobile-platform for basketball players that redefines the way the game is played. OpenRuns let’s you know where every run is happening in any city around the world, allowing you to find and organize pickup games tailored to your exact location and skill level, all the while connecting you with the best players and competition from around the globe!
2. Problem & Solution
Every day millions of hoopers take to the park, campus rec center, or local gyms to test their skills against their peers. Whether they’re recreational hoopers playing for the love of the game, high school washouts trying to relive their glory days, or NBA superstars looking to improve their game in the offseason, they all share one thing in common: they’re all looking for places to play and competition to play against.
Located in one of hooping’s hotbeds, yet fed up with text messages and annoying Facebook groups as the way to find and organize games, I knew there had to be a more efficient solution. By creating one platform for all players, we are effectively redefining the phrase “open runs” and forever changing the way that basketball is played on a daily basis.
3. Market
According to FIBA, between 500-750 million people worldwide – from casual pickup to NBA players – play basketball each year. “If you look around the world, the most popular sport in the 14-18 age demographic is basketball across all genders,” states FIBA executive Chris Sheridan. Since superstars like LeBron James have come into the spotlight, basketball has not only become the most played sport amongst US teenagers, but also the fastest growing sport in the world.
OpenRuns plans to target each and every one of these athletes and capitalize on the unparalleled, global momentum that the sport is now experiencing.
4. Business Model
With a user base primarily comprised of young millennials and avid recreational athletes, we’re confident that companies – particularly involved in the design, development, and manufacturing of sports apparel and equipment – will view OpenRuns as an invaluable advertising platform and opportunity to market to their exact target demographic.
5. Management Team
Christian A. Hanish – Founder & CEO
6. What else do you want the audience to know about your venture?
Basketball is just the beginning and soon we plan to integrate OpenRuns with new sports. I believe that the sports industry possesses a diverse group of niche markets ripe for tech disruption. For this reason, I’m confident that OpenRuns can redefine a multi-billion dollar recreational sports industry that’s become desperately out-of-touch with modern technology.
Bonus Question:
If you were to invite any CEO to dinner who would it be and why?
My entrepreneurial idol is Elon Musk. As the founder of more than one venture myself, I admire his ability to simultaneously lead multiple companies, and appreciate the intense passion, confidence, and problem-solving skills that he brings to each organization.