Sports-focused investment firm APEX Capital announced the second close of its €50 million Elite Performance Venture Capital Fund today.
The Elite Performance Fund is dedicated to transforming the sports, media, and entertainment sectors by investing in innovative companies from Pre-Seed to Series A stages.
APEX first launched its athlete-driven VC Fund in September 2023 which included early investors Carlos Sainz, Lando Norris, Valtteri Bottas, Miguel Oliveira, Raphael Varane, Christian Eriksen, Jan Vertonghen, and others.
APEX has closed 18 investments since its inception together with an athlete community of +100 athletes across multiple sports.
The fund, known for its groundbreaking approach, has attracted a new group of star athletes. These include:
- Footballer Marcelo, five-time Champions League winner
- Liverpool footballer Cody Gakpo
- AFCON Player of the Tournament William Troost-Ekong
- England rugby captain Maro Itoje
- Tour de France winner Demi Vollering
- World cycling champion Mark Cavendish (34 Tour de France stage wins)
- Olympic rower Tom George
- Former MotoGP rider Cal Crutchlow
- French Olympic Skateboarder Vincent Milou
Among these investments are Hexis, a tailored nutrition platform for athletes; VRTL, providing immersive virtual reality sports experiences; and Traits Insights, specialising in scouting and data analysis to help sports teams select optimal athletes-
According to investor Brazilian footballer Marcelo, ex-Real Madrid and currently playing at Brazilian Serie A’s Fluminense:
“By investing with APEX, I'm embracing the opportunity to directly contribute to the growth of the sports industry at a global level. It's about using our position as athletes to invest in the future of our industry, and I'm confident I'll be able to channel a lot of strategic value through APEX.”
APEX Founder & CEO Antonio Cacorino shared:
“With this second close, APEX isn't just expanding the funding available to its portfolio; we're reshaping the future of sports and entertainment through the unique lens of our athlete investors.
Each new member brings a world of experience, not only elevating our fund but also inspiring a new generation of investments. Our success to date is a testament to the power of combining athletic excellence with strategic capital to create opportunities and drive transformative change.”
Over the past six months, APEX has strategically acquired minority stakes in both emerging and premium sports properties.
Two flagship deals include investments in the Alpine F1 Team, spearheaded by Anthony Joshua, Alexander-Trent, and other APEX athletes, and the San Francisco Franchise competing in TGL, Tiger Woods' new PGA-backed golf venture. APEX structured the deal and the involvement of Alex Albon, John Stones, and others to invest alongside co-owner Steph Curry in the golf franchise.
Lead image: CEO, Antonio Cacorino and Founding Partner, Pedro Félix da Costa. Photo: uncredited.
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