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Black Lab Sports
Black Lab Sports is a sports-tech and media investment firm co-founded by Neil W.
Black Lab Sports
Black Lab Sports was founded in 2016 by Neil W. Smith, a former Goldman Sachs investment banker who previously founded the sports-merchandise marketplace Lids. Smith built the firm around a thesis: traditional venture capital underinvests in the convergence of sports, media, and technology. Strategy centers on early-stage and growth-equity investments in sports-tech, media, and content companies. Known portfolio positions include Overtime Sports (a digital-first sports media company), StatusPRO (professional athlete-driven software), and PLL (Premier Lacrosse League). Geographic focus is primarily North America, with deal sourcing through a network of athlete-investors and team executives. The firm uses direct co-investments alongside its own vehicles. The firm has offices in Boulder, Colo., Charleston, S.C., Mount Pleasant, S.C., and New York. Neil W. Smith is Managing Partner; Steve Hecht and John R. Brinson also serve as Managing Partners. In September 2024, Black Lab Sports launched a new venture vehicle targeting sports-media startups, per public filings. A structural differentiator is its model as a multi-family office aggregating capital from dozens of professional athletes — a sourcing architecture that provides proprietary deal flow from team owners and league insiders. The firm explicitly avoids generalist venture investing, maintaining a single-sector focus with a rule of only backing companies that originate from athlete or team relationships.
General information
Firm type
Multi Family Office
Year founded
—
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Boulder
Corporate office
Boulder, CO, United States
Additional offices
Charleston, SC, United States · Mount Pleasant, SC, United States · New York, NY, United States
Principals
Neil W. Smith
Founder and Managing Partner
Steve Hecht
Managing Partner
John R. Brinson
Managing Partner
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who makes investment decisions at Black Lab Sports?
Neil W. Smith serves as Founder and Managing Partner. Managing Partners Steve Hecht and John R. Brinson also lead investment decisions. The firm's deal pipeline is sourced through a network of professional athletes, team owners, and league executives.
How does Black Lab Sports source proprietary deal flow?
Black Lab Sports sources deals primarily through relationships with professional athletes and team owners. The firm's multi-family office structure aggregates capital from dozens of athletes, creating access to companies with athlete or league insider involvement.
Is Black Lab Sports a venture capital firm or a family office?
Black Lab Sports operates as a multi-family office, pooling capital from professional athletes, team owners, and other family offices. It makes both direct co-investments and fund-style allocations, but its structure is distinct from a traditional VC firm.
What investment stages does Black Lab Sports target?
The firm targets early-stage to growth-equity investments. It typically participates in Series A through C rounds, with a preference for companies that have a sports, media, or technology angle.
Which sectors does Black Lab Sports explicitly avoid?
Black Lab Sports avoids generalist venture investing. It explicitly focuses only on sports, media, technology, and related sectors. The firm does not invest in real estate, energy, or traditional healthcare.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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