Danny Cortenraede: Building Athlete Ownership Beyond the Hype — Featuring Athletes like Jameis Winston

The partnership didn’t start with a pitch deck. It started at a family dinner.

Serial entrepreneur & investor Danny Cortenraede says he and NFL quarterback Jameis Winston first connected during Harvard Business School Executive Education, then brought their spouses and kids together at home to talk values before they talked business.

“It wasn’t about slides,” Danny tells Market Realist. “It was about breaking bread, listening, and realizing shared purpose is the best foundation.”

That spirit now fuels InStudio Ventures, Cortenraede’s athlete-first platform that treats stars as owners, not just endorsers. The model is designed around three pillars: athletes invest together, athletes have a real vote in governance, and every decision is reinforced by a network of world-class entrepreneurs, operators, and investors.

The goal: structured diligence and disciplined strategy — not just headlines. “Trust over transactions,” Danny says. “Community over ego.”

Winston is drawn to the long game. “Endorsements come and go,” he says. “Ownership lasts. I want to help build things that outlive the spotlight.” The two talk like teammates—reading the field, managing the clock, and sticking to a plan when the pressure rises.

Cortenraede’s “Athlete Council” flips the usual script. Instead of one-off checks, the group jumps on diligence calls, shares deal flow, and applies structured decision-making. Athletes are directly involved in whether to follow on, double down, or pass. “The influence is real,” Danny adds. “But the discipline is what turns influence into outcomes.”

Why this matters: athlete–investment headlines are everywhere, but most funds still operate in a traditional lane — capital in, quarterly updates out, limited ongoing say for the athletes themselves. InStudio is pitching something different: a council where athlete-LPs co-invest, join diligence, vote on follow-ons, and work alongside seasoned operators. It’s a model that blends athlete influence with institutional rigor.

The portfolio reflects this approach. Alongside leAD (the Adidas family’s venture arm), the team has backed athlete-built platforms like TMRW Sports and TOGETHXR. Separately, InStudio invested in Springbok Analytics alongside the NBA’s equity team — a proof point for pairing athlete insight with league-level validation. A broader fund announcement with additional portfolio names is expected next month.

The timing is no accident. With women’s sports surging and fan behavior shifting to always-on digital, Danny is backing founders who live at the intersection of sports, media, and technology. “Athletes are culture,” he says. “When they own the platform—not just the post—the impact multiplies.”

It’s not only about returns. In Los Angeles, Cortenraede recently joined the LA Sports Council board, pushing initiatives that tie athlete equity to community outcomes—think youth programs, micro-grants, and innovation hubs that keep dollars cycling locally. “Ownership should lift a city,” he says. “Winning off the field matters just as much.”

Back at the dinner table, Winston remembers the moment it clicked. “We talked about family, faith, and doing things the right way,” he says. “That’s how you build something that lasts.”

For Cortenraede, the thesis is bigger than any single deal. “Sports isn’t just evolving,” he tells us. “It’s being rewritten. And when athletes move from endorsers to equity partners — with real stakes and real responsibility — they don’t just change their careers. They reshape the business of sports itself.