LeBron James is bringing more than basketball talent to Philadelphia. He’s bringing an investment portfolio.

The NBA legend has spent years building business interests spanning sports ownership, technology, media and consumer brands. In March, James joined WHOOP’s $575 million Series G, investing in the health and performance company alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Rory McIlroy.

The fact that James is an active investor doesn’t necessarily mean Philadelphia startups suddenly have a new local source of venture capital, however.

“LeBron coming here may give some entrepreneurs the opportunity to speak to him.”

Wayne Kimmel, SeventySix Capital

“This isn’t a city thing,” Wayne Kimmel, managing partner of Philly sports investment firm SeventySix Capital, told Technical.ly. Though he doesn’t see geography as a major driver of James’ investment activity, “LeBron coming here may give some entrepreneurs the opportunity to speak to him.”

He called James’ investments “some of the smartest in the sports industry over the last decade or so.” So his arrival gives local founders reason to pay attention. 

James’ investment history offers clues about the kind of pitch that might get his attention if an entrepreneur does find an opening.

What has LeBron invested in?

James’ portfolio is diverse.

Through LRMR Ventures, James took an equity stake in Canyon Bicycles in 2022. The investment reflects a longstanding personal interest: James used a bicycle to get around Akron, Ohio, as a child and remains an avid cyclist.

His sports holdings go further. James and longtime business partner Maverick Carter, co-CEO of Fulwell Entertainment, joined Fenway Sports Group’s ownership group in 2021. FSG owns the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool FC, among other sports properties. LRMR Ventures also co-led a $7 million seed round for fantasy sports company Fantasy Life in 2025.

Elsewhere, James has invested in sustainable dairy company Neutral, youth basketball company MADE Hoops and Mike’s Red Tacos. He also joined the ownership group of Philadelphia-based sportswear brand Mitchell & Ness in 2022.

“He’s been able to invest, start businesses, work with other business people, develop incredible relationships and partnerships,” Kimmel said.

Personalize your pitch

If a local founder gets five minutes with James, or with a high-profile investor in general, Pedro Moore’s advice is to resist giving the same pitch they would give every other wealthy investor.

Moore, founder of FundingFuel and director of CAFE’s GrowthStage Incubator in Newark, Delaware, said founders should study what an investor actually cares about, not just where they have already put money.

“You’ve got to grab his attention, and the only way you can grab anybody’s attention, you’ve got to talk about what they care about,” Moore said.

For James, that can mean looking beyond his formal investment portfolio. Moore pointed to areas such as athletic performance, education and economic mobility.

The LeBron James Family Foundation’s I PROMISE initiatives in his hometown of Akron, for example, focus on education and support for children and families.

Moore pointed to James’ history with bicycles as another example of how a founder might find an entry point. A mobility startup, for instance, could connect its product to the role affordable transportation can play in helping people reach jobs and other opportunities.

The idea is not simply to mention one of James’ interests. The founder needs to explain why the company belongs in that ecosystem.

For a startup, a high-profile strategic investor can potentially bring more than money, including visibility, relationships, introductions to customers or partners and access to networks a young company would otherwise struggle to reach.

SeventySix Capital has built its Athlete Venture Group around that idea, connecting professional athletes with tech startups and giving athletes opportunities to invest, learn and work directly with startups.

Even a company that looks like a perfect fit still has to get its pitch in front of the right person. Moore said high-profile investors tend to have trusted people around them who can serve as gateways to opportunities, making a clear, repeatable pitch especially important.

“The purpose of the elevator pitch is because that gatekeeper will have to share that with LeBron,” Moore said. “You want to make sure that gatekeeper can convey it perfectly and understand it perfectly.”