As Covid-19 hit and sports seasons around the world were put on hold, Denver startup Uru Sports faced some difficult questions.
The company, which helps connect athletes with professional opportunities, began the year with incredible momentum. Uru was invited to an event at the Super Bowl, presented at the NBA All-Star game and pitched at a conference held by Stanford University.
The company was garnering interest for a capital raise and looking to grow its team and product offering.
Then, the global pandemic hit, and venture offers dried up as sports seasons were postponed or cancelled.
Amid this uncertainty, Uru, which founder and CEO Ainsley McCallister described as a cross between LinkedIn and Glassdoor for athletes, doubled down on the connection aspect of its platform.
The company began offering additional opportunities to support its athletes.
“We launched a virtual coaching option order to help them provide value to local, aspiring athletes,” McCallister said.
Now, as colleges and professional leagues around the world cancel upcoming seasons, Uru is preparing a new app to help free agent athletes find their next opportunities.
The app, which is set to launch in the fall, will show athletes what teams are looking for players, connect them with coaches and give further context on the league and team they’re interested in.
“Even more athletes are going to be looking for opportunities to play and with less spots, people are going to be looking more and more,” McCallister said.
In addition to just facilitating these connections, Uru’s app will connect athletes with current and former players, to bring added transparency to the team selection process.
“In my experience, you’re completely reliant on the sales pitch of the coach. And in reality, once you arrive across the world, you find a completely different experience,” McCallister, a former field hockey All-American and professional, said. “If we bring transparency to the sports space, it keeps teams true to their contracts.”
The company, which is currently raising outside capital from investors including former Yahoo Sports head of product David Aufhauser, is preparing to build out its Denver-based team in anticipation of the app's launch.
While Covid-19 has led to tumultuous times in its business, McCallister said Uru is thankful for the opportunities that have presented themselves.
“The sports community is seeking to come together in ways they haven’t ever before,” she said.
