Carl Nassib, a linebacker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is a self-described "Energizer Bunny" on game days.
"On the sidelines, I'm the one yelling," Nassib said with a laugh. "If there is anything I don't lack, it's energy."
And now he's using that energy to lead his startup, Rayze. The company has a threefold delivery system: it connects users through a social-media type feed where they can meet like-minded individuals; it allows nonprofits to advertise volunteer needs to the community; and it enables those nonprofits to raise funds directly through the app.
"I've always thought of myself as a solutions-oriented person, and I saw a problem and thought, 'There needs to be a solution,'" he said. "Building this has taken so much time and work, and a lot of nonprofits are busy impacting the lives of their constituents; they don't have the time and definitely don't have the resources to go out and build this."
Nassib thought of the idea when he was volunteering with his Bucs teammates in 2018. But when the Covid pandemic began, he knew it was time — both personally and financially — to start building the company.
"I wanted to wait to really start to put things in motion until I built enough of my personal wealth to fund it," he said. "And post-Covid, people are ready to get out, meet new people, make an impact on their own, volunteer, donate to charity and inspire others to do the same."
Rayze — a riff on "rays of sunshine" — is already off to a solid start. The company has six full-time employees, 6,000 app downloads and 60 nonprofits involved. Nassib's goal is to hit 1 million users within the next year, which he acknowledges is ambitious — but added it's really the only way he operates.
"Football players ... we’re the most ambitious people you’ll ever meet," he said. "We do not aim low."
The company also closed a Series A funding deal with California-based Financial Finesse Ventures, making Rayze its first investment since launching in October. Nassib was connected with Financial Finesse Ventures in 2019 through the NFL Player Association's financial education program, which provides financial wellness tools to players.
The funding was for an undisclosed amount, and Nassib said the company has started discussions for a Series B round with a slew of interested investors.
"I'm being selective of whose investment I'm taking; I want to make sure their values align," he said. "Financial Finesse Ventures, for example, is very conscious of social impact. We’re taking on new investors and have some ready, locked and loaded."
But despite the fast track for funding and launching, Nassib has no plans to sell off the startup anytime soon.
"I'm not parting ways with this. Playing football my entire life, I'm constantly brushing shoulders with the most ambitious, passionate people you’ll ever meet, and now I get to interact with individuals dedicating their lives to serving others," he said. "It's not an opportunity you get every day. I'm loving the work with Rayze, and it's not something I want to build and forget."
