Como 1907 and The Players Fund Launch Startup and Investment Platform

Como Ventures is designed to give startups the opportunity to test, grow, and scale in partnership with the club.

Lake Como, Italy – September 17, 2025 – Italian football club Como 1907 has announced the launch of Como Ventures, a startup and investment platform powered by The Players Fund, the world’s largest athlete-led venture capital firm. The initiative positions Como at the intersection of sport, venture capital and lifestyle, giving early stage companies a chance to test, grow and scale in one of the most distinctive markets in world football. Como Ventures is designed as a founder-first launchpad. Startups will gain access to Como 1907’s global brand and local operations, while also tapping into The Players Fund’s network of athletes, capital, investors and operators. The result is a platform where new ideas can be validated in real world conditions, showcased to global audiences and propelled toward commercial scale.

The program opens applications today, seeking startups across six growth themes including luxury hospitality and travel, media technology, merchandising and retail infrastructure, health technology and human performance, next generation mobility, and sustainability. 

Shortlisted founders will present at a Pitch Day in November, with companies selected jointly by Como 1907 operators and The Players Fund’s investment team. Successful companies will then enter a six month activation inside the club as well as participate at a Demo Day later in the Season which will put them in front of investors, sponsors and media.

Ryan Shelton, Chief Revenue Officer, Como 1907 explained: “Como Ventures is a natural extension of what makes this club unique. We are giving founders a platform they cannot find anywhere else, one that combines Lake Como’s cultural magnetism with athlete and investor access at a global scale.”

Beyond the program, The Players Fund will advise Como 1907 on wider innovation and investment opportunities, ensuring the club stays aligned with emerging trends in sport, media and culture.

Andy Marston, Head of Corporate Venture, The Players Fund continued: “We’re delighted to be working with Como 1907 to launch Como Ventures. The club’s global brand, distinctive culture, and commitment to doing things differently make it an exceptional partner for us. Together we’ve built a venture platform that creates a flywheel: it surfaces and validates startups for The Players Fund while giving Como a front-row seat to breakthrough innovation. That combination of real-world testing, global visibility, and shared ambition is what makes this collaboration so powerful.”

With athlete-led capital growing rapidly and football clubs seeking to diversify beyond the pitch, Como 1907’s move signals how sport can become a driver of entrepreneurship, culture and investment on a global stage.

About Como 1907

Founded in 1907 and reborn after financial hardship in 2017, Como 1907 returned triumphantly to Serie A in 2024 under the visionary ownership of the Djarum Group. Rooted in the city’s soul and playing at the historic Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium, the club is more than a football team—it is the embodiment of Como’s elegance, resilience, and creative energy.

About The Players Fund

The Players Fund is the world’s largest athlete-led venture capital platform, bringing together hundreds of current and former professional athletes to invest in and accelerate early-stage companies. Alongside powering Como Ventures, The Players Fund partners with clubs and rights-holders in an advisory capacity to unlock new models of growth at the intersection of sport, technology, and culture.