There’s a quiet myth that athletes only have one shot, on the field, under the lights, 40 yards at a time. The Pro Athlete Community just raised $7.6 million to remind you that myth belongs in the locker room trash.
Founded in August 2022 by Chip Paucek and Kaleb Thornhill, PAC isn’t chasing headlines or highlight reels. It’s building a global platform where pro athletes don’t “transition,” they evolve. Chip is the ed-tech architect behind 2U, Inc., and Kaleb? Let’s just say when he talks player development, NFL front offices and the San Antonio Spurs listen. Together, they’ve created more than a network. They’ve built a proving ground for the next chapter, business combines, executive certificates, performance coaching, the works. Not hypotheticals, actual plays being run, with more than 650 athletes already suiting up for the future.
GSV Ventures led the Series A, with Maveron backing the move and select strategic investors opting to keep it quiet, for now. That brings PAC to $9 million total raised, and while valuation details are still under wraps, the trajectory is anything but subtle. Since January, membership has doubled. Not “we got a few new users” doubled, this is “cross league, cross continent momentum” doubled. PAC now touches over 10 professional leagues and commands the attention of 10% of active U.S. football players. Not bad for a company headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, with remote ops stretching from Maryland to Texas.
But this isn’t just education. It’s elevation. Certified pathways through the University of Miami’s Herbert Business School. Real-time coaching. AI-driven member-matching that pairs a tight end in Toronto with a fintech CEO in Austin. A tech stack built on React and run through a cloud native engine, wrapped in enterprise-grade security. All delivered through a mobile-first UX that feels more private jet than team bus.
Leadership matters. Travis Key is keeping operations sharp. Robbie Tubajon shapes performance and leadership dev. Megan Gift drives impact and outcomes. And Bert Zevzavadjian connects the PAC community with purpose and precision. The advisory board? Devin McCourty and Jason McCourty chair the huddle, joined by a lineup of league veterans and leadership heavyweights like Julius Thomas, Devon Kennard, and Chrysa Chin.
