Meet Danny Cortenraede

We recently connected with Danny Cortenraede and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Danny , really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

My purpose was shaped from a young age, growing up in an entrepreneurial family where business was a frequent topic of conversation. Watching my father and grandfather navigate the entrepreneurial journey instilled in me a passion for building and growing businesses. Over the years, after building multiple companies, I realized my purpose was to help the next generation of entrepreneurs. This led me to found InStudio Ventures, where we focus on creating significant impact in the Sports and Media industries, supported by seasoned industry leaders. This aligns with my broader mission to reduce the failure rate in entrepreneurship by guiding and mentoring founders, especially within the vibrant world of sports and media, which I am deeply passionate about.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

Danny Cortenraede is a serial entrepreneur and investor based in Los Angeles, CA. He is the Founder and Managing Partner of InStudio Ventures, a venture firm with a strong focus on emerging sports, technology, and media companies.

As a seasoned entrepreneur (5X founder) and investor, Cortenraede has built several successful companies on a global scale in recent years. He earned his Executive MBA from Harvard Business School.

Besides this Danny is a General Partner at LeAD (Legacy of Adidas), founded by the grandchildren of Adi Dassler, the founder of Adidas. Danny’s venture firms have invested in more than 60 companies, including Tomorrow Group (Tiger Woods) and Religion of Sports, an award-winning media company founded by Tom Brady, Michael Strahan, and Gotham Chopra, among many others.

In addition, Cortenraede is also a co-star and judge of the popular new business reality streaming TV series Unicorn Hunters. He stars alongside notable figures such as Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak, 43rd Treasurer of the United States Rosie Rios, former advisor to Joe Biden Moe Vela, and several other business titans and luminaries.

Cortenraede was selected as one of the top innovators in North America in 2022 by Sportstech X, the global entrepreneur award and has been featured in Forbes, Yahoo Finance, and Entrepreneur for his business success.

Due to his entrepreneurial and corporate background, he has developed and maintained relationships with an extensive network of C-suite senior executives at many Fortune 500 companies. Over the last 20+ years, Danny has built strong personal and professional relationships with global investors, UHNWIs, family offices, and the world’s top athletes.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Resilience: Entrepreneurship is filled with challenges, and the ability to persevere through setbacks has been crucial.
Visionary Thinking: Having a clear vision and the ability to see opportunities where others don’t has guided my ventures.
Adaptability: The ability to pivot and adjust to changing circumstances has allowed me to stay ahead in dynamic industries.
Advice:

Build Resilience: Embrace challenges and learn from failures.
Cultivate Vision: Continuously educate yourself and think beyond the present.
Develop Adaptability: Stay flexible and open to change.
By focusing on these areas, you can navigate the early stages of your journey with greater confidence and purpose.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

Yes, I’m always open to collaborating with like-minded individuals. I work closely with top-tier athletes, sports executives, and organizations across major leagues like the NBA, NFL, MLS, and Premier League. We host exclusive events and intimate dinners during significant sporting events, bringing together high-net-worth individuals and industry leaders who share a passion for sports and media.

If you’re someone who values impactful connections and innovation in sports and media, I’d love to connect. You can reach out to me via LinkedIn or through InStudio Ventures’ contact page.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

.Devin Lamoreaux

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