FX.co ★ NBA superstar Kobe Bryant launches media, technology, data fund

Kobe Bryant, who retired from the NBA this year, announced Monday that he was starting a $100 million media, technology and data fund. According to the Associated Press, the fund will focus on media, technology, and data.

Photo: Kobe Bryant during the presentation of the investment fund, August 22.

Bryant will partner with investor Jeff Stibel, the vice chairman of Dun & Bradstreet, chairman of brain implant system BrainGate and former president of Web.com. It was decided to name the fund Bryant Stibel.

It is known that the sportsman and businessman have been cooperating since 2013. The venture, which is not open to outside investors, has already invested in 15 companies, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Photo: Jeff Stibel and Kobe Bryant (from left to right – the creators of the Bryant Stibel venture fund.

The group's current portfolio includes Derek Jeter's media company The Player's Tribune, home juicing firm Juicero, the Chinese online retailer Alibaba, as well as LegalZoom, which provides business services.

Photo: Kobe Bryant at the NYSE exchange, surrounded by journalists.

Bryant's team-mate Shaquille O'Neill is also engaged in investments. The basketball player invests in IT projects. It is known that he invested in Google before the company had entered the stock exchange.