About
SPORTx at Arizona State University, anchored within the J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute, is the university’s sports innovation engine—uniting athletics, academia, and industry to empower a broad innovation ecosystem and accelerate sport-related ventures.
Through this foundation, SPORTx activates across three core areas:
Contact
Venture development
Structured entrepreneurial pathways guide ideas from concept to validation to funding. By connecting with Sun Devil Athletics and strategic industry partners our program creates real-world testbeds for early-stage sport innovation.
Athlete engagement
The Student Athlete Venture Studio, built with GoDaddy, supports hundreds of athletes at ASU and beyond by providing entrepreneurial education, digital infrastructure and pathways to funding.
Innovative ecosystem
The SPORTx Collision Space, anchored at Mountain America Stadium is a physical environment connecting athletics, academics, founders, mentors, and corporate partners into one unified platform.
Impact
250+
1:1 mentorship connections
500+
student-athletes and founders supported
$300k
in venture awards distributed
Get involved
Advance your athletic venture
Are you a student-athlete with a venture idea? SPORTx wants to hear from you.
Mentor
Sponsor
If your organization is interested in sponsoring a program or an event hosted by the Student Athlete Venture Studio or SPORTx, there are various support tiers available to match your goals.
Giving opportunities
Early stage ventures require investment to grow and flourish. Interested in supporting student-athlete entrepreneurs?
Meet the team
Jeffrey Kunowski
Founding Director, SPORTx at ASU
J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute
Co-Founder and Strategic Advisor, SPORTx at ASU
Griffin Limongelli
Administrative Operations Specialist 3, SPORTx at ASU
Griffin Limongelli serves as Program Manager for SPORTx Student-Athlete Venture Studio at Arizona State University, where he helps lead a first-of-its-kind entrepreneurial incubator redefining how collegiate athletes leverage NIL opportunities. With extensive experience managing the Master of Sports Law and Business program at ASU Law, brand partnerships for NFL and collegiate athletes at Divine Sports & Entertainment, and scaling business development initiatives across 600+ athletes at Influxer, Griffin specializes in the emerging intersection of NIL, entrepreneurship, and venture development. His career has been defined by a commitment to transforming how athletes build sustainable personal brands and income streams beyond traditional…
Academic Associate, SPORTx at ASU Co-Founder, Student Athlete Venture Studio
Academic Associate, SPORTx at ASU Co-Founder, Student Athlete Venture Studio
Venture Catalyst, SPORTx at ASU
SPORTx management committee
Chair
Chris Howard
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
Office of the Chief Operating Officer
- [email protected]
- 480/965-2820
- Fulton Center 300 East University Drive
Dr. Chris Howard is the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of ASU. Howard works closely with President Crow and the other executive vice presidents to coordinate enterprise-wide initiatives, technology, and advancement, and is one of the key leaders responsible for ASU Enterprise planning and strategy. ASU is the nation’s largest Research 1 and Division 1 University by enrollment. The university has been ranked #1 For Innovation for the past 11 years by U.S. News & World Report. ASU is also one of only 71 universities within the Association of American Universities.He is a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and earned…
Xavier Hickman
Director, Operations & Deputy Chief of Staff
Office of the Chief Operating Officer
- [email protected]
- 300 E University Dr,
Dr. Xavier Hickman serves as the Director of Operations and Deputy Chief of Staff in the Office of the Chief Operating Officer at Arizona State University, where he plays a pivotal role in advancing ASU’s mission as the nation’s most innovative university. In this capacity, Dr. Hickman collaborates across a broad spectrum of departments and institutional partners to ensure that the university’s operational strategies and pan-enterprise initiatives are seamlessly executed. Working under the leadership of Dr. Chris Howard, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, he provides strategic counsel and data-informed insights on emerging trends in higher education, leveraging both…
Graham Rossini
Athletics Director
- [email protected]
- 480/965-8419
- 500 E Veterans Way
Two-time ASU alumnus Graham Rossini was named Athletics Director on May 23, 2024. A veteran of more than 20 years in sports business, Rossini leads Sun Devil Athletics with a focus on growing championship success, fan engagement, corporate and philanthropic growth, NIL opportunities, and alumni outreach.In his first year, Rossini guided the Sun Devils through a historic transition into the Big 12 Conference, where ASU captured the league’s inaugural Commissioner’s Cup, awarded to the conference’s top overall athletics program. Sun Devil teams won four Big 12 titles, placed 15 programs in NCAA postseason play, and produced five Top-10 national finishes.Academically,…
Linda Ricchiuti
Executive Director
J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute
- [email protected]
- 480/884-1842
- 1475 N. Scottsdale Rd. SkySong 1 Suite 200
Linda Ricchiuti is Executive Director of ASU’s J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute, leading place-based innovation, research translation, and venture development across students, faculty, and communities.