Last Friday, Clutch! won the 2019 Game Changers Startup Pitch Competition hosted by the 2019 USA Sports Tech World Series. The conference aimed to showcase leading technologies, media and entertainment in the world of sports to connect the world’s top professionals and thought leaders in sports and technology. Clutch! applied for the competition in February of this year and was named a finalist in September. After CEO Hunter Strickler presented in front of 300 attendees, his company was declared the winner of this year’s contest.
Strickler credits the success to the fact that Clutch! solves such a common pain point for fans. This product resonates with its customers as well as people active in the sports world, allowing for future growth and success, for Clutch!. As the winner of this year’s contest, Clutch! will be the title sponsor for next year’s Game Changer competition.
Read our Q&A below with Hunter to learn more about Clutch!’s big win!
Q: Was this the first year Clutch! attended the USA Sports Tech World Series?
A: Yes, this was our first year to participate. We applied for the conference’s Game Changers Startup Pitch Competition in February of this year, were named a finalist in September, and flew out last week to Frisco, TX to compete.
Q: What made Clutch! / your pitch so successful at this competition?
A: Our product resonates with nearly everyone involved in sports. We’re solving a pain point that everyone who regularly attends live events has personally felt, so that alone gives us an advantage when presenting to a large audience.
Q: How do you see this conference / organization influencing the industry?
A: The conference was an impressive collection of industry leaders from college and professional sports organizations as well as vendors providing innovative technology solutions in the world of sports. The ideas and initiatives shared at the conference help inform how teams can better serve their athletes, coaches, and fans.
Q: Are there any learnings or takeaways from this experience that you’ll bring back to Clutch!?
A: Definitely. I sat in on several sessions on how teams are leveraging fan data in new ways to help make the gameday experience better. That’s right in our wheelhouse. We’re constantly searching for ways that our technology can push the boundaries, enhance the fan experience, and provide valuable data and insights to the teams we serve.
Q: How do you see this accomplishment affecting Clutch! going forward?
A: Aside from providing a forum for the exchange of forward-thinking initiatives for athletes, fans, and teams, the conference afforded Clutch! the ability to learn from and network with potential clients, strategic partners, and potential investors. These relationships will serve us well as we continue growing our company.
To learn more about Clutch!’s team offerings, visit imclutch.com/teams!.