NextUp Partners
NextUp Partners is an Atlanta-based advisory, operating, and investment firm founded in 2020 that serves startups and established brands in the sports, entertainment, and media industries through a bench of senior executive partners and a parallel venture investment arm.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersAtlanta, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What NextUp Partners does
NextUp Partners is an Atlanta-based professional services firm founded in 2020 that operates a dual-entity model: NextUp Partners, an advisory and operating consultancy, and NextUp Ventures, an investment and resource arm for early-stage companies. The firm serves startups and established brands in the sports, entertainment, and media industries, delivering hands-on strategic counsel, brand and marketing services, sponsorship activation, and operational support across roughly 20 service modules (including advertising and sponsorship sales, analytics and measurement, brand strategy, creative production, CRM, digital and mobile strategy, experiential events, PR, social media, video production, and fractional CFO services). Its core proposition is providing access to a bench of senior operating executives — many with prior CMO, VP, or executive-producer roles at organizations such as Monumental Sports & Entertainment, FOX Sports, NBC Sports Washington, NASCAR, NBA's Phoenix Suns, Under Armour, Reebok/adidas, William Hill, and Fenway Sports Management — rather than staffing projects with junior consultants.
The business model is professional services: client engagements are bespoke, multi-year contracts where the company matches senior consultants to clients based on business goals and budget, with no publicly disclosed standardized pricing or tiers. NextUp Ventures layers a strategic-capital / fractional-executive offering onto the advisory practice for startups in sports betting, esports, and sports technology, accepting submissions through a web portal. The firm does not disclose a proprietary technology platform, patents, or software product; its deliverable is human-capital-driven consulting and operating support. Distribution is relationship-based and direct — primarily via enterprise field sales, the corporate website, email newsletter signups, and speaking appearances by partners at industry events such as SXSW and Ad Age — rather than via self-serve or transactional channels.
Operating reach spans nine US metros (Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, New York, Tampa, Washington, D.C.) via distributed senior partners, with US-only geographic focus and no disclosed international operations. The company reports 11–50 employees, no disclosed funding rounds, no disclosed revenue, and no parent company; ownership and investor composition are not disclosed in the source data.
NextUp Partners firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- NextUp Partners
- Legal name
- NextUp Partners
- Website
- https://nextuppartners.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- NextUp Partners is an Atlanta-based advisory, operating, and investment firm founded in 2020 that serves startups and established brands in the sports, entertainment, and media industries through a bench of senior executive partners and a parallel venture investment arm.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
NextUp Partners industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Management Consulting
- NAICS
- Management Consulting Services (54161), Marketing Consulting Services (541613), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sports Business Consulting & Advisory (Strategy, Valuation, Due Diligence) (MPAKAKAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Strategic Partnerships, Alliances & JVs Advisory (BPAHADAI), Corporate Innovation & Technology Scouting Units (with investment mandate) (FSANAHAI)
Keywords
Where NextUp Partners is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Atlanta
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices9 records
Markets served
NextUp Partners business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Advisory and Consulting Services: The company provides end-to-end strategic counsel and consulting services to brands and startups, charging for expertise and professional engagement.
- Strategic Investment (NextUp Ventures): NextUp Ventures provides strategic capital and key resources to startups and emerging brands in sports betting, esports, and sports technology sectors for growth and scale.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Customized consulting engagement model |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
NextUp Partners product offering
Product offeringCore offering
NextUp Partners operates as an advisory, operating, and investment firm serving startups and established brands in the sports, entertainment, and media industries. Through two arms—NextUp Partners (consulting/advisory) and NextUp Ventures (strategic capital)—it provides end-to-end strategic counsel, hands-on operational support, and capital to help sports-related businesses scale.
Product overview
NextUp Partners operates as a dual-entity platform consisting of NextUp Ventures and NextUp Partners. NextUp Ventures is an investment arm providing strategic capital and resources to startups in sports betting, esports, and sports technology. NextUp Partners is the consulting/advisory division offering end-to-end services through a network of vetted marketing executives. Together they provide a comprehensive suite of service modules including Advertising & Sponsorship Sales, Analytics and Measurement, Brand Strategy, Creative & Design Production, CRM, Digital & Mobile Strategy, Experiential Events, Public Relations, Social Media, Video Production, and more—all focused on the sports, entertainment, and media industries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- NextUp Partners Advisory Advisory and consulting service that helps innovative brands build their businesses by matching them with a network of senior executives with expertise across sports leagues, teams, brands, creative agencies, and startups. Engagements are customized to client business goals and budgets.
- NextUp Ventures Investment arm that provides strategic capital and key resources for startups and emerging brands in sports betting, esports, and sports technology sectors to achieve growth and scale. Receives submissions via a startup submission portal on the company website.
Quantifiable outcome
- Successfully led brand activations for Olympic, Super Bowl, NBA All-Star Game, and NHL Winter Classic events
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use NextUp Partners
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
NextUp Partners technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
NextUp Partners partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- fieldXperienceminorChris Treager serves as Chief Revenue Officer for fieldXperience, a mobile technology platform that helps workers learn key transferable skills and apply them with real-world experiences.
- Blue Wire PodcastsminorGraham Boone currently consults on behalf of Series A sports podcasting network Blue Wire Podcasts.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
NextUp Partners competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- MKTG: Sports and lifestyle experiential marketing agency that delivers sponsorship activation, brand experience, and consulting for sports properties. Directly competes with NextUp's experiential events, sponsorship activation, and partnership services.
- Wasserman: Sports marketing, talent management, and consulting agency that competes for the same brand-sponsorship and sports-consulting mandates as NextUp Partners, with comparable service lines including strategy, partnerships, and content.
- 160over90: Full-service marketing agency with a dedicated sports practice serving leagues, teams, athletes, and sports brands. Comparable to NextUp Partners across brand strategy, creative, content, and sponsorship consulting for sports clients.
- Octagon: Global sports marketing and consulting agency offering sponsorship consulting, athlete management, and experiential services. Directly comparable to NextUp Partners across sponsorship sales, brand strategy, and event activation, though operating at significantly greater scale with thousands of employees.
Broad incumbents
- Creative Artists Agency (CAA): Talent and sports agency with a sports division covering athlete representation, sponsorship sales, and brand consulting. Comparable to NextUp in serving sports brands and properties with strategic advisory, but as a much larger, multi-vertical incumbent.
- Endeavor: Global sports and entertainment holding company that owns IMG, UFC, and Professional Bull Riders, and operates talent representation and brand-strategy businesses. Comparable to NextUp at the intersection of sports advisory and investment, but at vastly greater scale.
- IMG (Endeavor): Global sports and entertainment agency under Endeavor with divisions spanning events, licensing, media rights, and athlete management. Overlaps with NextUp in sponsorship, brand strategy, and consulting for sports properties, but operates at far greater scale across a much broader service portfolio.
Others
- HYPE Sports Innovation: Sports innovation ecosystem platform and investor connecting startups with sports-industry corporates and investors. Adjacent to NextUp Ventures as a sports-tech investment and ecosystem-development platform, though more platform/marketplace than direct investor.
- SeventySix Capital: Sports technology venture capital firm that invests in and supports sports-tech, esports, and fan-engagement startups. Closest direct analog to NextUp Ventures' investment thesis, providing strategic capital to emerging sports businesses.
Emerging players
- Allied Sports: Sports-focused advisory and consulting firm providing strategic counsel to sports businesses, brands, and properties. Comparable to NextUp in niche positioning and senior-executive delivery model, though smaller and earlier-stage.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
NextUp Partners social profiles
Digital presenceNextUp Partners financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
NextUp Partners leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
NextUp Partners funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
NextUp Partners M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about NextUp Partners
What does NextUp Partners do?
NextUp Partners operates as an advisory, operating, and investment firm serving startups and established brands in the sports, entertainment, and media industries. Through two arms—NextUp Partners (consulting/advisory) and NextUp Ventures (strategic capital)—it provides end-to-end strategic counsel, hands-on operational support, and capital to help sports-related businesses scale.
Is NextUp Partners a public or private company?
NextUp Partners is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was NextUp Partners founded?
NextUp Partners was founded in 2020. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is NextUp Partners based?
NextUp Partners is headquartered in Atlanta, United States, in the North America region.
How does NextUp Partners make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Advisory and Consulting Services are the primary driver. The others are strategic Investment (NextUp Ventures).
Who are NextUp Partners's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are MKTG, Wasserman, 160over90 and Octagon. Broad incumbents are Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Endeavor and IMG (Endeavor). Others are HYPE Sports Innovation and SeventySix Capital. Allied Sports is listed as an emerging player.
Does NextUp Partners have an API?
No public API is recorded for NextUp Partners.
What industry is NextUp Partners in?
NextUp Partners's product category is Management Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAKAKAL, Sports Business Consulting & Advisory (Strategy, Valuation, Due Diligence), with a secondary code of BPAHADAI, Strategic Partnerships, Alliances & JVs Advisory. Its NAICS code is 54161 and its SIC code is 8742.