Diabetes Sports Project

What Diabetes Sports Project does

Diabetes Sports Project (DSP) is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization (Tax ID # 38-3990784) founded in 2015 by Casey Boren and Eric Tozer, both living with Type 1 diabetes. The organization supports elite amateur endurance athletes with Type 1 Diabetes who are pursuing qualification for the Boston Marathon, Ironman World Championships, and Ironman 70.3 World Championships through its DSP Elite Team, which offers one-on-one mentorship, group support via Zoom, sponsor discounts, and access to free endurance training plans (5K, 10K, half marathon, triathlon). Beyond the elite team, DSP publishes free educational resources including Diabetes 101 content and JDRF P.E.A.K.-affiliated exercise guidelines, and runs awareness projects such as the World Marathon Challenge (seven marathons on seven continents in seven days). The organization does not build proprietary technology products; it instead advocates for and demonstrates the use of existing diabetes hardware such as insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors (e.g., Dexcom G4, Animas Vibe) in athletic contexts.

DSP's revenue is generated through three streams: tax-deductible donations to the DSP Foundation, multi-tiered corporate sponsorships (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum/Named) that bundle athlete testimonials, logo placement on uniforms, event content creation, and title naming rights, and modest merchandise sales through a Shopify storefront. Team membership and all training resources are provided free to athletes, with athletes only bearing a subsidized $50–75 jersey cost. The go-to-market motion is community-led and event-driven: athletes serve as ambassadors at diabetes camps, JDRF and ADA events, hospital visits, and patient support groups, while participating in marquee endurance events to generate earned media and authentic proof that T1D does not limit athletic performance. The organization operates globally with confirmed presence in the USA, Australia, the UK, Canada, and Turkey, and maintains active social channels on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and X.

Name

Diabetes Sports Project

Legal name

Diabetes Sports Project (DSP) Foundation

Website

https://diabetessportsproject.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Diabetes Sports Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports elite amateur endurance athletes with Type 1 Diabetes pursuing Boston Marathon and Ironman qualification through mentorship, free training plans, and community engagement, while educating the broader diabetes community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Diabetes Nonprofit Advocacy

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports Fundraising & Development Services (Foundations, NIL Collectives Support) (MPAKAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sports Community Relations & Grassroots Program Management (MPAKAKAJ), Disability & Adaptive Sports Organizations (Paralympic, Special Olympics) (MPAKACAH)

Keywords

• Diabetes athlete advocacy
• Endurance sports programs
• Nonprofit health education
• Type 1 diabetes community
• Athlete mentorship programs

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: Tax-deductible donations to DSP Foundation, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization under tax ID # 38-3990784. 100% of donations fund the mission of DSP Foundation.
2. Sponsorship Tiers: Multi-tiered sponsorship program (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum/Named Sponsor) offering benefits including athlete product testimonials, social media mentions, company logo placement on uniforms, content creation opportunities, and event access.
3. Merchandise Sales: DSP branded merchandise sold through their Shopify store (diabetes-sports-project.myshopify.com).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Diabetes Sports Project (DSP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that inspires and educates the diabetes community through a roster of elite amateur endurance athletes living with Type 1 Diabetes. Its core sellable offerings include the DSP Elite Team program (mentorship, group support, sponsor discounts for athletes pursuing Boston Marathon and Ironman World Championship slots), free 5K/10K/half-marathon/triathlon training plans delivered in partnership with SANSEGO, Diabetes 101 educational resources, the World Marathon Challenge endurance project, and DSP-branded merchandise sold through its Shopify storefront. The organization is funded through tax-deductible donations to the DSP Foundation and a multi-tiered corporate sponsorship program (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum/Named).

Product overview

Diabetes Sports Project is a nonprofit organization that operates as a unified platform combining elite athletic team support with educational resources for the diabetes community. The core offerings include the DSP Elite Team (supporting T1D athletes qualifying for Boston Marathon and Ironman Championships), Free Training Plans (5K/10K/half marathon/triathlon programs), the DSP Foundation (501(c)(3) nonprofit arm), World Marathon Challenge projects, and Diabetes 101 educational resources. The organization uses its athletic ambassadors to inspire and educate people affected by diabetes worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DSP Elite Team A team-based program that supports athletes with Type 1 Diabetes who are competing to qualify for the Boston Marathon, Ironman World Championship, and Ironman 70.3 World Championship. Members receive one-on-one mentorship, group support via Zoom meetings, and sponsor discounts. Team membership is free; athletes only pay for a subsidized running jersey ($50-$75).
• Free Training Plans Free endurance training programs including 5K, 10K, half marathon, and triathlon training plans designed to help people with diabetes start athletic pursuits. Plans are delivered in partnership with SANSEGO, the coaching platform founded by 5X Triathlon World Champion Craig 'Crowie' Alexander, providing expert coaching to athletes with diabetes.
• DSP Foundation (501(c)(3) donation arm) A 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization (Tax ID #38-3990784) that accepts tax-deductible donations to fund DSP's mission of inspiring and educating the diabetes community through engagement, education, and resources for those affected by Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
• Diabetes 101 Educational Resources Educational resources explaining diabetes types, statistics, costs, and management information to help educate the broader diabetes community and visitors to the DSP website.
• DSP Shop (Branded Merchandise) Online Shopify-based merchandise shop selling DSP-branded items, including athlete jerseys ($50-$75), to supporters of the organization.
• World Marathon Challenge Project A signature endurance project where DSP athletes run seven marathons on seven continents in seven days, designed to demonstrate the athletic capabilities of people with Type 1 Diabetes and generate visibility for the DSP mission.

Quantifiable outcome

• Collectively completed 50+ Ironman events among founding team
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SANSEGOcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner5X Triathlon World Champion Craig 'Crowie' Alexander founded SANSEGO with a team of expert endurance coaches. DSP partnered with SANSEGO to provide professional coaching services to their athletes. The partnership enables DSP athletes to access world-class training guidance specific to their needs as T1D athletes. SANSEGO's mission focuses on optimizing fitness, nutrition, and life balance.
• FRIO Insulin CoolersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFRIO manufactures evaporative cooling pouches that keep insulin and temperature-sensitive medications cool. They offer DSP-specific discount codes ('DSP') for athletes and provide a portion of proceeds back to DSP. Listed as a current sponsor on the Our Sponsors page.
• JDRF (Past Partner)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerJDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) logo appears in past partners section. Eric Tozer serves as faculty for JDRF P.E.A.K. (T1D Performance in Exercise and Knowledge) program, which developed first-ever consensus guidelines on safe exercise for people with T1D.
• American Diabetes Association (Past Partner)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerADA logo appears in past partners section, indicating previous collaboration or sponsorship relationship with DSP.
• Roka, Compressport, GU Energy, Brooks, Garneau (Past Partners)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerThese athletic gear brands appear as past partner logos, suggesting previous product sponsorship or collaboration relationships with DSP athletes.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Team Novo Nordisk: Professional cycling and triathlon team composed entirely of athletes with Type 1 Diabetes, sponsored by Novo Nordisk. Closely parallels DSP's model of using elite diabetic athletes as visible proof of concept and ambassadors, though Team Novo Nordisk operates at a much larger professional scale.
• Team Type 1 Foundation: Nonprofit founded by Phil Southerland to support athletes with diabetes, predecessor to Team Novo Nordisk. Directly parallel in mission—supporting elite T1D athletes and the broader diabetes community through sport.
• Riding On Insulin: Nonprofit running action sports camps (snowboarding, skiing, mountain biking) for kids and teens with Type 1 diabetes. Directly comparable nonprofit model combining athletic programming with T1D community building, focused on a younger demographic.
• Diabetes Exercise and Sports Association (DESA): Organization specifically dedicated to supporting people with diabetes in exercise and sports. Directly comparable mission to DSP, with a longer history and broader exercise-versus-elite-endurance focus.
• Connected in Motion: Canadian nonprofit organizing outdoor adventure and sports programs (slipstreams, retreats) for adults with Type 1 diabetes. Directly comparable community-and-sports model to DSP, but with adventure/outdoor focus versus DSP's endurance/qualifier focus.

Broad incumbents

• Beyond Type 1: Large nonprofit focused on the broader Type 1 diabetes community with programs in education, advocacy, and storytelling. Overlaps with DSP on community engagement and T1D awareness, but operates across all T1D life domains rather than the sports/exercise niche.
• Athletes for Hope: Nonprofit coalition of professional athletes supporting charitable causes. Comparable in using athlete ambassadorship as a fundraising/awareness mechanism, though not diabetes-specific.
• JDRF (Breakthrough T1D): The largest global Type 1 diabetes research and advocacy nonprofit. DSP has a documented faculty relationship with JDRF's P.E.A.K. program, and both organizations serve overlapping T1D communities, though JDRF operates at vastly greater scale and focuses on research funding.
• diaTribe Foundation: Patient advocacy nonprofit producing diabetes education and journalism. Comparable in T1D/T2D educational content mission (overlapping with DSP's 'Diabetes 101'), with greater editorial scale and no sports focus.

Emerging players

• College Diabetes Network: Nonprofit supporting young adults with Type 1 diabetes through campus chapters and resources. Adjacent community-building model for a younger T1D demographic, with potential crossover into DSP's outreach funnel.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/diabetessportsproject
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/diabetessportsproject
• Facebookfacebook.com/Diabetessportsproject
• Instagraminstagram.com/diabetessportsproject
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/diabetes-sports-project

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Diabetes Sports Project