POWERING ATHLETIC INNOVATION

Sports Tech

Exploring the Future of Sports Tech

KU Innovation Park is pursuing the creation of a Sports Tech Venture Studio, an initiative designed to accelerate innovation, drive entrepreneurship and contribute to the regional economy, ultimately strengthening the sports ecosystem across Lawrence and Kansas City.

The region already sits at the center of elite athletics. KU’s Division I programs and Kansas City’s professional teams create constant demand for new tools that improve training, recovery, and analytics. Combine that with KU’s research strengths and the Park’s experience supporting entrepreneurs and startups, and you have an ecosystem where new ideas can be tested with real athletes, refined with real data, and scaled with real industry partners. It’s a strategic opportunity to anchor a new cluster of high-growth companies in Kansas.

Why now? Why here?

For Lawrence & KU

Position KU Innovation Park as a home for performance innovation, entrepreneurship, and applied research — and give Kansas Athletics direct access to new tools that improve training, recovery, and analysis. This effort also opens the door to future academic programs focused on innovation, data, and emerging technology in athletics.

For Kansas City

Strengthen connections with the Chiefs, Royals, Sporting KC, and the KC Current by creating a pipeline for new solutions that enhance performance, fan experience, and operational excellence. A venture studio gives regional teams a front-row seat to early innovation.

For the region

Drive economic growth and establish Lawrence and Kansas City as national leaders in performance innovation. Building this cluster adds another compelling reason for world-class sporting events and partner organizations to invest in the region.

Who we’re looking for

We’re building a community of supporters to help shape this initiative. Whether you’re an investor, mentor, founder or simply passionate about the future of sports in our region, we want to hear from you.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

This is the starting point. We’re developing this initiative and building a network of people who can help shape its direction and momentum. If you’d like to be part of that effort, please share your information below. For questions or to discuss the vision further, reach out to:

Chris Rehkamp
Director of Business Services
Email | LinkedIn

Matt Gardner
Program Advisor
Email | LinkedIn

Together, we can spark and accelerate a new generation of performance-driven companies, connect KU and Kansas City’s teams with solutions that improve training, recovery, fan experience and operations, elevate the region’s standing as a center for innovation and entrepreneurship, and create meaningful opportunities for students, athletes, founders and investors to engage and grow.

Investors

Individuals or groups interested in backing early innovation and helping new companies scale

Founders & Builders

Current or former entrepreneurs creating tools for athletes, teams, coaches, or performance staff — and those who want to help the next generation succeed

Strength, Conditioning & Sports Medicine Professionals

Experts who understand the needs of athletes and can help shape practical, testable solutions

KC Ecosystem Partners

Organizations across Kansas City working to strengthen innovation, entrepreneurship, and emerging technology

Advisors & Mentors

Coaches, trainers, analysts, engineers, product leaders, and seasoned entrepreneurs who can guide founders and validate ideas

KU Faculty & Researchers

Innovators in engineering, human performance, data science, and related fields looking to apply their work to real-world athletics

KU Alumni

Jayhawks who want to connect, mentor, invest, or open doors through their professional networks

Sports Industry Leaders

Individuals with direct experience in collegiate, professional, or youth sports who can provide insight, access, or applied expertise

Join the Sports Tech Community

Click here to get involved
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Riya Kesavan

Business Analyst

Riya Kesavan is a KU junior double-majoring in Finance and Economics with a minor in Intelligence and National Security Studies. Riya was recently promoted to Lead Student Ambassador for the Business Professional Development Program and a Guide-in-Training for the Entrepreneurial Catalyst Program. Riya spends her time involved with the KU Student Senate as a Nontraditional Senator and acts as a Mentoring Liaison for the KU Mentoring Program. She enjoys playing video games, throwing pottery, and trying new food places with her friends.

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Aidan Dove

Business Analyst

Aidan Dove is a current Master’s degree student pursuing both a Master’s in Business Administration and a Master of Science in Business Analytics at the University of Kansas. Before attending KU, Aidan earned his Bachelor’s degree from Creighton University, double-majoring in Marketing and Business Intelligence & Analytics. Outside of crunching numbers, Aidan loves listening to records, building Legos, and spending time with his two cats, Winnie and Ruby.

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Sterling Smith

Business Analyst

Sterling Smith is a sophomore at the University of Kansas, majoring in Electrical Engineering. At KU, Sterling is a Student Ambassador, a SELF Engineering Leadership Fellow, and is involved in the University Honors Program, Engineers Without Borders, and the Engineering Student Council. Outside of school, Sterling loves reading, playing volleyball & pickleball, and drinking coffee outside. He is excited to solve problems and ask lots of questions!

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Sarah Plinsky

Administrator, Douglas County

Sarah Plinsky was hired as the County Administrator in September 2019 after serving in the interim position for nine months. She is currently a member of the board for KU Innovation Park. Before becoming the administrator, she had served as the Assistant County Administrator since December 2010. Previously, Sarah was the Assistant to the County Manager in Johnson County, Kansas. In Johnson County, she also served as the Interim Assistant County Manager for the Community Services Team and Interim Director of Public Health. Sarah is a graduate of Leadership ICMA (International City and County Management Association) and the Senior Executive Institute at the University of Virginia. She holds a B.A. in political science and a Master’s in public administration from the University of Kansas.

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Craig Owens

City Manager, City of Lawrence

Craig Owens began serving as City Manager of Lawrence in July 2019 after serving as City Manager for the City of Clayton, Missouri, for 11 years. Over the past 25 years, he has served similar positions for the cities of Rowlett, Texas, O’Fallon, Illinois, and Hazelwood, Missouri. Craig holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, and a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Kansas. He is a member of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). Craig is a former president of the Missouri City/County Management Association and the St. Louis Area City/County Management Association.

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Bonnie Lowe

President & CEO, The Chamber, Lawrence

Bonnie Lowe has been the president and chief executive officer of The Chamber of Lawrence since January 2019. In that role, she is responsible for leadership, strategic planning, and management functions. She had earned her Bachelor of Science in Finance from Fort Hays State University. Before her current position, Bonnie was the chief operations officer for the Chamber. For four years before working with the Chamber, Bonnie was a senior civil investigator for the US Attorney’s Office. In Lawrence, from 1998 to 2008, Bonnie worked as the Community Bank President. She also served on the Lawrence City Commission.

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Steven W. Stites, M.D., F.A.C.P., F.A.C.C.P

Executive Vice President, Clinical Affairs & Chief Medical Officer, KU Medical Center

Dr. Steve Stites joined the hospital’s leadership team as senior vice president of clinical affairs in February 2012 and became executive vice president and chief medical officer for the health system in July 2018. He serves a dual role as vice chancellor for clinical affairs at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Dr. Stites received his medical degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He completed his residency and chief residency in internal medicine at the University of Rochester and a fellowship at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

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Mark Shiflett, Ph.D., P.E.

Co-Founder & CSO of Icorium, Distinguished Foundation Professor

Dr. Mark Shiflett is a Distinguished Foundation Professor in the School of Engineering at the University of Kansas (KU), where his research focuses on developing environmentally friendly, energy-efficient processes and products for the chemical industry. He retired from the DuPont Company after 28 years in 2016 as a Technical Fellow in the Central Research and Development Organization at DuPont’s Experimental Station in Wilmington, Delaware. Mark is an inventor on 46 U.S. patents and has published over 130 articles on his research at DuPont. He is also the co-founder and chief science officer of Icorium Engineering Company, a KU spin-out company revolutionizing refrigerant reclamation with efficient, complete separation of even the most complex mixes.

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Derek Kwan

Board Secretary – Executive Director, Lied Center of Kansas

Derek Kwan serves as the Lawrence Chamber Board Chair and secretary of KU Innovation Park’s Board of Directors. He has served as the Executive Director of the Lied Center of Kansas since January 2014. Derek previously worked for Interlochen Center for the Arts as the Executive Director of Interlochen Presents. At the Lincoln Center in New York City, Derek served as the Vice President of Concerts and Touring for Jazz and the Associate Director of Programming & Concert Operations for Jazz. A voting member of the Recording Academy, he has production credits on over 60 albums. Derek also serves as a board member for the LMH Health Foundation.

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Michele Hammann, CPA/PFS, CVA

Treasurer - Chief Strategy Officer, SSC CPAs + Advisors

Michele received her Master of Accounting and Information Systems from the University of Kansas in 2001. She is a member of the American Institute of CPAs, the Kansas Society of CPAs and the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts. She is the past Chair of the Board of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce and A past President of Junior Achievement of Douglas County. In 2019, Michele received the KSCPA/AICPA ‘Women to Watch’ Experienced Leader Award.

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Karen Willey, Ph.D.

Commissioner, Douglas County

Karen Willey earned her Ph.D. in Geography from KU before starting and operating several successful businesses in Douglas County. Her latest company, FarmTender, LLC, is producing an online application geared toward expanding regenerative farming practices in Kansas. Currently, Dr. Willey leverages her 25 years of nonprofit board experience through her work as a professional consultant and grant writer with Futureful, a local consulting group serving health, housing, and human services nonprofits, mainly in urban Kansas City. In 2022, she was appointed to fulfill an unexpired term on the Douglas County Commission. Additionally, Dr. Willey serves as the President of BRAC, a local housing nonprofit, as a volunteer firefighter with Willow Springs Fire District, as a member of the NAACP Legal Redress Committee, and in many other community roles.

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Douglas Girod, M.D.

Board Chair - Chancellor, University of Kansas

Douglas Girod, M.D., has been the Chancellor of KU since 2017, where he established a bold vision for the University of Kansas to be a destination for top scholars from across the world, an engine of economic growth for Kansas, and one of the nation’s leading research universities. Chancellor Girod received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry at the University of California at Davis and his M.D. from the University of California at San Francisco. He is involved with several other organizations, including as a board member of the AAU, Civic Council of Kansas City, chambers of commerce in Lawrence and Greater Kansas City, and MRI Global. Chancellor Girod was recognized with a Regional Leadership Award from the Mid-America Regional Council in 2016 for his work with KC Rising.

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Mike Dever

Vice Mayor, City of Lawrence

Mike Dever was elected to the Lawrence City Commission in 2023 and serves as Vice Mayor. Mike is the president and CEO of GuideWire Consulting, LLC. He supervises the entire staff and all departmental services and oversees a wide variety of environmental and property assessment services.

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Kate Chinn

Incoming Chair, The Chamber of Lawrence

Kate Chinn is the chair-elect for The Chamber’s Board of Directors. Kate owns Express Employment Professionals in Lawrence, a leading staffing provider helping job seekers find work with a wide variety of local businesses.

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Kerri Johnson

Internal Operations Manager

Kerri Johnson manages the Park’s day-to-day operations, including all administrative and front office matters, managing activities, handling scheduling, and working with service providers to maintain and improve building efficiency and Park staff productivity.

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Michael Smithyman

Director of Operations

Mike Smithyman manages plant operations and construction, handles leasing and related client interfaces, and works with tenants and prospective tenants to meet various business growth, management, and operational needs. He brings years of experience in the commercial real estate industry to the Park. Additionally, Mike tracks and manages the Park’s economic metrics.

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Chris Rehkamp

Director of Business Services

Chris Rehkamp is an experienced entrepreneurial ecosystem builder and has supported the launch and growth of new businesses for nearly a decade. An entrepreneur himself, Rehkamp most recently served as associate director of the Technology Venture Studio at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Innovation Center. Chris has a Master of Professional Studies in Technology Entrepreneurship from the University of Maryland. Startland News named him a Community Builder to Watch in 2022.

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Lindsey Slater

Vice President of Strategic Communications

Lindsey Slater oversees strategic communications for the Park, raising brand awareness to drive business development and expansion while providing support to resident companies. An experienced communications professional with a knack for storytelling, Lindsey highlights the strengths of the Park and its companies through the written word, video and beyond. She most recently was the director of communications and storytelling for the Association of Chamber of Commerce Professionals. She has a journalism degree from Northwestern University's Medill School.

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Adam Courtney

Chief Executive Officer & Board President

As CEO, Adam Courtney provides strategic and operational leadership of the Park, including overseeing business operations, strategic initiatives and resource management, and fostering the Park’s culture, mission and vision. Adam previously worked for the Federal Housing Finance Agency. He served as the Park’s chief financial officer for ten years before being named CEO and president of the Board in March 2024.