Startup Waco Announces New Program For Student-Athletes

WACO, TEXAS — Startup Waco announced today the launch of a new program designed to connect Baylor student-athletes with Name-Image-Likeness (NIL)opportunities centered around its core organizational mission. 

The program, called GXG, will create and facilitate NIL opportunities exclusively for student athletes who don the Green and Gold. GXG will work in collaboration with new and existing partners,  businesses, and other constituencies to offer a suite of options to student-athletes including championing Waco-based entrepreneurs, connecting with citywide business and non-profit opportunities, and ultimately, using their platform in the community in ways that not only benefit themselves, but also uplift the local economy. 

Enacted on July 1, 2021, NIL gave college athletes the ability to profit off their own name, image, and/or likeness in ways not previously allowed in intercollegiate athletics. 

“As we’ve watched this landscape of NIL develop over the past year, we’ve become increasingly excited for the impact this will have on local student-athletes, the Baylor Family, and our city as a whole”, said Jon Passavant, CEO of Startup Waco. “We’ve witnessed ways in which NIL has led to both positive and negative outcomes around the country, and our approach is different. We aim to leverage this space as an avenue for more than just funds, but also as an innovative approach to student-athlete development and meaningful community engagement,” he continued.

In addition to GXG, student-athletes will have full access to Startup Waco’s IncubateX program, an incubator focused on entrepreneurship, accelerating new ventures, and maximizing NIL platforms on a personal level. IncubateX is an individualized version of how Startup Waco assists in launching new ventures in the community by comprehensively offering the best opportunity to conceptualize, create, and grow new businesses. 

Part of Startup Waco’s mission is to span all sectors of the Waco community to become a leading source of new innovation and economic growth. Supporting student-athletes in Waco helps pave the way for future growth by offering meaningful, strategic support for entrepreneurs of all typesso that they may leave a lasting impact on the community. 

“From the perspective of the entrepreneurial ecosystem that’s developing in Waco, we’re thrilled to play a part in helping incorporate student-athletes, who have significant platforms and voices,in ways that weren’t possible previously,” said Passavant. “By partnering with businesses and support organizations in this effort, we feel strongly that we can make a material impact on Waco’s continued economic development,” he added.

Details for program participation and opportunities to donate to GXG can be accessed at www.gxgexchange.org. For more information regarding the program, please reach out to the Startup Waco team at info@startupwaco.com.