From Dreamer to Achiever: How Charlie Sarmiento and VTX Are Transforming Endurance Sports Sponsorship

In the latest episode of Product Led Growth Leaders, host Thomas Watkins sits down with Jose Carlos "Charlie" Sarmiento, Co-Founder and CEO of VTX Athlete, to discuss the unique challenges of securing sponsorships in endurance sports. Charlie, a serial founder, investor, and endurance athlete, shares his insights on how VTX is bridging the gap between athletes and sponsors, leveraging technology to provide a more equitable and data-driven approach to athlete sponsorship. This episode is essential for athletes, brands, and anyone interested in understanding how technology can drive growth in the sports sector.

The Sponsorship Gap in Endurance Sports

Charlie Sarmiento’s story is emblematic of a widespread problem: 98% of endurance athletes lack sponsorship, despite a global community of over 100 million participants. Unlike mainstream sports, where sponsorships are more accessible and structured, endurance athletes often face a fragmented, opaque, and highly competitive landscape. The primary challenges include limited visibility for athletes, lack of organized systems to connect them with brands, and the economic reality of lower ticket prices in endurance events which hinder sponsorship potential.

VTX aims to address this issue by offering a platform that matches athletes with sponsors through its proprietary Vertex Score, an algorithm that evaluates athletes on a holistic set of criteria. Unlike traditional sponsorship models that heavily rely on social media metrics, the Vertex Score includes performance data, community engagement, and psychological resilience. This comprehensive approach ensures that athletes with dedication and potential are matched with brands, regardless of their social media following. By leveling the playing field, VTX provides sponsors with a more accurate assessment of an athlete’s true value.

The technology behind VTX enables scalable, global matchmaking, breaking down geographical and structural barriers that often hinder the sponsorship process. Using AI and machine learning, the platform ensures that athletes and sponsors are continuously connected in an efficient, transparent, and impactful manner. With VTX, the focus is on creating a more equitable system that goes beyond popularity metrics and fosters long-term relationships based on performance and shared values.

About Charlie Sarmiento

Charlie Sarmiento is the Co-Founder and CEO of VTX Athlete, a data-driven platform designed to connect endurance athletes with sponsors in a more equitable and transparent way. With a background in endurance sports and technology, Charlie has leveraged his experience to create a platform that revolutionizes how athletes secure sponsorships and how brands discover talent.

About VTX Athlete

VTX Athlete is a cutting-edge platform that uses data to match athletes with sponsors, ensuring that funding goes to those with the highest potential, not just the largest social media followings. By aggregating performance data and leveraging the Vertex Score, VTX offers a more holistic approach to evaluating athletes, making it easier for brands to find and sponsor athletes who align with their values and goals.

Links Mentioned in This Episode:

• VTX Athlete Website

• Charlie Sarmiento LinkedIn

Key Episode Highlights

• The Sponsorship Dilemma: Charlie discusses how the sponsorship gap impacts 98% of endurance athletes and how VTX addresses this issue with data and transparency.

• The Vertex Score: How VTX’s proprietary algorithm evaluates athletes on performance, engagement, and community impact, offering a fairer way to secure sponsorship.

• Mindset and Psychological Edge: The importance of emotional intelligence and resilience in the endurance sports world.

• Tech and Global Reach: How VTX leverages AI and machine learning to scale its platform and connect athletes and sponsors globally.

• The Future of Endurance Sports: Charlie’s vision for the future of endurance sports sponsorship, emphasizing community-driven growth and increased visibility for athletes.

Conclusion

Charlie Sarmiento’s journey from a national-level athlete to the CEO of VTX Athlete showcases the power of innovation in solving industry challenges. By using technology to bridge the sponsorship gap, VTX is not only transforming the way sponsorships are handled but also empowering athletes and brands to create meaningful, data-driven partnerships. This conversation serves as a valuable resource for athletes seeking sponsorship, brands looking for new ways to engage with talent, and anyone interested in the intersection of sports, technology, and entrepreneurship.

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