Olympian and successful entrepreneur
Tony Parker, as Alibaba.com's global
brand ambassador, teaches Masterclass for aspiring
entrepreneurs
GENEVA, Dec. 2, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- The International Olympic Committee (IOC), in
collaboration with Alibaba.com, has officially launched the first
phase of the fourth edition of the Athlete365 Business Accelerator
programme, which aims to empower current and former elite athletes
to transfer their skills into successful business ventures.
Alibaba.com is the first worldwide Olympic and Paralympic
e-Commerce Services partner to support this initiative.
The Athlete365 Business Accelerator is a unique business
incubator designed to empower current and former elite athletes
from all backgrounds with the skills to build and manage their own
businesses. In support of the programme's latest edition,
Alibaba.com will provide participating athletes with educational
tools, mentoring services and funding.
This year's edition has attracted applications from several
hundred athletes from around the world. Just over a third (38%) are
from Europe, 20% are from
Africa, 17% from North America, 13% from APAC, and 12% from
South America. More than half
(55%) of these athletes represented their country at the Olympics
in the past, whilst 46% are still competing and would like to
become an entrepreneur at the same time.
In terms of their entrepreneurial ambitions, 56% of applicants
already have a business idea, whilst 17% have made a first
prototype of their business solution. More than one in ten (12%)
already have a business which generates stable revenues.
The fourth edition of the programme, which will launch in
multiple phases, will build participants' knowledge of
business-critical areas and the fundamentals of e-commerce and
global trade, including global sourcing and business-to-business
(B2B) export through digital marketplaces. Participants will also
acquire knowledge of Alibaba.com's artificial intelligence (AI)
tools, which are transforming how small and medium-sized
enterprises (SMEs) source products and connect with suppliers
globally. Using the AI tools, buyers can search for products using
a combination of videos, images and words and communicate naturally
and intuitively with suppliers in their own language. This makes
the sourcing process more straightforward and efficient, turning
their product vision into a reality.
The programme this year will commence on 3 December with an
open-access masterclass by Alibaba.com's global brand ambassador
Tony Parker, a two-time Olympian and
successful entrepreneur, which will be open to anyone interested in
hearing about his journey from a world-class athlete to a
successful entrepreneur. This will be followed by a series of
online lessons and virtual bootcamps, starting on 9 December, and
one-to-one mentoring with experts from Alibaba.com, aimed at
equipping athletes with the knowledge of developing an idea and
business model as well as e-commerce fundamentals.
Alibaba.com data reveals that nearly two-thirds (63%) of former
athletes struggle to find a new career after sports. By
participating in the programme, Alibaba.com partners with the IOC
to support athletes during and after their sports careers, creating
opportunities for them to transition into entrepreneurship and
leverage their skills to achieve success beyond the field.
Anne-Sophie Voumard, Managing
Director of IOC Television & Marketing Services,
added: "Our Worldwide Olympic Partners play a vital role in
supporting athletes at every stage of their journey. Through
initiatives like the Athlete365 Business Accelerator, we are
harnessing the expertise and resources of Partners
like Alibaba.com to empower athletes with skills and
opportunities that extend beyond their sporting careers. This
programme reflects the shared commitment of the IOC and its
Partners to help athletes succeed, both on and off the field of
play."
Kuo Zhang, President,
Alibaba.com, said: "Successful athletes and entrepreneurs share
similar characteristics. Both have unrivalled grit and
determination, a willingness to succeed, and an appetite to take
risks. However, after their sporting successes, athletes often
struggle to find their feet with a new career. At Alibaba.com, we
want to make a transition into the world of e-commerce and
entrepreneurship easy and are proud to participate in the
Athlete365 Business Accelerator programme by providing practical
tools and guidance on how to take part in global trade."
For more information, see
https://olympics.com/athlete365/offers/business-accelerator/become-an-entrepreneur-with-the-athlete365-business-accelerator
Athlete365 is the official community for elite Athletes
and Olympians which provides support through relevant advice, tools
and services.
About Alibaba.com
Launched in 1999, Alibaba.com is a leading platform for global
business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce that serves buyers and
suppliers from over 200 countries and regions around the world. It
is engaged in services covering various aspects of commerce,
including providing businesses with tools that help them reach a
global audience for their products and helping buyers discover
products, find suppliers and place orders online fast and
efficiently. Alibaba.com is part of Alibaba International Digital
Commerce Group.
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