SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 19: NBA Superstar & Philanthropist, Entrepreneur Shaquille O'Neal speaks onstage during TechCrunch Disrupt 2023 at Moscone Center on September 19, 2023 in San Francisco, California.
Most people know Shaquille O'Neal due to his time as a professional basketball player in the NBA, but he's also a savvy investor, with many companies and investments under his belt. With that, the investor now shares how he plans to invest in edtech and startups that could potentially help people and change their lives.
Shaquille O'Neal is an NBA Legend with a Passion for Investing in Edtech
Shaquille O'Neal isn't just any NBA player but a four-time NBA champion, 15-time NBA All-Star, and three-time NBA Finals MVP. The investor took the stage during the TechCrunch Disrupt to discuss his thoughts on investing.
During his talk, he highlighted his passion for investing when it comes to edtech. He also shared how he wanted to invest in projects that had the potential to change people's lives and talked about how he decided to get into investing.
Shaq Invested in Edsoma, an edTech Company Focused on Teaching Children to Read
Shaq also discussed how he developed his strategy as well as how he believed in the "importance of education," as highlighted in Tech Crunch. It was also revealed that Shaq invested in Edsoma, as highlighted in the company's Facebook page.
Edsoma is reportedly an AI-powered platform focusing on reading, communication, and education, specifically for children. The NBA star was on stage with Kyle Wallgren, the CEO of Edsoma, who shared the startup's goals and how they want to teach a million kids how to read.
Jeff Bezos' Statement on Investing Resonats with Shaq
During the talk, Shaq focused on how he came up with his investing strategy and how he developed it after he heard Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, talk about investing. Bezos noted that people should invest in things that change the lives of people.
It was also revealed that Shaq attended a conference back in 1997 or 1998 where he heard Jeff Bezos give a speech about what to invest in. It was noted that O'Neal revealed how people should invest in things that change their lives.
Shaq said that when Kyle entered and started talking about the children, he knew investing would be a good fit. He then revealed how investing in things that change people's lives has been great for him.
Read Also: Arizona Governor Discusses Advanced Chip Packaging Talks with TSMC, Aiming to Boost US Manufacturing
What is Edsoma?
The Edsoma is an app that teaches children how to read and properly pronounce things that they read by using advanced technologies like AI. It also allows parents to read to their children from any location, allowing for connection despite not being physically together.
Wallgren also shared how the company could board 300 students within its first month of launching. So far, Edsoma already has 9,000 students on board, and its ultimate goal is to be able to change a million lives.
Wallgren also noted how Shaq wanted to ensure that children from any environment have access to this type of education.
Related Article: Generative AI Startup Writer Receives $100 Million in Funding to Power Corporate Content Creation
