From Program Participants to Winning Founders: How Prodisphere Co-owners Ebose and Mehul Changed the Game.
For ten years, Building Our Tech (BOT) has consistently created opportunities for people in tech to learn, build, and scale. From workforce development programs to community-driven events that have connected thousands of professionals across the industry, our impact has always been measured in people, access, and resources. Every year, BOT’s pitch competition serves as the bridge between startup founders and measurable impact. Last year, Ebose Okondo and Mehul Patel, co-founders of Prodisphere, used the pitch competition to propel their business to the next level. They arrived with a bold idea, a polished pitch, and the kind of determination that turns heads. When the dust settled, Prodisphere left as champions. We caught up with Ebose and Mehul to discover more about their journey and what happens when the right opportunity meets the right founders at the right time.
Meet the Founders
Tell us a little bit about yourselves! What are your backgrounds, and what inspired each of you to pursue entrepreneurship in tech?
“Both my co-founder and I are engineers who came to the US from Nigeria and Zimbabwe with dreams of playing college sports, I played basketball and soccer, and Mehul played golf. The transition to American college athletics proved much more challenging than we anticipated, and we ended up focusing on our engineering studies instead of pursuing our sports dreams. After graduating and working as engineers, we remained passionate about sports and realized we had a unique perspective on the challenges athletes face when trying to navigate their careers. That personal experience of having our athletic dreams derailed by lack of proper guidance and infrastructure inspired us to build Prodisphere and we wanted to create the platform we wish had existed when we were trying to make that transition.”
Every startup has an origin story. How did the two of you meet, and when did you realize you wanted to start a company together?
“We met on our very first day working on campus in college in our freshman and sophomore years. Coming from the same background and pursuing the same engineering degrees, mechanical and aerospace, we immediately realized we had so many similarities to our journey. From that first meeting, we started collaborating on everything, work, different school projects, our first internship together, and all the way through our senior design project. We’d worked together successfully in so many instances that when we had this idea for Prodisphere, it felt natural to tackle it as a team. We already had years of proven collaboration and shared the same passion for solving problems that we’d personally experienced.”
What problem were you trying to solve when you came up with the idea for Prodisphere?
“We saw athletes at every level from high school to college, and professional, struggling with the same fundamental problem that we had as former athletes ourselves: they had no idea what they were actually worth and even more so now in the NIL market. Athletes were signing terrible brand deals because they had zero transparency into their market value. Meanwhile, brands were wasting money on partnerships that didn’t deliver ROI because they had no objective way to evaluate athletes. We built Prodisphere to solve both sides of that equation with real-time, data-driven valuations.”
Was there a specific moment that made you think, 'This idea could become a real company?
“There were two striking moments for us. First, we realized our personal story wasn’t unique. There are thousands of international and domestic athletes who struggle with the same lack of transparency and guidance we experienced. When we started researching the NIL market and saw athletes signing deals without knowing their value, brands wasting money on poor partnerships, and talented athletes getting overlooked because they lacked proper infrastructure, we knew this was a systemic problem that technology could solve. Our engineering background gave us confidence that we could build the data-driven solution the market desperately needed.
The second turning point came when we attended Techstars Tampa and Orlando. We publicly introduced Prodisphere for the first time. Seeing the immediate interest and validation from other entrepreneurs and investors made us realize this wasn’t just our personal problem; it was a market-wide issue that people were eager to see solved. The fact that our story resonated so strongly with others and that we met key connections like Jehue, who would later introduce us to BOT, showed us that this idea had real legs and could scale beyond our personal experience.”
Why did you decide to build your startup in Central Florida, and what opportunities have you seen within the region's growing tech ecosystem?
“Central Florida is uniquely positioned for sports tech innovation. We’re surrounded by major universities with strong athletics programs, like our alma mater, UCF, which we saw grow immensely during our time there, USF, FSU, Miami, and UF, and Florida’s NIL landscape is incredibly active. The region has a growing tech ecosystem with strong support networks like BOT, and the cost of doing business here allows us to stretch our resources further while staying close to our target market.”
Tell us more about your company.
“Prodisphere is a sports infrastructure platform that gives athletes a real dollar NIL valuation, what we call their Prodiscore, the moment they sign up. We use AI and data analytics to evaluate athletic performance, social media presence, audience demographics, and market timing to create a 0-100 scale score that represents their current NIL market value. Athletes get transparency into their worth, brands get objective partnership data, and scouts get discovery tools. Our motto is “Own Your Future” and we’re empowering athletes to take control of their sports careers with data-driven insights.”
BOT DISCOVERY
How did you first hear about BOT and the startup resources we offer for tech founders?
“We discovered BOT through a relationship we built at Startup Orlando. After presenting Prodisphere there, we met Jehue, who was impressed with our concept and introduced us to BOT and all the programs they offered. That connection from Startup Orlando directly led us into the BOT ecosystem, which shows how valuable networking events can be for early-stage founders.”
You both participated in one of our startup programs. Which program(s) did you participate in, and what motivated you to join?
“We participated in the Kofound Accelerator Program that Jehue and Joel hosted together. After Jehue invited us to BOT’s weekly events, he encouraged us to apply to the accelerator. Our motivation was that we knew we needed to evolve from just having a startup idea to truly understanding how to build a sustainable business. We realized we had gaps in our knowledge about fundraising, industry approach, and strategic thinking that this program could fill.”
What was your first impression of the startup community and mentorship opportunities within the program?
“It was incredible to discover the depth of resources and community that existed right here in Orlando that we had no idea were available and attainable. The program took us from thinking like engineers with an idea to thinking like founders who understood the industry. The access to mentorship, workshops, and a supportive community of other entrepreneurs was far beyond what we expected to find locally.”
Is there a memorable experience, workshop, mentor conversation, or networking event that still stands out to you today?
“The multiple presentation iteration sessions with Joel, Jehue, and the other accelerator program members stand out the most. It was a thorough and sometimes grueling process where we critiqued every part of our pitch presentation, explored new ways to edit and improve, and learned to make our pitch viable for different audiences. Those sessions fundamentally strengthened our positioning and taught us how to communicate our vision effectively.”
What specific resources, guidance, or support helped you the most as early-stage founders?
“The combination of structured workshops on various entrepreneurial topics and the intensive pitch preparation process was invaluable. But beyond the formal programming, it was the introduction to Orlando’s startup ecosystem and learning about resources we didn’t know existed that really accelerated our growth. The program opened doors we didn’t even know we should be looking for.”
Building a startup comes with challenges. Did you face any obstacles at the time, and if so, how did the program and BOT help you navigate them?
“Our biggest challenge was transitioning from an engineering mindset to an entrepreneurial one. We understood the technical aspects of building our platform, but we struggled with business strategy, fundraising approach, and market positioning. The Kofound program systematically addressed these gaps through workshops and mentorship, helping us think about the industry the right way and preparing us for challenges we hadn’t even anticipated yet.”
“After going through the accelerator, applying to the pitch competition felt like the natural next step. We had refined our pitch through countless iterations with the team and our cohort, and we were ready to test our positioning with a broader audience. The competition represented both validation and an opportunity to gain the credibility and connections needed to take Prodisphere to the next level.”
Can you walk us through your experience preparing for the competition?
“The preparation was incredibly thorough and intensive. Multiple iterations of our presentation were shared during the accelerator. Every aspect of our pitch was critiqued and refined; we constantly looked for new ways to edit the presentation and make it resonate with different audiences. It was a grueling but essential process that prepared us not just for the competition, but for all the pitching we’d need to do as founders.”
Pitching a startup can be intimidating. What emotions were you feeling leading up to the event?
“Given our background as engineers rather than natural salespeople, and the fact that this was one of our first major public presentations of Prodisphere, we definitely felt nervous but also incredibly excited. This was our chance to share our story and vision with people who could help us turn it into reality.”
Congratulations on your success! What did winning the competition mean for both of you personally and professionally?
“Thank you very much. Our appreciation to you and the entire BOT team for putting that together. Winning was extremely rewarding and felt like a crowning achievement for all the work we’d put in up to that point. As international students who had to give up our sports dreams. Winning validated that we’d found a new path and that our idea could truly make an impact. Professionally, it gave us credibility, connections, and momentum that accelerated everything we’ve accomplished since.”
GROWTH AND IMPACT
Since winning, what major milestones has your startup achieved?
“Since the competition, we’ve made significant progress on multiple fronts. We’ve established partnerships with soccer coaches and are expanding our Florida-first go-to-market strategy across 13 D1 Florida schools. We’ve built out our referral partner program with a competitive commission structure, and we’re actively in discussions with athletic departments, compliance coordinators, agents, and brand partners. We’ve also secured podcast opportunities and speaking engagements to establish thought leadership in the sports tech space.”
What lessons have you learned about scaling a startup since participating in the program and competition?
“The biggest lesson has been the importance of targeting specific market segments with tailored messaging. Our platform serves all levels of athletes, brands, scouts, agents, schools, clubs, teams, and coaches, but each group needs a completely different value proposition. High school outreach focuses on career readiness and recruiting visibility, while college NIL conversations lead with brand deal opportunities. You can’t scale effectively with one-size-fits-all messaging.”
ADVICE FOR FUTURE FOUNDERS
What advice would you give to tech startup founders who are thinking about applying to this year's Pitch Competition?
“Apply. Even if you think you’re not ready, the process of preparing your pitch will crystallize your thinking and force you to articulate your value proposition clearly. The feedback alone is worth it, and the connections you make can be game-changing for your startup’s trajectory.”
Many founders hesitate to apply because they think they're "too early" or not ready. What would you say to encourage them?
““Too early” is often the perfect time to apply. Competitions like BOT’s aren’t just about funding; they’re about validation, feedback, and community building. If you have a clear problem you’re solving and early signs of traction, you’re ready enough to benefit from the experience.”
What's one thing every startup founder should focus on before pitching their company?
“Know your market size and your go-to-market strategy cold. Investors and judges want to see that you understand not just what you’re building, but who’s going to build it, buy it, and how you’re going to reach them. Having a clear, executable plan for customer acquisition is what separates interesting ideas from investable companies.”
If you could go back and give yourselves advice at the beginning of your startup journey, what would it be?
“Start talking to customers immediately. Although we spoke to the market, we felt that we still spent a lot of the early time perfecting our product before really understanding our market segments’ specific pain points. Customer conversations should drive product development, not the other way around. Also, build your referral and partnership strategy from day one; growth compounds when you have other people helping you scale.”
WHAT'S NEXT
What's next for Prodisphere, and what are you most excited about in the coming year?
“We’re incredibly excited about the World Cup 2026 opportunity. Soccer is about to have its biggest moment in US sports history, and that’s going to create massive NIL opportunities for soccer athletes. We’re also expanding our institutional partnerships with athletic departments because we cater to up to 24 different sports while also building out our brand marketplace. The goal is to become the infrastructure layer that powers the entire NIL ecosystem.”
In one sentence, why should tech startup founders in Central Florida apply for this year's Pitch Competition?
“BOT’s Pitch Competition gives you the three things every startup needs most: validation, connections, and momentum, all in one transformative experience.”
How would you describe BOT in one word?
“Catalyst.”
Would you like to share anything else?
“The sports industry is undergoing a fundamental transformation with NIL, and data-driven platforms like Prodisphere are at the center of that change. For any founders working in sports tech or adjacent spaces, Central Florida’s combination of major athletic programs, growing tech community, and supportive organizations like BOT creates a unique opportunity to build something meaningful. We’re grateful to be part of this ecosystem and excited about what’s next.”
Join the Movement!
Ebose and Mehul's story is one of hundreds that have unfolded over the last decade inside BOT's ecosystem. Their journey is a reminder of what becomes possible when the tech community invests in its people. But the most exciting chapter is always the one currently being written. This year, 7 visionary founders are ready to take the stage at the 2026 Launchpad Liftoff Pitch Competition, and we want you in the room when they do. Whether you're a startup founder with a pitch that deserves an audience, a mentor ready to pour into the next generation of builders, or a tech enthusiast who believes innovation thrives when communities show up for each other, this is your invitation. Join us on June 11, 2026, at Great Southern Box Company - 2105 N. Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando, FL 32804, from 5:30 PM to 9:30 PM, and be part of the story that gets told next. The next breakthrough is closer than you think. Secure your spot today.
Follow along with Ebose and Mehul’s growing journey and check out the video interview.
