What started as a class project for John Wirtz, ’05 & ’06 MBA, and his friends at University of Nebraska–Lincoln grew into Hudl, a sports technology company used by teams around the world.
“We were students with a concept we believed in, but something happened at Nebraska. People took our idea seriously and supported us," said Wirtz, who once planned to major in political science, attend law school and eventually pursue a career in politics.
His experiences at Nebraska through the Jeffrey S. Raikes School of Computer Science and Management and the Center for Entrepreneurship housed in the College of Business introduced him to a different path.
“I was surrounded by all these other students who were building things with no fear,” Wirtz said. “I wanted to do that, too."
That environment also introduced Wirtz to his future co-founders. Brian Kaiser, '06, originally from Overland Park, Kansas, was his roommate and David Graff, '05 & ’06 MBA, of Omaha lived across the hall. Their friendship grew into a business partnership.
“It allowed us to start the company with this amazing friendship background and understanding that I wish every group of co-founders could have,” Wirtz said. “We were so lucky to get to build a foundation back then that’s held up."
The idea for Hudl emerged after Jeffrey S. Raikes set up a meeting with Nebraska football coaches to discuss what he and some students studying business and computer science could do to help address the team’s needs. Wirtz, Graff and Kaiser were among the students in the room.
"We didn't know what would come from this meeting, but the coaches started talking and spurred this idea for the three of us. At the time, players received thick binders of scouting materials and the game plan, with stacks of DVDs containing practice and game footage. It was clear to us that this was a pain point and that they needed a better way to communicate and deliver video to the athletes," Wirtz said.
That idea became the foundation for their business plan. Wirtz, Graff and Kaiser worked with faculty and staff in the Center for Entrepreneurship to refine it before pitching it at the center's New Venture Competition, one of the nation's longest-running competitions of its kind.
"We won and received prize money, which essentially became our seed round of investment that got us through the first year of growing the company. Whenever we talked about the Hudl story, it starts with that first chapter of competing in the New Venture Competition with our business plan, winning a cash prize in that competition and a few others after that. Those early wins kept us going," he said.
The co-founders also connected with people who became important advisers and investors, including Jim McClurg, a former University of Nebraska regent who became an executive coach and later chair of Hudl’s board.
“Just being involved with the College of Business, Center for Entrepreneurship and the Raikes School and having won these competitions, helped up our credibility as three college students at the time,” Wirtz said.
Wirtz and his co-founders launched the sports technology company in 2006 and signed the Nebraska Football team and the New York Jets in the NFL as early clients. In 2008, Hudl expanded high school football before growing to serve numerous sports at all levels.
Today, more than 315,000 teams across 40-plus sports use Hudl, which has 8 million registered users. The company also has more than 3,500 employees in 15 countries.
“We wouldn't be able to continue growing this Lincoln-based company without this amazing engine of talent turning out incredible business professionals, computer science graduates and sales team members at Nebraska,” Wirtz said.
Twenty years after those first ideas took shape at Nebraska, Wirtz remains closely connected to the university and its entrepreneurial community. He serves on the advisory board of the Center for Entrepreneurship, mentors students, judges competitions and provides the kind of support he and his co-founders received as students.
“We would never be where we're at if there weren't amazing people at the university, in the College of Business and business leaders in Lincoln who just wanted to help,” he said. “Continuing that cycle of paying it forward feels really important, and it feels really good to do.”
Wirtz still occasionally pulls out that original business plan to see how much of what they developed at Nebraska remains at the heart of Hudl.
"The foundation we built was small at the time, but very strong, and, it all started at Nebraska," he said.
Save the date to come celebrate 40 Years of the Center of Entrepreneurship at the College of Business Alumni Tailgate on Saturday, November 21. Tailgate starts three hours prior to the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Iowa State Buckeyes Football game. RSVP for the Tailgate Here
