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About
Athletes: Get paired with a veteran co-founder who brings operational discipline.
Veterans: Get paired with an athlete who brings brand and drive.
Everyone else: Support the mission, mentor teams, or just vote.
"Your athletic career is the beginning of your business portfolio, not the peak of your earning potential." โ Capital Forge League
"The game gave you a platform. Your co-founder gives you operational discipline. Together, you build an empire."
Teams Competing Now
Active Ventures
Companies Created by Teams
"We don't prepare athletes for retirement. We prepare them to never need it."
Takes 10 minutes. Response in 48 hours.
Season 1 Project Closing Soon: Applications accepted through June 30, 2025 | 42 spots remaining across all teams
Four pathways. Pick the one that fits you.
Current or retired student-athlete competing in college sports
Currently competing: 44 athletes from NFL, NBA, NCAA, FAMU, UCF, USF
Military veterans (all branches)
Currently competing: 43 veterans from all branches, all specialties
Active or retired coach
You qualify if you:
What you get:
Join a Team (Project Team Member)
Role: Contributes skills and expertise to a CFL competition team.
Authority: Operational implementation only; no governance authority.
Role Type: Educational / Competitive โ no securities involved.
Commitment: Active during the project's build and launch phase.
Perks: Targeted operational experience, access to our multi-sport athlete and innovator network, and high league visibility.
Mentors, advisors, industry experts
You qualify if you have:
What you get:
Fans, donors, community supporters
Anyone can participate as a supporter:
What you get:
Advisory Board Member
Role: Mentors and guides CFL competition teams; educational advisory role only.
Authority: Advisory capacity; carries minimal liability.
Role Type: Educational / Competitive โ no securities involved.
Commitment: Flexible; project-specific duration.
Perks: Resume enhancement, networking, professional recognition, and priority access to future opportunities.
Apply for Advisory Role โBoard of Directors
Role: Provides governance and oversight for CFL as a nonprofit organization.
Authority: Project-specific governance within the competition framework. High accountability.
Role Type: Educational / Competitive โ no securities involved.
Commitment: Formal; requires participation in scheduled governance meetings.
Perks: Full competition governance rights, co-branding opportunities, and founding team recognition.
Apply for Board Role โ"Athletes know how to compete. Veterans know how to execute. Together, they're unstoppable."
โ๏ธ CFL is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. All participation is educational and competition-based. We do not raise capital, process investments, or act as a broker-dealer.
10 minutes to complete. Response in 48 hours. No gatekeeping.
โฑ Takes 2 minutes
No formal pitch deck needed. Just explain in plain English.
โฑ Takes 5 minutes
โฑ Takes 2 minutes
We review your application and match you with:
โฑ Response in 48 hours
No application fee. No equity required. No catch.
No. Just a clear problem and solution.
Perfect. We work around your schedule.
No. Your veteran co-founder might have them.
Apply anyway. We'll help you find one.
Not just networking opportunities: Real infrastructure.
| Feature | Traditional Incubator | Capital Forge League |
|---|---|---|
| Team Structure | Solo founder or self-selected team | โ Veteran + Athlete matched as co-equal founders |
| Financial Literacy | Generic business courses | โ Athlete-specific: NIL โ startup capital training |
| Capital Formation | VC introductions (maybe) | โ Direct StateCF pathway for top teams |
| Competition Structure | Demo day at end | โ Season-long competition with milestones and awards |
| Community Support | Peer cohort only | โ Public voting, fan engagement, media coverage |
| Cost | $0 - $50K+ program fees | โ $0 (501(c)(3) nonprofit) |
| Equity Required | 5-10% equity for program | โ 0% (you keep 100% ownership) |
"Graduate with a degree AND a cap table. That's the CFL difference."
87 veteran-athlete teams building real companies right now
Marcus T. โ Army Signal Corps (8 years)
Darius M. โ FAMU Basketball (Sophomore PG)
Building: Sports facility optimization software
Traction: 3 paying customers, $12K MRR, 35% MoM growth
Position: 67 yards (Red Zone)
Sarah K. โ Marine Corps Infantry (6 years, Iraq veteran)
Jordan P. โ Former NFL WR (Tampa Bay practice squad)
Building: Career transition platform for athletes
Traction: 50 beta users, 12 career placements, 2 NIL team partnerships
Position: 54 yards (Advancing)
David R. โ Army Corps of Engineers (10 years)
Alex M. โ UCF Soccer (Senior midfielder)
Building: Youth sports facility booking platform
Traction: 5 facilities signed, 200+ bookings processed
Position: 43 yards (Midfield zone)
Teams Competing
Athletes (College + Pro)
Veterans (All Branches)
Total Companies Created by Teams
From application to competition in 2โ3 weeks
Complete online form (10 minutes). Instant confirmation email.
For athletes: We find veteran co-founder match. For veterans: We find athlete co-founder match.
Team formation paperwork, platform account setup, financial literacy orientation, mentor assignment.
We read every application (no bots). Mark Jones personally reviews all athlete/veteran applications.
15โ30 minute video call with potential co-founder. If it's a good fit, you're in.
Your team enters at the 0-yard line. Start building, earning votes, hitting milestones. Advance toward 100 yards and StateCF promotion.
Quick answers to help you decide
Athletes: A rough idea helps, but it's not required. Veterans: Sameโrough interest in a category is enough.
No. CFL is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. We take 0% equity. You keep 100% ownership.
Athletes: Perfect. We work around your schedule. Many active pros participate. Veterans: Active duty can participate with command approval.
We accept ~80% of qualified applicants. If we can't match you this season, you're priority for next season.
No. Your co-founder might have them, or we can connect you with technical mentors/contractors.
Yes, if you're already a veteran-athlete pair. Otherwise, we match you.
Minimum 5โ10 hours/week during the season (12 weeks). More if you're building aggressively.
You still get training, network, and experience. Not reaching 100 doesn't mean failureโyou're building skills for the long game.
More questions? Read full FAQs โ or contact us directly โ
"Most athletes spend 10 years playing and 50 years figuring out what's next. We reverse that."
CFL pairs you with a co-founder, gives you structure, and puts you in competition with other veteran-athlete teams. This is where founding teams are forged.
No application fee. No equity taken. Response in 48 hours.