Alibaba.com Teams Up with the IOC to Propel Athletes into Entrepreneurship
Alibaba.com will become an exclusive partner to join the fourth edition of the Athlete365 Business Accelerator program, offering e-commerce and global trade-focused training, exclusive mentorship opportunities and accelerator packages
PARIS, July 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — At a grand launch event in Paris today, Alibaba.com, a leading platform for global business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce, will announce it has become the first worldwide Olympic and Paralympic e-commerce partner to join the fourth edition of the Athlete365 Business Accelerator program («Business Accelerator»)-an IOC-led initiative to support athletes with dual-career and career-transition opportunities by empowering them to become entrepreneurs.
From left to right: Michelle Lau, Managing Director, Alibaba.com, France; Emma Terhoe, Chair of the IOC Athletes' Commission; Tony Parker, former Olympian athlete and Alibaba.com ambassador; Kuo Zhang, President, Alibaba.com; Chris Tung, President, Strategic Development Department, Alibaba Group; Kaveh Mehrabi, Director of the Athletes' Department at the International Olympic Committee; Simona Galik-Moore, former professional tennis player and Alibaba.com ambassador
Alibaba.com connects buyers and suppliers from over 200 countries and regions, offering innovative services and technology-driven business tools to help SMEs start and grow their businesses. This simplifies global trade for buyers and sellers, offering opportunities for all aspiring entrepreneurs to — including athletes — to get ahead in business.
According to new data from Alibaba.com*, nearly two thirds (63%) of former sportspeople struggle to find a new career after sport. Despite 76% of former sportspeople thinking they have the transferable skills relevant for business, just over half (52%) are now running their own business.
The Athlete365 Business Accelerator program is a business incubator that aims to equip current and former professional athletes with the skills needed to create and manage their own businesses. As the first partner to join the program, Alibaba.com will create an e-commerce and global-trade-focused multi-phase training scheme designed to build participants' knowledge of
