RiseNIL started with a simple observation: the NIL conversation happens almost entirely around a small fraction of college athletes. We're building for everyone else.
When NIL rights opened up for collegiate athletes in 2021, the infrastructure that followed mostly served the athletes who were already visible — the high-profile programs, the big social followings, the revenue sports. The D2 pole vaulter, the NAIA wrestler, the D3 cross country runner — athletes with real competitive records and genuinely engaged audiences — were largely left out of the conversation.
RiseNIL is built on the belief that NIL value exists across every sport and every division, and that the right infrastructure can surface it. We're not trying to replace the platforms that serve major conference athletes. We're building the platform that serves everyone they don't.
We're early. We're deliberate. And we're not taking shortcuts on verification, transparency, or the trust of the athletes who use this platform.
RiseNIL is a partnership between someone who has spent a career finding talent before anyone else does, and someone who builds the infrastructure to surface it.
Russell brings a career in recruiting, sales, and sports to RiseNIL — an instinct for identifying talent that hasn't yet been discovered by the market. He understands the relationship side of athletic talent, how deals get made, and what brands actually look for when they're evaluating an athlete for a partnership. On the ice, he competes as an avid hockey player — which means he knows firsthand what it means to love a sport that doesn't always get its fair share of the spotlight.
Dennis brings enterprise infrastructure and AI-integrated development experience to RiseNIL — the technical architecture behind how the platform scores athletes, verifies rosters, and connects the right data to the right people. He's consulted to the PGA Tour and spent time on the ground at Tropicana Field helping get fresh merchandise into the hands of Tampa Bay Rays fans. He's built systems that have to work reliably at scale, and applies that same discipline to every product decision. When he's not building, you'll find him somewhere deep in a mountain range or on the mat.
The NIL era is still young. The tools, norms, and market structure are being written right now — and right now, most of the benefit flows toward athletes who were already advantaged. We think that's a solvable problem, and we're working on it.
We're not trying to be everything. We're focused on doing one thing well: giving underrepresented collegiate athletes a verified, transparent way to present their NIL value to brands — and giving brands a trusted, efficient way to find them.
More of what we're building is on the way. If you're an athlete, a brand, or someone who cares about this space and wants to talk — the enrollment form and brand inquiry form are both open.