Elevate

Elevate, operating under the brand Scout (legal entity ELV8 Inc.), builds software and advisory services for college athletics in the name, image and likeness (NIL) era. The company serves two customer groups: athletic departments and the athletes themselves. For schools, Scout offers a single operating platform covering budgeting and roster planning, cap management (setting a cap and allocating it by position or player with real-time visibility), payment processing for per diems, bonuses and NIL payments, and automated approval routing intended to support compliance and create an auditable paper trail. The school-facing admin portal is branded Scout Command.

For athletes, Scout combines tooling with hands-on support: tracking and managing NIL earnings and payouts, building spending plans that adjust to variable income, assistance setting up an LLC and business bank accounts, education on taxes, compliance and filing dates, deal evaluation guidance, and one-on-one financial support intended to establish money habits that persist beyond a college career. Engagements are described as beginning with a guided demo tailored to the program, followed by structured onboarding for athletes and staff including financial education and platform setup, then ongoing one-on-one access to Scout's team.

ELV8 Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser and provides investment management and advisory services as well as financial planning tools; the company states it does not provide tax advice.

Founding story

The company's origin is tied to co-founder Mike, whose father was a top-10 NFL Draft pick and, according to the company, had lost nearly everything by retirement. That experience shaped a focus on why high-earning athletes often end up with little, which Mike carried through Columbia Business School and roles at Goldman and Lazard, where his work included managing money for athletes such as Steph Curry and Michael Phelps. The advent of NIL in college sports prompted him to apply that focus to college athletes, and he partnered with co-founder Cindy, an immigrant and startup builder.

Business model

Scout sells to athletic departments and institutions through demos and partnership agreements, delivering a school-facing platform (cap management, payment processing, approvals, roster planning) alongside athlete-facing financial services. Investment management and advisory services and financial planning tools are provided by ELV8 Inc., an SEC-registered investment adviser.

The website does not state pricing; services offered include the school platform (cap management, payment processing, approvals) and athlete financial planning and investment advisory services provided through SEC-registered adviser ELV8 Inc.

Traction

As of 2025 the company reports more than 7,000 athletes on the platform and more than 30 school partners, including the University of Louisville and Old Dominion University, whose deputy athletics directors provide testimonials (the company notes testimonial providers may have been compensated with cash, free products or discounted product use).