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Join CFL |
Projects |
Submit Venture |
How It Works |
Stadium Experience |
Game Day |
Sponsor |
Sign In
These cover 80% of what people want to know.
We provide business education to veterans and athletes through collaborative learning partnerships. CFL is a Florida 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs a competitive program where military veterans and elite athletes (student, professional, and retired across NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, WNBA, MLS, NCAA, NASCAR, PGA) form educational teams to develop sports-tech business skills. Teams compete in season-based programming. Advancement is driven by traction, community support, and performance. Top teams earn recognition, mentorship, pitch coaching, and pathways to capital formation through our partner platform StateCF.com. This is not a hackathon. This is not an incubator. This is where participants develop entrepreneurship capabilities through competitive programming.
No. CFL is for all athletes β student, active professional, and retired. College athletes (all NCAA divisions + NAIA), active pros (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, etc.), retired athletes (all sports, all eras). If you competed at an elite level and you're ready to develop entrepreneurship capabilities, you're eligible. CFL meets you where you are.
JOIN THE PROJECT = Contributing your skills, expertise, network, or operational support to a team. You are NOT providing capital. You're joining as a learning partner, advisor, mentor, or strategic contributor.
INVEST IN THE DEAL ROOM = Providing financial capital to a project in exchange for securities. This happens ONLY through StateCF.com, a registered Florida crowdfunding intermediary. You are NOT joining the team β you're investing as a shareholder. You can do both, but they are separate processes with separate legal implications.
We teach athletes to treat their earnings as startup capital, not just income. CFL's curriculum covers: Budgeting for Builders (allocate earnings between living expenses and business investment), Venture Evaluation (assess whether a business idea is worth your time and capital), Personal Brand as Business Asset (monetize your platform without selling out), Capital Deployment Strategy (when to self-fund, when to raise, and how to structure deals), Equity vs. Employment (understanding business ownership structures and long-term career planning). The goal: every athlete leaves CFL with a viable business, not just a paycheck.
Financial literacy isn't enough. We teach financial mastery.
Quick answers to help you decide
Athletes: A rough idea helps, but it's not required. Veterans: Sameβrough 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 learning partner 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 5β10 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 failureβyou're building skills for the long game.
Student, Active Professional, Retired β All Sports, All Stages
All of them. CFL welcomes athletes from: NFL, NBA/WNBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, NCAA (all divisions), NASCAR, PGA, plus Olympic sports, international leagues, combat sports, extreme sports, esports, and beyond. If you competed at an elite level, you're in scope.
No. Retired athletes are some of our strongest participants. Post-career athletes bring: time availability to commit fully to building, network depth from years in the industry, battle scars from navigating transition, credibility as someone who made it and moved on, hunger to prove they're more than their sport. CFL's learning partner model gives you an operational partner (a veteran) who brings military discipline and execution. Together, you build something that lasts beyond your playing career. Your last game will end. Your last business doesn't have to.
Yes. CFL is designed for athletes at every stage β including active professionals. Many pro athletes use their playing years to build the infrastructure for their next chapter. CFL's program is flexible enough to accommodate in-season and off-season schedules. What you bring: brand visibility, competitive drive, public platform, and the urgency to build while you're still relevant. What CFL provides: veteran learning partners who handle day-to-day operations while you're training/competing, mentorship from operators who've develop business skills, and a structured pathway to turn your name into a business.
All of them. NFL, NBA/WNBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, NCAA (all divisions), NASCAR, PGA, Olympic sports, international leagues, combat sports, and beyond. If you competed at an elite level, you belong in the CFL arena.
Your jersey will be retired. Your company won't be.
All Branches, All Specialties, All Stages of Transition
All of them. CFL welcomes veterans from: U.S. Army (Infantry, Armor, Special Forces, Signal, Logistics, etc.), U.S. Marine Corps (Infantry, Artillery, Aviation, Combat Engineers, etc.), U.S. Navy (Surface Warfare, Aviation, SEALs, Seabees, Corpsmen, etc.), U.S. Air Force (Pilots, Cyber, Space, Special Tactics, Logistics, etc.), U.S. Coast Guard (all ratings and specialties), U.S. Space Force (all specialties). MOS/Rating doesn't matter. What matters is operational discipline, mission-first thinking, and the ability to execute under pressure.
You can still participate, with limitations. Active-duty service members must comply with all DoD ethics regulations regarding outside business activities, obtain proper command approvals if required, avoid any conflicts of interest with military duties, and not use government resources, time, or position for private business. CFL's program is flexible enough to work around deployment schedules. If you're within 12β24 months of ETS/retirement, this is your transition plan.
No. You need military experience. CFL will teach you business. Veterans bring skills that business schools can't teach: operational discipline (executing on timelines), mission-first thinking (outcome over ego), team cohesion (building trust under pressure), resource constraints (making it work with what you have), leadership under ambiguity (deciding with incomplete information). CFL pairs you with an athlete who brings brand, visibility, and competitive drive. Together, you build what neither could build alone.
Perfect timing. The 12β24 months post-separation is the ideal window to enter CFL. You still have military discipline fresh, your network is active, and you have the hunger to build something new. CFL gives you the structure, the learning partner, and the competition framework to channel that energy into a real company.
Your service didn't end when you left the military. Your mission just changed from defending freedom to building business skills and creating new career pathways.
How to Back Teams, Vote, and Participate
Not through CFL. But yes, through StateCF.com. Important: Capital Forge League is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. We do NOT broker investment deals, do NOT take commissions on capital raised, and do NOT structure securities offerings. When a CFL team reaches advancement milestones and is ready to raise capital, they may choose to list their offering on StateCF.com, a registered Florida crowdfunding intermediary operating under FL Β§517.061. StateCF is a separate legal entity. All investment transactions, securities filings, investor protections, and regulatory compliance happen on their platform β not on CFL.
No. CFL does not accept donations directed to individual teams or athletes. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, CFL operates charitable programs that benefit our overall educational mission. Donors can support CFL's organizational programming (curriculum development, competition infrastructure, mentorship resources), but not specific individuals or teams. This protects CFL's nonprofit status and ensures no private benefit to individual participants. If you want to financially support a specific team, you must invest through StateCF.com when their offering goes live.
Voting advances teams down virtual sports fields in CFL's gamified competition arena. How it works: 3 yards per vote (each community vote moves a team 3 yards closer to the 100-yard goal), 100 yards = StateCF promotion (teams that reach 100 yards earn eligibility to promote their venture on StateCF.com if they choose to raise capital). No financial rights (votes do NOT confer equity, revenue share, or any ownership interest), Educational engagement (this is a game-based learning platform, not a securities transaction). CRITICAL: Voting β investing. Votes are educational engagement markers in a competition. They do not create financial obligations, do not grant returns, and do not constitute securities transactions.
Reserving interest is a non-binding signal that you're curious about a team's venture. When you reserve interest: The team founder receives your profile, the founder may reach out with additional details, you retain full access to project documents, you receive ongoing updates and communications, you are added to the notification list if/when they launch on StateCF. There is ZERO obligation to invest. Reserve interest is purely informational. You can withdraw at any time.
Every CFL member is a potential learning partner, advisor, or first customer. This is peer-to-peer wealth creation.
How Teams Advance, Rank, and Earn Recognition
CFL runs season-based competitions where veteran-athlete teams advance down virtual sports fields based on performance. Teams start at the 0-yard line and advance toward 100 yards through: Community Votes (3 yards per vote), Traction Milestones (bonus yards for customer acquisition, revenue, product launches), Performance Bonuses (extra yards for featured team status, spotlight appearances). Milestone Unlocks: 10 yards (First Down) = Homepage feature, 25 yards (Quarter Field) = Mentor pairing priority, 50 yards (Midfield) = Pitch coaching + investor intro, 60 yards (Red Zone) = StateCF pre-qualification review, 80 yards (Goal Line) = Investor showcase presentation, 100 yards (Touchdown) = StateCF promotion eligibility. This is not gambling. This is not a lottery. This is educational competition with real business outcomes.
Teams are ranked by yard line position within three categories: Florida rank (position among all Florida-based teams), national rank (position among all CFL teams nationwide), category rank (position within specific competition category β Sports Tech, Athlete Empowerment, Community Sports, etc.). Rankings reflect educational competition performance, NOT investment quality or business viability. All rankings, votes, and awards occur within CFL's educational competition framework. They do NOT represent investment recommendations, endorsements, or guarantees of business success.
Stadium Events are live voting sessions where fans vote in real time to move teams down the field. What happens: Live scoreboard (teams appear on virtual sports fields), real-time voting (fans vote to advance their favorite teams), immediate yard gains (each vote = 3 yards, updated live), leaderboard tracking (see which teams are advancing fastest), fan engagement (prediction games, badges, awards for top voters). IMPORTANT: CFL does NOT broadcast NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, or any other sports league games. Stadium Events show CFL venture competition visualized on sports-themed fields. Fans may choose to watch real sports on their own TV/subscription services while voting for CFL ventures on a second screen, but CFL provides zero broadcast content.
Absolutely. Anyone can register as a free fan to vote, follow teams, earn badges, and compete in prediction games. Fans are the heartbeat of the CFL Stadium. Your votes move teams 3 yards closer to StateCF promotion. Register at capitalforgeleague.com/cfl_v2/get-involved.
You've competed for championships. Now compete for capital.
Required Disclosures, Terms, and Risk Warnings
CFL (Florida 501(c)(3) nonprofit) handles educational competition, team formation, mentorship, and recognition. StateCF.com (registered Florida crowdfunding intermediary under FL Β§517.061) handles capital formation, securities offerings, investor onboarding, and regulatory compliance. CFL provides neutral links to StateCF. We do not host securities offerings, do not receive commissions on capital raised, and do not have a financial interest in individual team outcomes.
The teams own their ventures. Not CFL. CFL does NOT take equity in participant ventures, does NOT own intellectual property created by teams, does NOT claim revenue share or royalties, and does NOT exercise control over team business decisions. Teams retain 100% ownership of their companies.
By accessing our site, you agree to these terms. This platform is intended for users 18 and older; minors require verified parental or guardian consent.
The Capital Forge League is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on community education. We are not a broker-dealer, funding portal, or investment adviser.
All content is strictly informational. Rankings reflect competition performance, not investment suitability. Please consult a financial adviser before acting.
CFL provides neutral links to platforms like StateCF.com. We neither host nor structure securities offerings and do not receive commissions on capital raised.
You must provide accurate information and maintain account security. By posting content, you grant CFL a non-exclusive license for nonprofit programming use.
Public voting is for engagement purposes and confers no financial rights. Awards are discretionary and subject to compliance verification; all administrative decisions are final.
This site is provided "as is." CFL's total liability for any claim is limited to the greater of $100 or the amount paid to CFL in the preceding 12 months.
Participation does not guarantee acceptance, funding, or specific business outcomes.
These terms are governed by Florida law. Disputes must be mediated in Hillsborough County, Florida, with costs shared equally by the parties.
Investment Disclaimer: Nothing on this website constitutes an offer to sell securities or professional investment advice. All investment opportunities are presented exclusively on StateCF.com, a registered Florida crowdfunding intermediary. CFL is not affiliated with, does not endorse, and receives no compensation from any securities offerings.
No Guarantees: Participation in CFL programs does not guarantee acceptance, funding, rankings, awards, or any specific business outcomes. All competition results are discretionary and subject to compliance verification.
Educational Purpose: CFL is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization. All content is strictly informational. Rankings reflect competition performance, not investment suitability. Consult a financial adviser before making investment decisions.
Risk Warning: Early-stage investments are highly risky. You may lose your entire investment. Startup securities are illiquid, volatile, and speculative. Never invest more than you can afford to lose.
Capital Forge League | Florida 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Educational Organization | Governed by Florida law | Disputes resolved in Hillsborough County, Florida