Partnership brings together community, mentorship and career pathways to support women athletes beyond competition

NEW YORK, May 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — LaunchBreak and Prospect-HQ today announced a strategic partnership to strengthen opportunities for women athletes navigating careers, leadership and entrepreneurship after sports. The collaboration unites LaunchBreak’s empowering network of more than 2,700 collegiate, pro and Olympian women athletes, and leaders with Prospect-HQ’s athlete-focused talent platform to create new pathways for connection, mentorship and career advancement.  

Built around elevating athletes beyond competition, the partnership expands access to career opportunities and professional support with a community of current and former college athletes, Prospect-HQ, whose mission is “Elevating Communities, Aligning Hires and Transforming Lives,” helps athletes tell their stories, identify opportunities and connect with employers who value the skills developed through sports. LaunchBreak has built a global network of women athletes and leaders creating impact across industries and communities. The platform is free to candidates.  

Through the collaboration, LaunchBreak’s community will gain access to expanded resources, leadership connections and career pathways while employers will benefit from increased engagement with highly driven athlete talent.

“Athletes bring natural leadership, resilience and adaptability into every environment they enter,” said John Von Stade, Chief Operating Officer of Prospect-HQ. “This partnership with LaunchBreak aligns directly with our mission of elevating communities, aligning hires and transforming lives. By connecting athletes with one another along with meaningful opportunities and strengthening the network around them, we can help create outcomes that extend well beyond sports.”

“LaunchBreak was created to ensure women athletes of all generations and career stages have access to the networks, mentorship, career and entrepreneurial resources, and industry leaders that can help propel their next chapters.” said Philippa Portnoy, and Teresa Saputo-Crerendo, Co-Founders of LaunchBreak and former Columbia University tennis teammates. “Partnering with Prospect-HQ expands that vision by introducing our community to employers and opportunities that recognize the unique value athletes bring. Together, we’re building a stronger ecosystem where women athletes can thrive.”

The agreement includes dedicated communications and content integration, collaborative events and digital experiences, networking opportunities, employer engagement initiatives, and targeted introductions between employers, senior executives and women athlete talent — all designed to increase engagement and access across both communities.

Women athletes interested in learning more or joining either platform can visit LaunchBreak.com or Prospect-HQ.com. Follow LaunchBreak: Insta, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube 

About Prospect-HQ 

Prospect-HQ, the community-centered and social digital hiring platform connecting current and former student athletes with one another and employers, is founded with six words; Elevating Cultures, Aligning Hires and Transforming Lives.  The platform’s innovative model moves beyond the transactional nature of traditional recruitment, replacing it with a transformational, human-centered approach designed to advance individuals and organizational success. It is free to all current and former student athletes and universities through support of candidate-seeking companies with interest in this roster of talent. 

About LaunchBreak

LaunchBreak is a global network of more than 2,700 women athletes, connecting current and former collegiate, professional, national and Olympic/Paralympic competitors with the people and opportunities that accelerate their next chapters. The platform connects women athletes from 700+ universities and 40+ sports. LaunchBreak provides curated networking, AI-powered connection recommendations, career and entrepreneurial programming, mentorship, and industry events. LaunchBreak also recently hosted the Women Athletes Startup Intensive to provide support for women athlete founders and make introductions to potential investors and strategic partners.

LaunchBreak was co-founded by former Columbia University tennis teammates, Philippa Portnoy and Teresa Saputo-Crerend. Philippa is a former banker and has been a long-time advocate for women and women athletes through her founding of the Columbia Athletics Women’s Leadership Council and her work as a trustee of Barnard College. Teresa is a former sports marketing executive and co-chaired the first ever Columbia University Women’s Conference and the Alumni Association’s Mentoring and Networking Committee.

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SOURCE Prospect HQ