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The Portuguese Pedro Presa is one of the most enthusiastic people to have ever graduated from the FIFA Master. Always with a big smile in his face, a “can do” attitude and a captivating spark in his eyes – especially when talking about his start-up, mycujoo.tv, and his 11 months-old son, Joaquim –, Pedro was recently nominated Entrepreneur of the Year, chosen by the alumni who voted at the FMA Awards. They acknowledged the fast growth of the company, which in only 20 months celebrated key contracts with several stakeholders in multiple continents and raised millions of dollars in investment.

 But things didn’t happen overnight. Pedro first started working in sports even before joining the FIFA Master. “I had the chance of doing two internships at the Communications departments of the French and Spanish Professional Football Leagues. It was a great introduction to the professional football world”, he recalls. After graduation in 2009, Pedro joined the Association of European Professional Football Leagues (EPFL), where he spent nearly three years. “These were great years which allowed me to have a general overview on how approximately 30 professional football leagues where organised across the continent”.

 After that, Pedro felt the urge to do something entrepreneurial. To create something. His first endeavour was with a former classmate, Samson Adamu, in Nigeria. “We acquired a franchise from Beach Soccer Worldwide to implement the first international beach soccer tournament in West Africa. It was a great experience, and although I no longer participate in that venture, Copa Lagos is still running and after five years is one of the most important tournaments of the world tour”. Then he did a similar project with another classmate - Gonzalo Bossart - in Chile. “We acquired the rights to implement beach soccer in the country”, he explains. “It was during that time that the first drafts of mycujoo started to come together. The problems I faced at both ventures provided the inspiration to our company”.

  Nowadays the FIFA Master and the alumni continue to be of great relevance to Pedro and his company. “The masters had primary importance in shaping my career. From my time at EPFL - I worked with several almuni there - to the experiences in Chile and Nigeria, and to the current days. We actually have alumni working for us and even investing in the company”.

 Here Pedro tells us more about his business and dreams:

 FMA Quarterly: You were voted Entrepreneur of the Year in the 1st FMA Awards, in June. What does that represent to you?

 Pedro Presa: I am very honoured and thankful for receiving this award. We still have a long way to go with mycujoo, but it is rewarding to feel that the alumni recognised what we have achieved so far in mycujoo. It really meant a lot to me because the FMA is definitely a great part of this project since its start and specially in the future.  

 FMAQ: What is mycujoo, after all?

 PP: mycujoo is a multi-channel football online television network aiming to support football clubs, leagues and federations to produce, distribute and commercialise live and on-demand video content in a sustainable manner. It helps empower their businesses through their own online TV channels, which they can use to monetise their content and solidify their sponsorships.

 FMAQ: How did you come up with that idea?

PP: My twin brother and I first thought of it when my club,Boavista FC, was relegated to the 3rd division and lost all their commercial and TV deals. Being out of the main divisions, even a popular club like that did not have a platform where fans could follow their matches. Also, organising the beach soccer competitions in Chile in Nigeria, I noticed that there was a demand for a viable and inexpensive solution for many rights holders to broadcast their content.

FMAQ: What do you most enjoy about your job?

PP: Football has to be in the first place! I love the game! Secondly, I truly enjoy meeting new people from complete different backgrounds and cultures. Finally, the thrill and independence of working for my dream and the fact that I am able to work with something that I do not consider work, but passion. 

FMAQ: What are your fondest memories of the Master?

PP: From the party days of Leicester, to the amazing field visits like Old Trafford, or the amazing classes of Richard Holt where I learned things about the history of sport that I could not imagine. It is hard to select favourite moments, although I will cherish our graduation as one of the most emotional moments ever where the culmination of a year of experiences ended in an epic ceremony and party.

SHORT PROFILE

Pedro Presa Fernandes, Portuguese

Co-Founder and CEO of mycujoo.tv  

Married to: Flavia Sant’Anna and father of Joaquim, 11 months-old

Favourite sport: Soccer

Favourite team: Boavista FC

Favourite sport’s personality: Roger Federer

Favourite sport’s moment: Portugal winning the UEFA EURO this year in France.