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Project B is a new global basketball league, initially launching a women's division. It features six teams playing a five-on-five tournament format across seven two-week events in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. This circuit seeks to showcase elite talent and engage international fans, with its inaugural season scheduled from November 2026 to April 2027.
Founded in 2023 by Grady Burnett, an executive with prior experience at Facebook and Google, and Geoff Prentice, a Skype co-founder, Project B emerged from an insight to build a player-centric global platform. They offer significant financial incentives and equity to attract top athletes, applying their technology backgrounds to innovate sports management. Alana Beard serves as Chief Basketball Officer.
Project B targets elite female basketball players with salaries exceeding one million dollars and league equity, positioning athletes as core partners. Its vision is to become the premier global destination for professional basketball. The company aims to redefine international sports through strong player value and expansive worldwide reach, with future men's league expansion considered.
Project B has raised $4.0M across 1 funding round.
Project B has raised $4.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Project B has raised $4.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Project B's investors include Elkstone.
Project B has raised $4.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $4.0M Seed in February 2025.
# Project B: A Tale of Two Companies
The search results reveal a critical ambiguity: "Project B" refers to at least two distinct entities with no apparent connection. To provide accurate analysis, I must address both interpretations, as the query lacks sufficient specificity to determine which is intended.
Project B is a Munich-based payroll software company that develops AI-powered tools designed specifically for payroll professionals, tax advisors, and payroll bureaus.[1][5] Rather than attempting to automate payroll entirely, the company focuses on reducing manual work while preserving user control—a philosophy captured in their tagline: "By payroll professionals for payroll professionals."[1] The product addresses a genuine pain point in the German payroll ecosystem, where regulatory complexity and high professional standards make generic solutions inadequate.[5]
Project B emerged from direct collaboration between its Munich-based team and payroll professionals over a two-year development period.[1] The founders drew on dual expertise: hands-on experience running a payroll office combined with software development credentials (ITSG-certified systems).[1] This embedded approach—building alongside users rather than for them—distinguishes the company's origin from typical software startups that begin with a founder's abstract vision.
Project B represents a growing trend of vertical SaaS solutions targeting professional services—software that enhances rather than displaces expertise. As automation anxiety rises across white-collar work, this model (augmentation over replacement) resonates with regulated industries where human judgment remains essential. The company taps into the broader shift toward AI-assisted workflows in enterprise software.
Project B occupies a defensible niche in a complex, high-regulation market. Success depends on deepening integration with German payroll workflows and potentially expanding to other European jurisdictions with similarly intricate systems. The company's restraint—refusing to oversell automation—may prove its greatest asset in an industry where trust and accuracy are non-negotiable.
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Project B is an ambitious venture to launch a global women's basketball league structured around destination-based tournaments spanning continents.[3] Co-founded by venture capitalists Grady Burnett (former Google and Facebook executive) and Geoff Prentice (former Skype co-founder), the league represents a tech-first approach to sports, with streaming infrastructure as a core strategic pillar rather than an afterthought.[3][4] The venture has reportedly pursued $5 billion in funding, though sources remain undisclosed.[3]
The concept emerged from a dinner conversation between University of Michigan roommates Grady Burnett and Geoff Prentice, who leveraged their tech industry credentials to attract capital.[3] The project later brought on Alana (surname not provided in sources), though decision-making authority remains concentrated with the co-founders.[3] Initial reports linked LeBron James' business partner Maverick Carter to the project, though the venture's strategic direction has since shifted toward emphasizing the women's league component.[3]
Project B exemplifies the intersection of tech capital and sports disruption—a pattern where successful software entrepreneurs attempt to reimagine legacy industries. The emphasis on streaming and content creation reflects broader trends in sports consumption, particularly among younger audiences. However, the venture's opacity regarding funding sources and strategic direction raises questions about governance and long-term sustainability.
Project B's success hinges on execution in an extraordinarily capital-intensive industry. While the tech-first streaming model addresses real shifts in sports consumption, the venture faces entrenched competition from established leagues and media infrastructure. The concentration of decision-making among co-founders, combined with limited public transparency, presents both a speed advantage and a governance risk.
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To provide more targeted analysis, please specify which Project B you're interested in: the payroll software company or the women's basketball league venture. The two operate in entirely different markets with distinct value propositions, competitive dynamics, and investment theses.
