2025 Penn State Startup Week powered by PNC

Scott Shirley is a visionary leader and social entrepreneur dedicated to harnessing the power of sports for meaningful impact. As the Founder and CEO of Pledge It, he has spent nearly a decade revolutionizing fundraising by empowering athletes—both professional and everyday competitors—to raise funds for important causes through performance-based giving.

Scott’s passion for sports philanthropy is deeply personal. While playing football at Penn State University, his father was diagnosed with a rare disease. In response, he and his teammates launched the first-ever Lift For Life event. This fundraiser inspired the creation of Uplifting Athletes, a national nonprofit uniting the rare disease community through sport. Since then, he has collaborated with hundreds of professional athletes, major college teams, and national organizations like the American Cancer Society and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, driving innovative and impactful fundraising campaigns.

A recognized leader in the nonprofit and sports philanthropy sectors, Scott has received numerous awards, including Forty Under 40, Good Men of 2015, and the Alumni Achievement Award. He holds a Master’s in Civil Engineering from Penn State and an Executive Scholar designation in Nonprofit Management from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.

Scott is driven by the belief that sports can be a powerful force for good. Whether mobilizing athletes to support charitable causes or pioneering new fundraising models, he remains committed to creating lasting social change through the universal language of sport.