DivineDrive Aims to be the 'iPhone of Sports Drinks'
On many afternoons, Ty Thompson juggled a sports drink, a protein shake, and a coffee as he headed to Georgia Tech’s locker room. The ritual was as exhausting as practice itself: chugging electrolytes, caffeine, and protein separately just to stay game ready. Thompson, a former Yellow Jackets football player and finance major, felt there had to be a better way. That locker-room frustration planted the seed for DivineDrive™, a sports drink company he’s now building with longtime friend and collaborator Sydney Brown. Brown, a fourth-year biomedical engineering student who noticed the same gap in the market, jumped at the chance to help formulate a solution. Together, they envisioned a single beverage that could do it all: hydrate, energize, and help muscles recover in one go.
Before DivineDrive had a name, it started as a set of chaotic homemade blends. “I’d be mixing pre-workout, a sports drink, protein powder, whatever I had, just to hit everything I needed before practice,” Thompson recalls. It wasn’t long before his concoctions attracted attention from teammates, who started asking for their own. “I ended up helping a lot of teammates out, but it got expensive and time-consuming fast.” That experience, equal parts experimental and unsustainable, pushed Thompson to consider whether a better solution could exist.
From Locker Room Epiphany to Startup Plan
After floating the idea among friends, Thompson received a pivotal nudge: apply to Georgia Tech’s CREATE-X startup accelerator. In spring 2024, he did just that, roping in Brown as a co-founder. The duo spent that first incubator experience turning Thompson’s locker-room concoction into a real prototype while learning the ropes of entrepreneurship. “It was a crash course in everything from product formulation to dealing with taxes,” Thompson says, recalling how they navigated the basics of starting a business in that initial cohort. By March 2025, their concept had gained enough traction to enter Tech’s InVenture Prize competition, where DivineDrive made the finals and even snagged the People’s Choice award. That early validation told Thompson and Brown they were onto something. Their next step should be an even bigger push.
Second Time’s the Charm
Instead of rushing straight to market, the co-founders doubled down on mentorship. In summer 2025, they returned for a second tour of duty in CREATE-X, this time with a sharper focus on market strategy. “You never cross the same river twice,” Thompson said, emphasizing how their sophomore stint in the accelerator was a whole new experience. With the product prototype in hand, they concentrated on refining DivineDrive’s branding, honing their pitch, and researching the sports nutrition market in depth. The repeat experience allowed them to fix early mistakes and approach challenges with fresh perspective.
Concurrently, Thompson and Brown earned a spot in Georgia’s new Technology and Innovation Learning Experience (TILE) program, a state-sponsored entrepreneurship initiative. Running in parallel with CREATE-X, TILE provided a small grant along with intensive workshops, AI certification, and PR training. By tapping into Atlanta’s broader startup ecosystem, the duo gained insights beyond campus and expanded their network of mentors. The extra support from TILE, combined with lessons from CREATE-X, gave DivineDrive a strong springboard as the team moved from prototype toward a full-fledged product launch.
A Drink That Does It All
Thompson likes to frame their ambition in a single question: “Can we be the iPhone of consumer-packaged goods?” he muses. Just as the iPhone combined a phone, camera, and MP3 player in one device, DivineDrive aims to fuse multiple benefits in one bottle. At its core, DivineDrive is pitched as a “3-in-1” performance drink bundling clean caffeine for energy, electrolytes for hydration, and protein for recovery. In other words, it’s designed to replace the pre-game coffee, the mid-game sports drink, and the post-game protein shake with a single solution.
DivineDrive’s formula stands out for a few reasons:
Energy support from clean caffeine
Complete electrolyte
Amino acid and B-vitamins for recovery
Low sugar
“Our goal isn’t just a stimulant; it’s a simple and synergistic daily routine that supports energy, hydration, and recovery, made to be used consistently,” says Brown.
In short, Thompson and Brown are formulating DivineDrive to be a comprehensive all-in-one sports beverage. They tout its cocktail of vitamins and amino acids as a key advantage that traditional sports drinks often lack. And despite cramming in so much, they’re mindful of keeping the flavor enjoyable because no amount of science matters if athletes won’t drink it.
We built DivineDrive™ to replace clutter with clarity. One disciplined ritual, every day. We’re excited to get it into the hands of people who train the way they live, on purpose.
Looking Ahead
As of late 2025, DivineDrive remains in pre-launch mode. The co-founders are finalizing manufacturing details and packaging design, all while strategizing how to get their product into people’s hands. Rather than splurging on flashy ads or celebrity endorsements out of the gate, they’re opting for a grassroots marketing playbook. Thompson and Brown have been leveraging personal networks, campus connections, and grassroots community seeding to build buzz. Think small-scale product tastings with Georgia Tech athletes, word-of-mouth recommendations among gym buddies, and an Instagram presence that feels more like a community than a commercial. By seeding excitement through authentic channels, they aim to cultivate a loyal following before the first bottle even hits the shelves.