Synthesising Futures – A Hands-On Exploration of What’s Next

Shaping the Future of Sport Together

How did we prepare for a future we couldn’t predict? How could sport organisations stay ahead of disruption, anticipate change, and turn uncertainty into opportunity?

On 20 March 2025, ThinkSport successfully hosted a new edition of its Spotlight Event Series, bringing together forward-thinking professionals for an exclusive session on Synthesising Futures. Held at UNIL Lausanne – Synathlon, the event offered a unique platform for exchange, inspiration, and collaboration at the intersection of sport, innovation, and foresight.

Participants were guided by Cecilia Tham, award-winning applied futurist and Founder & CEO of Futurity Systems, who shared powerful methodologies to help organisations imagine, design, and build better futures—faster and together.

Exploring the Future of Sport and Events

Drawing on her expertise in entrepreneurship, technology, science, and design, Cecilia Tham highlighted the key trends reshaping the future of sport and events. Through insights from her work at Futurity Systems and her PhD research on Algorithmic Futuring at the Illinois Institute of Technology, she demonstrated how strategic foresight, scenario planning, and backcasting can empower organisations to navigate complexity, embrace uncertainty, and drive long-term impact.

A standout moment of the session was the Synthesize “SEEDS” Workshop, an immersive and hands-on experience where participants applied futuring tools to real-world challenges. Together, they explored how federations and event organisers can adapt to emerging technologies, evolving audience expectations, and shifting global dynamics. The interactive format equipped attendees with actionable strategies to strengthen innovation, resilience, and proactive decision-making across the sports ecosystem.