Lausanne, Switzerland – September 20, 2025 – The Sport Innovation Challenge (SIC) Gen-next officially tipped off on Saturday with an inspiring half-day programme. Some 70 participants joined both in person and online, setting the stage for months of collaboration, ideation, and innovation.
The kick-off brought together participants for an engaging blend of speeches, networking, and team-building games designed to spark creativity and cross-disciplinary exchange.
A Strong Start
The event opened with breakfast and informal networking before Zina Singer, Chief of Innovation at ThinkSport, welcomed participants and partners. She set the tone by outlining the objectives of the Gen-next Challenge and recognising the support of Swiss University Sports (SUS) and FIBA, the event’s key partners.
The morning then featured a series of addresses:
- FIBA, as sport partner, spoke about basketball’s role as both an inspiration and a laboratory for innovation, followed by an interactive Q&A.
- Cyril Bouquet, Professor at IMD, delivered a keynote on innovation in the business world, encouraging participants to think boldly.
- Rising basketball player Koi Love shared her support via a video message
Diving Into the Challenge
A practical “deep dive” followed, with a walkthrough of the Agorize platform and an overview of the challenge’s timeline, upcoming online workshops, and mentoring opportunities. This gave participants a clear roadmap as they prepare to develop solutions with their teams over the coming weeks.
Building Teams, Building Momentum
After a networking lunch, the energy shifted to the “Full-Court Press Challenge”, a dynamic team-building game that combined creativity, problem-solving, and basketball-inspired mini challenges. From mascot dunks to strategy boards and brain buzzers, participants had to collaborate quickly and think on their feet. The session concluded with the announcement of the day’s “champion” group.
Looking Ahead
The event wrapped up with informal drinks, giving participants, sponsors, mentors, and partners the chance to connect in a relaxed setting.
The Gen-next Challenge will now continue online, with teams working on their ideas under the guidance of mentors, before reconvening later this year to showcase their solutions.
“This is more than just a competition,” said Ms Singer. “It’s a platform for the next generation to experiment, to challenge assumptions, and to imagine what sport could look like in the future.”
With strong momentum from its kick-off, the Gen-next Challenge 2025 promises to be a showcase of fresh thinking and collaborative energy in sport innovation.
