Innovation

On-going challenges for Students:

If you are an academic institution interested in participating, click here:

DATA-HACK – ISU 2025 Gen-Next – FIBA 2025

Each Challenge runs from September 2025 to December 2025

Innovation

At ThinkSport, we believe that innovation is the driving force behind the future of sport. By bringing together diverse expertise, bold ideas, and forward-thinking organisations, we create opportunities to challenge the status quo and develop solutions that shape the industry.

From fostering collaboration through open innovation to tackling real-world challenges, our initiatives push boundaries and drive meaningful progress. Explore our innovation DNA and ongoing challenges to see how we are making an impact.

Innovation DNA

At ThinkSport, we are dedicated to fostering innovation in sport by connecting organisations, identifying needs, sourcing solutions, and enabling real-world testing. Our role is to bridge challenges with opportunities, helping stakeholders navigate the evolving landscape of sport and innovation.

Our Three-Step Approach

Identifying Needs

We help organisations identify their needs. Thanks to a deep understanding of the sport ecosystem, we assist in creating synergies between organisations, enabling them to share challenges and define priorities across the industry.

Sourcing Solutions

We collaborate with innovation agencies, accelerators, incubators, and venture capitalists worldwide to identify high-value, scalable solutions that address industry needs and have the potential to transform into marketable products or services.

Prototyping & Testing

We provide startups and businesses with a fertile ground for testing and prototyping their ideas. By offering access to industry networks, real-world validation, and investment opportunities, we help refine concepts before full-scale implementation, ensuring innovation is both impactful and commercially viable.

ThinkSport is more than just a platform—it’s a catalyst for innovation in sport. Whether you are an entrepreneur, a business, or an organisation looking for solutions, we provide the connections, expertise, and opportunities to bring ideas to life.

Sport Innovation Challenge Board Members

Spotlights

A Spotlight is an interactive workshop designed to bring together industry leaders, spark meaningful discussions, and drive collaborative innovation in sport. Supported by industry-leading partners, these sessions tackle key challenges, validate the need for new approaches, and provide actionable insights to shape the future of the industry. Held five times a year, Spotlight ensures ongoing engagement and progress, keeping the conversation – and innovation – moving forward.

Upcoming Workshops

  • September 2025: Practical Solutions for Innovation in Major Sports Events with N3XT Sports

Past Workshops

  • 20th of March 2025: Practical Solution for Designing the Future: Harnessing Technology, Science, and Innovation for Tomorrow with Futurity Systems
  • 30th of January 2025: Practical Solution for Unlocking AI’s Potential in Sport with SWORD
  • 20th of September 2024: Designing the Social Infrastructure of Community with POPULOUS
  • 20th of June 2024: Collaborative Innovation in Sport: Spotlight on the Vaud Ecosystem with INNOVAUD

Get in touch

ThinkSport Innovation Lab

The ThinkSport Innovation Lab is a dynamic platform dedicated to driving innovation in sport through sport-targeted challenges for startups, scale-ups, and students. Organised in collaboration with key partners, the Lab brings together emerging businesses and academic talent to develop cutting-edge solutions.

Each challenge runs over several months, providing participants with expert mentorship, networking opportunities, and real-world validation to refine their innovations. With industry recognition and prizes at stake, the Lab serves as a launchpad for solutions that have the potential to transform the future of sport.

Gen-next Challenge – For Students

Designed to engage the next generation of innovators, this challenge invites students to tackle a real-world problem presented by a key player in the sports ecosystem. Working in teams, students develop innovative concepts over the course of the challenge, with mentorship and industry insights guiding their journey. The competition culminates in a final event at the end of the year, where teams present their solutions to stakeholders, inspiring the broader sports community.

On-going challenges:

If you are an academic institution interested in participating, click here:

GEN-NEXT FIBA 2025

Each Challenge runs from September 2025 to December 2025

Data-Hack Challenge – For Students

The Sport Innovation Challenge (SIC) are annual challenge organized by ThinkSport where participants find innovative solutions to solve current and future issues for the sport industry.

Data-Hack is for tech universities that compete through their students teams against other universities.

This year it addresses challenges from the International Skating Union ISU, is co-organized by scoreTec, sponsored by Swiss University Sports and Alibaba Cloud.

On-going challenges:

If you are a tech academic institution interested in participating, click here:

DATA-HACK ISU 2025

Each Challenge runs from September 2025 to December 2025

Legacy Projects

This section is dedicated to our Legacy Projects.