Sports Innovation Takes Centre Stage as ThinkSport Launches Two Global Challenges 

From March to May, ThinkSport’s two innovation challenges are energising the global sports community—culminating in live finals at THE SPOT 2025.

It’s been an energising few weeks for innovation at ThinkSport. This February marked the launch of not one, but two international Sports Innovation Challenges (SIC)—a dynamic call to action for startups and scaleups shaping the future of sport.

Delivered in partnership with AquaBloom International Sports Technology Group (ABSG) and Anthropy Partners, and supported by leading industry voices, the challenges set out to uncover next-generation solutions that meet the evolving needs of athletes, coaches, organisations, and young people engaging in sport.

From AI-powered coaching tools and robotics-enabled officiating to inclusive youth engagement platforms and safer environments for young athletes, the range of submissions was impressive. We received 109 applications spanning over 30 countries.

Each entry was reviewed by a pool of experts who noted the quality, creativity, and real-world potential of the solutions. This week, our SIC Challenge Board selected the top 20 semi-finalists in each category.

• Sameer Patel, Innovation & Research Manager, FIFA
• Valerio Cianfoni, Head of Special Projects, WBSC Europe
• Gustavo Arellano, Executive Leader, FIBA
• Stéphane Schwander, Head of Digital Transformation, FEI
• Ansley O’Neal, Brand Strategy & Marketing, WFSGI
• Hannah Grossenbacher, Senior Manager, IOC

We’re grateful to the value they brought through their precious contribution and their insights within the selection process.

The 20 start-ups that will move forward to the next stage of each competition are:

AI and Robotics

Youth The Future of Play

The semi-finals will take place online in April:

• 7 April 2025: Youth – The Future of Play
• 9 April 2025: AI & Robotics, with a hybrid session hosted onsite at Cyberport in Hong Kong

The momentum continues through to 13 May 2025, when the top five finalists from each challenge will take the stage at THE SPOT at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne. With funding, expert mentorship, and global visibility on offer, this is an important opportunity for the sport ecosystem to connect with the innovators ready to shape what’s next.

We invite federations, investors, brands, and innovation enthusiasts to join us—whether online or in person—for what promises to be a defining moment in sport innovation.

Special thanks to the challenge sponsors on the AI and Robotics Challenge: