La Salle-URL is sponsoring the Fan XP Innovation Challenge, an evolution of the EB Tech Challenge launched by Euroleague Basketball several years ago in which start-ups present their most innovative solutions to current and future challenges, as well as attracting innovation that will improve fans' experiences.
This year, La Salle-URL will be co-sponsoring with 4YFN, the largest technological start-up conference in the world and part of the Mobile World Congress. Its goal is to help recruit and review participating start-ups, and will host the final phase of the competition to be held on 24, 25 and 26 February in Barcelona. N3xt Sports, a consulting firm specialising in tech and sports innovation, will be consulting on organisation of the event.
Start-ups have until 10 January 2020 to submit their projects online, and ten finalists will be selected and published on 22 January 2020. Candidates will be able to present their pitch at an open session at the 4YFN conference, with mentoring from Euroleague Basketball executives and recognised industry professionals, as well as networking sessions and meetings with potential investors that will allow them to validate their projects and test them in real environments.
The 2019 startups finalists
Edisn (India): is an AI computer vision platform that uses proprietary player recognition technologies to deliver enhanced fan engagement and provide additional monetization opportunities for content owners.
Stadiugraph (Italy): is a free app that enables fans to crowd-source and perform mosaic choreographies within minutes after being designed and approved by the majority of the supporters.
watafan (Spain): offers sports stars the tools to create their own digital and gamified autographs that may be distributed from mobile to mobile by reading a QR code instead of a pen, guaranteeing collectible value for their scarcity and exclusivity.
StriveCloud (Belgium): is a competitive gamification platform that attracts, connects and retains new fans by activating static customer service management (CRM) data through game mechanics and motivational psychology.
Pressenger (Hungary): helps apps interact with fans to visually communicate results and highlights; interactively share promotions, contests and quizzes; welcome fans to the arena; and send reminders about events and breaking news; among other innovations.
SeatServe (United States): is a Software as a Service (SaaS) solution that enables fans to use in-seat delivery and express pickup services at arenas, leading to an increase in revenue and customer satisfaction.
Piing (United Kingdom): is a digital platform that uses massively multiplayer games to turbo-boost fan engagement. Whole crowds join in games on a big screen, using their phones as controllers, boosting atmosphere and the fan experience.
YBVR (Spain): offers interactive and immersive content for fans to engage in at home, at the arena or on the go. No longer will fans need to be physically present at a game to experience the magic of "being there"!
Vogo (France): distributes live and replayed audio and video to spectators in arenas, transforming their game experience by providing multi-camera content on demand on tablets and smartphones, irrespective of the number of people connected.
ViciTV (United States): turns existing fan engagement investments by clubs into a global sports TV network, giving franchises the ability to control and personalize the gameday experience for out-of-market fans.
La Salle-URL, leaders in sports innovation for the third consecutive year
In 2018, Euroleague Basketball joined La Salle-URL and the La Salle Technova Innovation Park to launch the Euroleague Basketball Tech Challenge, which aimed to connect some of the most innovative start-ups in the world looking to enter the sports industry by offering solutions to current and future challenges facing sports organisations. “At La Salle Campus Barcelona-URL, we always strive to innovate. The EB Tech Challenge is a fantastic opportunity to discover new innovation and explore opportunities, and make a difference in the world of sports start-ups,” says Josep M. Santos, CEO of La Salle-URL.
The challenge has been an unqualified success, and we hope to match the figures seen in previous years. Previous winners were NFCSound (which also won Best Disruptive Solution) and Kiswe Mobile; NGAGE and Blink Identity (Special Mention); PICO GP and Snaptiviy (Best Presentation).