THE SPOT: Prestige, financial support on the line in Start-up Battle

PRESS RELEASE: 14 May 2018

Among the many out-of-the-box experiences planned for THE SPOT, a pioneering new event that aims to galvanise innovation in sport, one in particular promises to get the adrenaline pumping: The Start-up Battle.

Forty start-ups specialising in blockchain, virtual reality, data analytics, connected venue, performance & health and other fields have thrown their hats into the ring for a chance to be crowned champion and walk away with CHF 5,000 and newfound fame and prestige.

THE SPOT will take place on 15 and 16 May at the SwissTech Convention Center, located on the EPFL Campus in Lausanne, Switzerland. 

The Start-up Battle begins Tuesday at 10 a.m. with four groups of 10 companies competing in separate preliminary rounds. The winners of each preliminary round will be awarded CHF 1,000 and a place in the final, with a further CHF 4,000 going to the overall winner.

The jury members for each round will be made up of experts from the academic, business and sports world. Each start-up will be given three minutes to make their pitches, followed by Q&A sessions with the jury.

At the end of the final round, the audience will be given the opportunity to vote by phone for its favourite start-up. 

Other prizes up for grabs include the “Quantified Athlete Prize” from Swiss Timing and the “Swiss Coup de Cœur” offered by the extended organising committee to the most promising Swiss start-up at the competition. The winner of the Quantified Athlete Prize will be given the opportunity to work with and receive financial support from Swiss Timing on a communal project. The value of the Swiss Coup de Cœur is CHF 2,000.

More information on the Start-Up Battle and all the competitors can be found here: https://www.thinksport.org/en/pages/start-up-battle-7275

The sold-out event will welcome 700 delegates over both days. In addition to the Start-up Battle, participants at THE SPOT will also have the opportunity to:

• Test their skills at the Demo Zone, where they can simulate the experience of a Formula-1 driver or bobsledder, pilot a drone, become an eSport athlete and experience virtual reality technology at its best!
• Be wowed by the cutting-edge technologies and innovative thinking of visionary companies, start-ups and academics in the Market Place. Discover new solutions in fields like data analytics, digital broadcasting, equipment and wearables, materials designs, nutrition, and more.
• Meet Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, Swiss eSport champion Michael Journot and Logitech’s Head of Sport and Human Performance Andy Walshe. And those are just a few of the many fascinating speakers ThinkSport has lined up for the conference and talk back sessions.
• Share best practices or simply small talk with a wide range of experts from various fields related to sport and innovation, either through pre-scheduled meetings via the Delegate App or in the dedicated lounge areas.
• Discover Gotham, Lausanne’s biggest co-working space that is populated by creative minds, at an exclusive networking event for all delegates on the first evening.

THE SPOT will be anything but your run-of-the-mill convention. The SwissTech Convention Center will be transformed into an open space with a dynamic atmosphere, where participants will be exposed to a wide range of content and experiences all happening at the same time. In a modern and industrial setting, delegates will be able to draw inspiration from many innovative people, ideas, products and best practices. 

For more information, check out www.thespot2018.org.