THE SPOT kicks off with announcement of supporters for new Sport Innovation Hub

The new Sport Innovation Hub, which was soft launched in Lausanne earlier this year, will be officially supported by Eurovision Sport, Nagra Kudelski, SwissTiming and UEFA. The announcement was made today by Philippe Leuba, State Councillor and Head of the Department of Economy, Innovation and Sport (DEIS) of the Canton of Vaud, during the opening of THE SPOT. The second edition of this international sport and innovation event takes place on 28 and 29 May 2019 at the SwissTech Convention Center in Lausanne. 

“It is great news to have such important industry leaders on board,” said Philippe Leuba. He explained: “This hub will provide incubation and accelerator programmes for start-ups. It will also serve as think tank for our sport and innovation community. It will foster collaboration, facilitate the initiation of new projects and offer educational programmes where needed.”

François Bussy, vice rector for research and international relations at the University of Lausanne (UNIL) said: “UNIL, EPFL and the many other academic institutions in our region generate a considerable number of start-ups as spin-offs. Many of them will be part of the Sport Innovation Hub, they will feed it and help to make it evolve.”

The aim of the new Hub is to complement THE SPOT by offering a permanent, strong platform for sport and innovation in the region. It has been jointly created by the Canton of Vaud, the City of Lausanne, ThinkSport, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), UNIL and the Smart Move academic network. 

During the last months, the Sport Innovation Hub was soft launched by initiating original programmes with start-ups, including the UEFA Start-Up Challenge. The new building “Synathlon” on the campus of the Lausanne University, in the heart of the region’s rich ecosystem, has served as location for these activities.

About THE SPOT
THE SPOT is organised jointly by ThinkSport, the Swiss Tech Convention Center, EPFL, UNIL and the Canton of Vaud and is anything but conventional:

• A conference in untraditional format connects delegates with pioneers in innovation and generates unique conversations.
• At the Marketplace and the Demo Zone, participants present and discover new products and solutions at stands that change every day.
• A two-day start-up battle sees dozens of young companies go toe-to-toe, with eager investors looking on.
• Countless networking opportunities, including fun, social events, make THE SPOT a place where new cross-sector partnerships and projects are born.

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