Southampton Launches Tech Start Up Competition
Premier League football club Southampton FC, London-based sports investment firm Sport Republic and gaming, and fintech and blockchain business Yolo Group have come together to launch The Future of Football challenge.
The competition aims to ‘find and support the next innovative sports tech startup’ by giving them the chance to win a £100,000 prize and a partnership with the Saints.
The Future of Football challenge will be open to companies ready to test their solutions for updated football experiences in either the football development or fan engagement space.
Selected teams will test and pilot their solutions, participate in tailored workshops, and have regular and direct access to Southampton FC, Sport Republic and Yolo Group decision-makers.
The finale will take place at Southampton FC’s 32,00-capacity St. Mary’s stadium, where the commercial relationship with the club, and a £100,000 discretionary prize pool for post-programme solution development, will be awarded.
Sarah Batters, Director of Marketing and Partnerships as Southampton FC, said, “Southampton FC’s commitment to innovating and creating a positive impact is central to the way we operate and make decisions. We’re excited to see programme participants create the future of football.”
Sport Republic, sports and entertainment investment firm in the industry backing the competion, are the majority shareholders of the south-coast football club.
Henrik Kraft, Sport Republic and Southampton FC Chairman, added, “Sport Republic are really looking forward to being part of the Future of Football challenge to power innovation in sports tech. We are continuously seeking the most innovative sport tech companies to join our portfolio and leveraging our clubs to drive growth and digital transformation.”
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