Sport Tech Hub starts latest search for new start-ups tackling inactivity

London Sport’s technology incubator programme, Sport Tech Hub, has begun its latest search for the next generation of tech start-ups seeking to shape the future of London by tackling inactivity levels across the capital.

The Sport Tech Hub is a 24-week programme designed by industry experts that looks to accelerate the 12 most promising physical activity innovations in London.

Originally announced in late-2016, the programme now boasts two graduate cohorts comprising some of the most exciting disruptive and emerging technologies for physical activity and sport.

The third Sport Tech Hub cohort will focus around four main areas: children, young people and families; active ageing, social prescribing and managing health conditions; active urban living; and re-imagining physical activity.

The programme includes workshops, structured mentor relations, events and access to London Sport’s expertise to help create the solutions that will have a positive impact on inactive Londoners.

Members of the third cohort will also receive support from Sport Tech Hub partners: PwC, Loughborough University London, Fieldfisher, the Mayor of London, ukactive, Sport England and the Open Active initiative.

The programme’s previous cohort saw RunFriendly, an Airbnb-style app for showers, run pilots with more than 60 facilities in eight London boroughs and saw 400+ sign-ups as a result while virtual playground app Street Tag gained more than 1,000 new users whilst with the Sport Tech Hub.

The Sport Tech Hub is a key part of Making London the Heart of the Sport Tech World – the strategic plan of action for technology in London published by London Sport in November 2017.

And there has already been positive steps on that journey with the first ever London SportTech Report confirming the city as the capital of European SportTech.

Matt Willcocks, Founder and CEO of Deuce Tennis, one of the companies which formed part of the second cohort of Sport Tech Hub said:

“The experience of being part of Sport Tech Hub was invaluable for growing our business. Weekly, day-long workshops provided clear “101” knowledge in each of the key areas of setting up a business.

“The ethos behind the hub encouraged all of the members of our cohort to truly, consistently and effectively collaborate. We were continually reminded: it’s going to be the ability to build mutually beneficial partnerships that is going to determine the success of each of our start-ups.”

London Sport’s CEO Tove Okunniwa said:

“We’re committed to the continued success of Sport Tech Hub due to its ability to unearth the innovators, creators and tech experts who will help shape the future of London as it seeks to become a more active and healthier place.

“Technology has such an important role to play in helping to make London the most active city in the world and I can’t wait to see what bright ideas are brought to the Sport Tech Hub for cohort three.”

Sport Tech Hub is accepting written applications to join the third cohort of the programme until 7 July.

Successful applicants will be adaptable and must have an impactful and scalable tech-based product (hardware or software) that has been launched or planning to be launched by the end of 2019.

For more information, download the Application Pack here.