• The most innovative companies can receive an investment of up to €700,000 jointly or up to €350,000 individually. • Startups innovating in areas such as the metaverse, smart stadiums, data analytics, eSports, streaming, and home fitness, among others, are sought. • Wayra will offer a physical space at its Gran Vía (Madrid) facilities and will support startups in developing business with Telefónica. • Startups can present their projects on the Wayra and SportBoost websites until April 20th, the closing date. Call for applications.
SportBoost, the sports-related startup accelerator founded by Iker Casillas, and Wayra, Telefónica's open innovation initiative, announced this morning a collaboration agreement to jointly invest in and promote the best sports-tech startups.
At an event held at Wayra's headquarters in Madrid, Iker Casillas, SportBoost Founding Partner, presented, along with Chema Alonso, Chief Digital Officer of Telefónica, the first call for applications to find the most innovative sports-tech companies internationally. SportBoost and Wayra will invest up to €700,000 jointly in the selected startups, or up to €350,000 individually. In addition to the financial investment and Iker Casillas' active participation in the events organized, SportBoost will provide the startups with access to a broad network of mentors comprised of renowned professionals from the world of sports. src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/699307f3b980dbeab33c5dc2/699307f3b980dbeab33c62c2_6226199ff90b2f3e725b55c9_WAYRA_220307-7_OK.jpeg" width="auto" height="auto" alt="" loading="auto" id="">
Wayra will also provide startups with physical space at its facilities on Gran Vía in Madrid and will support them in developing their business with Telefónica's various business units.
Telefónica's open innovation initiative will also organize talks and meetings, both in person and online, to foster networking among startups and facilitate their business development, giving them access to opportunities.
to Wayra's investment ecosystem.
For its part, SportBoost will support startups in their business development by facilitating access to the entire ecosystem within the world of sports, contributing to their positioning and connecting them with different investors, sports entities, clubs, institutions, etc.
In this first call, startups that are innovating in areas such as the metaverse, data analytics, fan engagement, eSports, streaming, connectivity or home fitness, among others. Startups can submit their projects on the Wayra and Sportboost websites until April 20th, the closing date for submissions.
The event began with a welcome from Irene Gómez (Director of Open Innovation at Telefónica), who then moderated the discussion between Iker Casillas and Chema Alonso.
Casillas emphasized that “for a newly launched accelerator like SportBoost, working with Wayra is a privilege and represents a giant leap forward. Thanks to this collaboration, we will be able to find, identify, and support the best startups in the entrepreneurial ecosystem within the world of sports. Fortunately, in Spain, there are many young entrepreneurs with great projects who need a boost. Well, between Wayra and SportBoost, we are going to give it to them.”
For his part, Chema, He commented: “Telefónica already has a long track record of investing in sports-tech startups and several initiatives in the field of sports analytics to improve the performance of athletes, such as all the data-based work being done with the Movistar Team,” says Chema Alonso, Chief Digital Officer of Telefónica. “The collaboration with SportBoost will help us drive new projects in a sector characterized by constant technological disruption, helping not only professional athletes improve their performance and break new records, but also all fans in general to improve their well-being and enjoy sport in multiple ways.”
The presentation event also included a round table discussion moderated by Paloma Castellano, director of Wayra Madrid, which focused on how technology is transforming the sports industry. Participants included Andrés Saborido, global director of Wayra; Manuel Marina, CEO of Idoven; Minerva Santana, director of innovation at La Liga; and David Hernando, Head of Strategy at Sportboost.
About Wayra
Wayra is the entrepreneurship initiative that is part of the Open Innovation program of Telefónica, the world's most global, technologically advanced, and connected company, boasts seven Wayra Hubs—spaces in nine Latin American and European countries through which it invests in and supports startups. Wayra X is a digital hub for investing in 100% digital startups. Wayra Builder is a corporate venture builder that collaborates with other investors to create innovative startups born from Telefónica's internal technology projects. Wayra Next Trend offers a platform for digital innovation, showcasing trends and groundbreaking applications. Furthermore, through its Wayra Activation Programme, Telefónica provides entrepreneurs with exclusive and free access to new technologies via its proprietary platforms. More than 500 of the startups in which we have invested are part of Telefónica's Open Innovation program, and more than 130 are doing business with the company.
More information available at www.wayra.com.
About SportBoost
SportBoost is the international accelerator for the world of sports. It supports, accelerates, and invests in startups with a direct link to sports and technology, aiming to transform them into leading companies in their sectors. It provides them with access to the sports ecosystem, supports their development as companies, and attracts the necessary investment for their growth. It also supports corporations in their innovation and digitalization efforts as part of the innovation process. LaLiga, main partner, and ESIC Business & Marketing Marketing School, an academic partner in entrepreneurship, is supporting SportBoost in the search for and support of leading startups in the Sports-Tech sector. More information is available at www.sportboost.es