ANDORRA SPORTS STARTUPS CHALLENGE IS BACK! ANDORRA RESEARCH + INNOVATION, ANDORRA BUSINESS AND GSIC POWERED BY MICROSOFT LAUNCH THE SECOND EDITION
The aim of the challenge is to look for innovative solutions that improve the user’s experienc...
Largest Open Innovation Initiative for
Winter Sports, Mountain Sports and Cycling
Andorra Business and Andorra Research + Innovation (Andorra), in partnership with Global Sport Innovation Center (GSIC) and with the support of SPSG Consulting (SPSG) are launching the first edition of the Andorra Sports Scale-Up Program, to select three of the best sport-tech companies in Andorra and across the world, and help them in their internationalization process.
CALL will open in
Areas of Competition
The call aims to identify the most promising technological solutions that can help improve the user’s experience and loyalty to de-seasonalize sports and tourist offer in Andorra. In this sense, participants will submit projects that operate in the following use cases:
Improvement of safety and accessibility for cyclists’ routes
Improvement of sustainability and social impact in sports events organized in the country
Improvement of fan and consumer engagement and experience with NFTs, fan tokens and metaverse for sports events organized in the country (before, during and after the event)
Improvement of educational methods through gamification platforms
Compilation, visualization, and analysis of data in order to create a 360º profile of the users and tourists visiting Andorra
Prizes
We will select 1 winner and 2 special mentions. The winner will receive the following prizes:
Additionally, the winner and the two startups with special mentions will receive:
Learn about the FIRST edition of Andorra Sports Startups CHALLENGE
In 2021, the GSIC and Actua, organized the first edition of the competition focused on innovation in winter & mountain sports and cycling.
As a result, 64 startups from 18 different countries submitted their candidacy for this competition aimed for entrepreneurs who can contribute with their technological innovation improve the user’s experience and loyalty to de-seasonalize the sports and tourist offer in Andorra.
After a thorough screening process, GSIC and Actua experts made a selection of top-10 startups that come from 8 different countries (Switzerland, Argentina, Spain, USA, United Kingdom, France, Denmark and China) and offer a wide range of solutions in different fields, with a strong focus on Phygital Experiences, Wearables, Data Analytics, Hospitality Services, Sponsorship Activation, Fan Segmentation and Digital Infrastructure.
These startups had the opportunity to pitch their solutions to the industry’s most relevant leaders and the jury, composed by leading professionals from across the global sports industry, decided the 1 winner and 2 special mentions of the competition:Snow 51 (China) – Winner, MoonBikes (France) – Special mention, Xeerpa (Spain) – Special mention.
Winners OF THE FIRST EDITION
TESTIMONIALS
"Having participated in the Andorra Startup
Competition provided Xeerpa with many benefits, among which I highlight the
exposure within the GSIC ecosystem powered by Microsoft as well as within the
Andorra ecosystem, as well as the different learning and relationships we
established in the process"
Andres Mercader
Co-founder at Xeerpa
“Winning
the first GSIC Andorra Startup Competition last year was a fabulous experience
for our Snow51 team, and we were extremely proud and thankful to receive
this award from the Minister himself. Especially the trip to Andorra gave
us great insides into this attractive sport destination; the meetings with the
GSIC team and the Andorra officials as well as the exchange with participating
startup companies have been extremely inspiring. I can encourage all ambitious
startup companies to participate in the second edition: no matter the final
result, you will definitely be benefiting from this professional and
motivating environment.”
Hermann Winkler
Founder at snow 51
Andorra Sports Innovation Summit
Andorra Business, Andorra Research + Innovation and the Global Sports Innovation Center powered by Microsoft (GSIC), with the support of SPSG Consulting, presentes on October 18 the Andorra Sports Innovation Summit, an event on sport and innovation to be held in Andorra.
The event, which is part of a global agreement between GSIC and Andorra to position the country as an international benchmark in the sports and innovation industry, will include representatives of international entities in the sector such as Microsoft, the International Ski Federation, La Vuelta Ciclista, or Ironman, as well as local players such as the ski resorts of Grandvalira, Naturland and Vallnord and sport retail companies such as Amer Sports, Commençal or Snowfactory.
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Discover Casa de la Muntanya
The Casa de la Muntanya is a space designed to provide information, promote and advertise activities and events which take place in the mountains.
An information centre that facilitates collaboration between private companies, the public administration and various research and innovation organisations, with mountain and sustainability-related elements. A Mountain Living Lab that helps to develop and implement initiatives, such as new snow management measuring and monitoring systems, in partnership with research centres, including the CENMA (Catalan acronym for the Snow and Mountain Studies Centre).
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Contact Us For More Info
FAQ
1.- What is Andorra Business and Andorra Recerca +Innovació?
Andorra Business is Andorra’s economic promotion and development agency. Promoting key sectors for the diversification of the economy, attracting and accompanying foreign and local investment, supporting Andorran companies to become more competitive, and facilitating the landing of new companies in the country, are some of its priorities.
More information: Andorra Business – Invest in Andorra
Andorra Recerca + Innovació is the agency in charge of developing and promoting R&D&I in Andorra in strategic sectors such as Mountain and Sports, among others.
More information: Andorra Recerca + Innovació (ari.ad)
2.- What is the GSIC?
The Global Sports Innovation Center powered by Microsoft (GSIC) is a business cluster powered by Microsoft Sport Team that gathers all kind of sports entities (clubs, federation, associations), institutions, tech-companies from start-ups to enterprises, research organizations, investors and key figures of sport industry to improve its value chain. With headquarters based in Madrid, GSIC supported more than 340 companies such as sport entities, tech companies, startups, institutions, etc., in 40 countries around the world.
Read more at: http://sport-gsic.com
3.- What is the Andorra Sports Startup Challenge II?
Andorra Business and Andorra Recerca + Innovació (ANDORRA) in partnership with Global Sport Innovation Centre (GSIC) and with the support of SPSG Consulting (SPSG) are launching the second edition of the Andorra Sports Startup Challenge to locate the best sport-tech projects across the world that can position Andorra as a leading country in technological innovation in winter & mountain sports and cycling.
4.- Which are the areas of the competition?
The call aims to identify the most offering innovative solutions in the following areas:
- Improvement of safety and accessibility for cyclists’ routes
- Improvement of sustainability and social impact in sports events organized in the country
- Improvement of fan and consumer engagement and experience with NFTs, fan tokens and metaverse for sports events organized in the country (before, during and after the event)
- Improvement of educational methods through gamification platforms
- Compilation, visualization, and analysis of data in order to create a 360º profile of the users and tourists visiting Andorra
5.- How can I participate in the call?
To apply, complete this online FORM
6.- How much does it cost?
Applying for this call is completely free.
7.- I can only participate if I have a sports solution?
Startups and companies with solutions in other markets are welcome if they can be applied to solve the challenge above.
8.- What are the requirements to participate?
- Be a startup or a company in Expansion Stage and looking for a Series B round.
- Have a dedicated full-time team of at least 3 individuals.
- Have market-tested product and potential to implement internationally.
- Have traction with at least 5 customers
- The individual promoter / representative of the startup must be of legal age and must have the legal capacity to be bound. You may not be an employee, manager, partner, or maintain a business relationship with ANDORRA or GSIC at the time of application.
- The promoters of each project/startup may only participate in this call by submitting a single project.
9.- Is the call international?
Yes.
10.- What is the selection criteria?
The following criteria, rated from 1 to 5 (being 1 the lowest and 5 the highest) will be evaluated for the selection of participating projects in each of the stages of the process (Verification Eligibility, Initial Evaluation, & Final Pitch):
- Technically and conceptually sound – the extent to which the submission addresses the challenge.
- Innovation – the extent to which the submission is unique to, or adds value to, existing solutions.
- Impact – the extent to which the submission demonstrates the potential to effect change.
- Scalability – the extent to which the submission can scale, including the appeal it has to secure buy-in and/or a wide user base.
- Feasibility – the ease with which the submission can translate into a sustainable pilot project.
- Maturity of the team and the organization or professional background of the natural person.
For the Final Pitch, the jury will evaluate the finalists based on:
- The materials (decks, videos, demos…) provided by the participant in the form submitted.
- The previous evaluations based on the criteria above mentioned.
- The pitch presentation.
11.- What are the phases of the contest?
- Verification of eligibility: Once the application period has closed, the projects will be reviewed to ensure that the rules of participation have been complied with. Applications that do not comply with the rules will be eliminated from the process. The judging committee also has the right to ask, if needed, for more information about the project and/or start-up in order to complete the selection criteria.
- Initial evaluation: Applications that pass the verification of eligibility will be evaluated by the judging committee.
- Final pitch (Panel of judges): Up to 10 projects/startups will be selected as finalists to pitch at an online event, where 1 of them will be selected as winner and there will be 2 special mentions. Experts in the areas of technology, sport, business, innovation, investment, entrepreneurship, and financing will analyze and deliberate the winner. Further info on the timing & format of the final pitch event will be appropriately communicated to the finalists.
12.- Activity Calendar
- Applications Opens: March 21, 2022
- Applications Close: May 1, 2022
- Finalists’ announcement: May 9, 2022
- Final pitch: May 25, 2022
- Winner announcement: May 27, 2022
13.- Can I pitch in English?
Yes, all the pitches must be in English.
14.- What is the prize?
The winner of the Startup Challenge will receive the following prizes:
- Possibility to run a pilot project with Andorra stakeholders
- Participation in an industry event together with Andorra Business and Andorra Recerca + Innovació
- Accommodation and meals + tourist visit for 2 people for 5 days in Andorra (to be used during the following 12 months after the awarding of the Prize and always by mutual agreement with Andorra on the selected dates)
- 1-year free membership to the GSIC powered by Microsoft*
- 1-year free membership to the Andorra Cluster
Additionally, the winner and the two startups with special mentions will receive:
- Special mention in the Andorra Sport Entrepreneurship & Investment Guideline that will be published by GSIC in 2022.
- 1-hour mentoring session with a member of the jury
- Onsite award reception during the Andorra Sports Innovation Summit
*If the winner is already a GSIC member, the prize will be a 50% discount in the membership for the following year
15.- Who is part of the jury?
Experts in the areas of technology, sport, business, innovation, investment, entrepreneurship, and financing will form the panel.
16.- I have read the bases but I have a specific doubt.
For any questions regarding the bases, please contact: [email protected]
