Spalk Wins Startup Pitch at THE SPOT, Europe’s Most-Important SportTech Convention

04.06.2019 13:20, Gianmaria Sbetta

Global delegates and representatives from international sports federations joined 80 SportTech startups celebrating technology and sports at THE SPOT in Lausanne. The pitch competition, co-organized by Venturelab, drew startups from 18 countries and crowded audiences throughout the two-day event.

THE SPOT’s blend of sport investors, experts, international federations and booming SportTech businesses has established itself as the ‘must-attend’ event in Europe’s SportTech ecosystem.

Organized by ThinkSport, the Swiss sports network backed by the International Olympic Committee, the City of Lausanne, Canton Vaud and the Swiss Government, THE SPOT turned the SwissTech Convention Center into a bright and colorful showroom of sport for two busy days. The event on the shores of Lake Geneva attracted 850 delegates from 35 countries, representing 450 organizations and companies. Participants included more than 150 employees from sport federations and the International Olympic Committee, 80 startups and more than 55 international speakers. The market place and demo zone showcased more than 50 different startup booths each day, with a dozen corporate stands, and national representation with houses for Belgium, Italy and Switzerland.

Scouting SportTech Startups

Forty international startups, scouted and selected by Venturelab, competed in our lively startup battle enjoyed by large audiences throughout the convention.
 

WOW!! huge audience for the first pitches! Our selected #SportTech startups are really doing great! #SportTech #TheSpot2019 pic.twitter.com/jZlw5r1FDU

— Gianmaria Sbetta (@GianmariaSbetta) May 28, 2019

Dazzl.tv, FunWithBalls, IKISPORT and Spalk.tv earned their passage to the finals, with New York-based Spalkt.tv winning the jury’s top prize and CHF 4,000. Germany’s FunWithBalls impressed the audience to receive the public prize. A special mention to Venturelab alum Advanced Sport Instruments, which won the 2,000-franc ‘Swiss Coup de Cœur’ prize awarded by the extended organizing committee for the most-promising Swiss startup in competition.

The European SportTech ecosystem is booming, so next year’s edition of THE SPOT (May 12–13th, 2020) will once again to be the place to be for sports enthusiasts, innovators and industry experts see you there in Lausanne next year!