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The first SportTech incubator in London is looking to turn the capital into a hotbed for sport innovation

A new incubator dedicated solely to SportTech innovators and startups has launched the application process for its inaugural cohort as it attempts to further the capital’s position as a hub for sports innovation.

Sport Tech Hub is helmed by London Sport and will invite ten startups to take part in its 24-week programme fostering and supporting their development in tandem with headline partners such as London & Partners, RLC Ventures, Hub Spot, FieldFisher and Crowdcube.

The programme will be housed within the House of Sport facility on Great Dover Street near London Bridge, a recently launched not-for-profit venture that provides space for 150 to 200 people across its four-storeys.

There the startups will benefit from a collaborative work environment that places them next to some of the UK’s major sporting bodies with the likes of London Sport, Invictus Games Foundation and the Rugby Football League all based there.

Alex Zurita, who is a specialist advisor in technology for participation at London Sport said the capital’s world-renowned pedigree as a tech hub made it the perfect place for the SportTech venture.

He commented: “London’s tech sector is one of the capital’s most exciting industries, and London’s standing as a global hub of tech innovation makes it the perfect place to launch Sport Tech Hub.

“Technology has a vital role to play in enabling more people to take part in physical activity and sport in the capital, and we are delighted to offer the most innovative SportTech startups an opportunity to be part of a wider movement within sport and technology in London.”

Applications for the programme’s first phase are now open with applications invited from startups who are using innovator tech approaches to improve wellbeing through physical activity and sport.

The programme, which kicks off in October, has been welcomed by Russ Shaw of Tech London Advocates, who views SportTech as another opportunity for London to stake its claim in a nascent industry in much the same way as FinTech and others.

He said: “The opening of Sport Tech Hub is an exciting step, not just for tech entrepreneurs, but for London as a whole. This is a new frontier for tech innovation in the capital, and will play a vital role in supporting this burgeoning part of the tech ecosystem.”

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