The SIC Olympic Capital challenge presents a unique collaborative and validation experience for international startups, scale-ups, SMEs, and large corporations aiming to develop innovative solutions for key challenges in sport. Focused on SporTech, the program is structured to develop, improve, test, and validate impactful solutions through a multi-phase innovation journey. This journey combines the identification of key partners, feedback from potential clients for market validation, the creation of a development and testing roadmap, and international visibility to leverage support for future steps. Participants will engage with the thriving Olympic capital innovation ecosystem, which includes federations, academic institutions, R&D centers, risk capital, and public support networks.
Program Objectives
• Foster project-based collaboration between industry, sport stakeholders, academia, and infrastructure.
• Support innovation validation through real-life testing environments.
• Provide exposure to international stakeholders to support follow-up developments.
• Offer participants the opportunity to identify how leveraging a presence in the Vaud ecosystem can benefit their development.
Eligibility and Application Criteria
• Applicant Profile: Open to startups, scale-ups, SMEs, or large corporations from anywhere in the world with an existing product or service.
• Project Requirements: Applicants must have innovative, sport-applicable solutions they wish to develop, improve, and test, with an interest in anchoring and testing them in the Canton of Vaud, Switzerland.
• SporTech Focus: Projects must have a SporTech focus. SporTech refers to the use of technology and innovation to enhance sport performance, health, operations, participation, and fan engagement. It includes data-driven, digital, and hardware solutions applied to training, competition, infrastructure, and the overall sport experience. Proposals without a sport-related approach will not be considered.
Participant Benefits
• Innovation Validation: Participants can develop, test, and validate sport innovations in real-world environments, fostering collaboration between sport organizations, industry, academia, and infrastructure.
• Ecosystem Immersion: Gain access to the Vaud "Sport Valley," the Olympic Capital’s innovation ecosystem, including international federations, leading academic and R&D institutions, and public innovation support.
• Strategic Opportunities: The program offers a gateway to partnerships, testing opportunities, international visibility, credibility, and potential long-term collaboration or anchoring in Switzerland.
• Immersion Package: Support is included for one participant per team. Additional team members are welcome to join at their own expense.
Program Timeline
• Application Phase (10 February 2026 - 10 May 2026): Register, attend webinars to learn about the Vaud ecosystem, establish partnerships to refine solutions, and submit the collaborative project.
• Selection Phase (11 May 2026 - 19 June 2026): Projects are evaluated by an expert panel. The top 5 projects will be shortlisted, assigned a mentor, and invited to a 7-day on-site immersion program in Lausanne. Selected projects will be announced on 24th June 2026.
• Immersion Preparation Phase (25 June 2026 - 13 September 2026): The 5 selected project teams work closely with their mentors to refine projects and align on objectives for the immersion week.
• Vaud Immersion Phase (14 September 2026 - 20 September 2026): Selected corporations meet with identified experts, validate collaborations, consolidate their project development roadmap, and prepare for project launch and testing.
• Project Implementation & Showcasing Phase (21 September 2026 - June 2027): This phase includes a Testing Phase, where advanced projects can be validated in real-world sport environments under established contracts, and a Showcasing Phase, offering opportunities to present solutions at major sport events in the Canton of Vaud.
Location and Contact Information
• Site: UNIL-EPFL, Cubotron Building, Route de la Sorge, 1015 Lausanne
• Metro: Line M2, stop UNIL Sorge, followed by a 140-meter walk.
• Bus: Line 1, stop Ecublens VD, Champagne, followed by a 500-meter walk.
• Car: Visitor parking is available at the UNIL paid parking facilities (Parking UNIL – Sorge).
• Contact: sic-startups@thinksport.org
This program provides a structured pathway for innovators to advance their SporTech solutions by connecting them with the resources, expertise, and real-world testing environments of the Olympic Capital. It is an opportunity for established companies and emerging ventures to accelerate their development, gain international exposure, and forge lasting partnerships within a globally recognized sport ecosystem.