Indiana announces SportsTech HQ
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Indianapolis has earned a reputation for hosting major sporting events. Now, there is an effort to grow Indiana’s brand as a sports tech destination. The Indiana Economic Development Corp. and Indiana Sports Corp have launched a new nonprofit organization, SportsTech HQ.
The partners say the initiative was developed to create an ecosystem that can spur innovation and economic development through investments in sports technology.
“Indiana has developed an international reputation for amateur and professional sports over the last four decades,” said Brad Chambers, Indiana Secretary of Commerce. “By focusing on the future of sports technology, we are taking intentional strategic steps to ensure Indiana is the hub for sports technology companies for the next four decades and beyond.”
In addition to attracting new sports tech entrepreneurs and businesses, the IEDC says it wants to maximize existing investments in sports tech through collaboration and partnerships.
Cultivating a sports tech ecosystem is not new to Indianapolis. The city is home to the Techstars Sports Accelerator Powered by Indy. In April, the business accelerator announced its class of 2022 that is taking part in a 13-week mentorship program.
Participants in the current cohort will showcase their technology and business plans to potential investors during an end-of-session demonstration in July. That demo day will coincide with the One-Zero summit being held in Indy July 6-8.
The sports and entertainment summit, which was last held in 2019 in Dublin, Ireland, attracts executives from major sports leagues and global brands, like Nike.
“We are thrilled to partner with One-Zero to create a truly unique event, focused specifically around venture capital and high growth startups in sports and entertainment. We’ve collectively been able to pull together a great lineup of high-profile founders as speakers, and dedicated panels moderated by experienced VCs investing in the space,” said Jordan Fliegel, managing director of the Techstars Sports Accelerator and co-chair of the One-Zero Summit.
You can find more information on the One-Zero summit by clicking here.