Loughborough University is once again contributing to the rapid scaling of sports tech start-up companies by hosting the UK leg of a global sports accelerator programme. The SPIN Accelerator is a programme of workshops, mentoring and introductions developed specifically to support nascent sport innovation and technology companies to develop and grow.

Opening today for applications (Monday 9 March 2020), the SPIN Accelerator will yet again see the University’s sporting, technological and entrepreneurial might joining together across its two campuses in London and Loughborough. In partnership with the Hype Foundation, up to 25 teams will take part in a selection bootcamp at Loughborough University London. Half of these teams will be taken forward to the full programme. The programme will culminate in a London demo day in September in front of leading investors, sports brands and members of the wider sports eco-system.

If you wish to apply for this year’s programme, you can do so via the SPIN Accelerator website.

Hosted by Loughborough University London’s Institute for Sport Business, the programme is open to all early stage companies who have an innovation driven solution to a challenge in sports. This year’s SPIN Accelerator will have a special focus on three main growth areas:

• sustainability in sports
• social impact
• customisation

With the SPIN accelerator now in its third year it has seen some previous successes from Loughborough connected companies.

ORB, who manufacture a performance tracker were one of the companies involved in 2019’s programme. Set-up at whilst he was still a student at Loughborough University, Robert Paterson said:

“The SPIN Accelerator gave us at ORB a great boost on to the next level.  Not only did it coincide with us scaling in terms of investment and staff the workshops provided fresh insight for us to confirm our next steps.”

ARION, founded by Loughborough University alumni Dr. Andy Statham, were the overall winners of the programme in 2018. ARION have developed a smart insole that slips in your running shoes and can be used to educate runners to improve performance. Andy said:

“The SPIN Accelerator programme proved to be a springboard from which we established new partnerships and new investment in the company. We owe a big thank you to the SPIN Accelerator team and Loughborough University, as well as all the supporting staff and participating companies.”

Lead academic for the SPIN Accelerator, Professor James Skinner said:

“Programmes like the SPIN Accelerator give the Institute for Sport Business so many different ways to connect with the ever-evolving sports industry. For our students and staff, it offers a chance to make connections, build our network and develop our practice as an institute. Giving scalable businesses the opportunity to access our academic sporting and decision-making knowhow through programmes like our accelerator is invaluable to our researchers. It gives them the opportunity to develop real world solutions for real world problems.”

Staff from across the University’s academic schools are able to engage in the programme acting as mentors, speakers and even as part of participating companies.  Previous iterations of the programme were used by PhD candidates to gather data.

If you would like to know more about the SPIN Accelerator programme please contact Ben Cole. The selection bootcamp will be held at Loughborough University London between 24-25 April 2020, with the final demo day on 18 September 2020.

Applications for the 2020 SPIN Accelerator programme are now open and will close on 10 April 2020.  More details can be found on the SPIN Accelerator website.