Global Fútbol

Sport cannot advance and grow without innovation and technology, a fact that both LaLiga and the Danish Olympic Committee (DIF) understand very well. With this in mind, these two organisations created and launched their first ‘The Innovation League’ event in Copenhagen, with the aim of looking for innovative solutions, tools and software that can improve the activities and performance of LaLiga clubs, both on and off the pitch.

More than 20 start-ups from Denmark, Sweden and Norway applied to be part of the event, of which 10 were selected and given a slot to present their football performance-focused solutions to the clubs. In addition, SportBoost, the start-up incubator and accelerator founded by Iker Casillas, was also present to collaborate with the Nordic start-up ecosystem.

Niels Henrik Sørensen, Director of Sports Tech, DIF Innovation Lab, said: “We have been building bridges between the federations, clubs and athletes of Denmark and the start-ups to develop new innovative Sports Tech solutions for a couple of years now. With an event like this, in cooperation with LaLiga, we aim to support the internationalisation of companies that are ready to expand beyond our borders.”

Juan Fuentes, LaLiga’s delegate to the Nordic countries, stated: “In recent years, different Sports Tech ecosystems have been consolidated in Europe and around the world. With this project, we want to start connecting them and offer opportunities for both sides, with access to the best technology and innovation for the clubs and with access to new markets and capital for the start-ups. This project is aligned with Boost LaLiga, with which we look to help the clubs develop internationally and find the best technology and innovation available.”

Ana Rosa Victoria, Innovation Manager at LaLiga, added: “Events like this are clear examples of how we work on innovation at LaLiga. These events foster knowledge sharing and collaboration between the different members of the Sports Tech ecosystem. Together with the Danish Olympic Committee (DIF), we have identified the best local start-ups that can solve the challenges faced by LaLiga and the clubs in a new way, while they are able to evolve and take their products to the next level. This is the virtuous circle of innovation.”

Directors and innovation managers from Real Sociedad, Valencia CF, Deportivo Alavés, SD Ponferradina and GS360 (linked to RC Celta) also participated in the event, presenting their projects and the work of their innovation departments, with each of these clubs having emphasised Sports Tech innovation in recent years. More than 15 other clubs from LaLiga Santander and LaLiga SmartBank joined online to get to know the start-ups.

LaLiga clubs are positioning themselves at the forefront of innovation and this was made clear at the event, in which they played a very relevant role. Jon Ercilla, Head of IT projects at Real Sociedad, pointed out that the Scandinavian market is a strategic one for the club, both because of the connection they have through several footballers from that region and because of the plans they have there for the future. He said: “Thanks to this opportunity, that has been made possible by LaLiga and the Danish Olympic Committee (DIF), we can work using the most innovative technology offered by companies and start-ups from this region.”

Meanwhile, Aitor Jiménez, the Chief Strategy, Innovation and New Business Officer at Baskonia Alavés Group, expressed his thanks to LaLiga and the Danish Olympic Committee “for organising this fantastic international pitch day and for inviting Deportivo Alavés to participate”.

Speaking about the importance of being present at this type of forum and about the opportunities that can be generated, he said: “Attending this type of event is key for Deportivo Alavés in order to be connected to the Sports Tech and innovation ecosystem. Denmark, as one of the most innovative places in the world, is undoubtedly a strategic country in innovation and new technologies. This is a great opportunity to meet top companies and start-ups and connect them with our new innovation and new business centre, called ‘The Faktory’.”

Another who reflected on the event was Franco Segarra, Director of Innovation at Valencia CF, who said: “It is an honour for the VCF Innovation Hub to be invited to talk about our success story and to be able to share the commitment of a century-old club to continued innovation. We saw a lot of talent and enthusiasm in the participants, who will surely make an impact in the future. It is important to be united in our growth and this means thinking differently and being innovative.”

For his part, Lalo García, the Co-founder of CeltaLab 1923, the technology hub of RC Celta, explained: “On behalf of GS360 (Galicia Sports 360), we want to thank LaLiga for this 'The Innovation League' initiative, which brings our ecosystem closer to the Nordic ecosystem and allows us to meet their start-ups, Sports Tech and clubs. We put the resources of our hub at the disposal of the Norwegian start-ups and invite all clubs to solve common challenges together so that we can build the future of the sports industry.”

Finally, Javier Jiménez, Director of Innovation at SD Ponferradina, added: “This is the best showcase for promoting what we are doing in terms of innovative projects and for presenting ourselves beyond our borders.”

Denmark is among the world’s most innovative countries

Denmark was the most digitally competitive economy in the world in 2022, according to the IMD World Digital Competitiveness Ranking 2022, while it was also one of the most innovative countries in the world. Furthermore, according to the European Sports Tech 2022 report, Denmark also ranks among the top 10 countries (in 5th place) for investment in sporting technology in Europe, underscoring the Nordic nation’s place as one of the most innovative sports technology ecosystems.

The Danish Olympic Committee (DIF) even has an innovation department that maps the local ecosystem and that connects sporting entities with Sports Tech start-ups, thus unlocking synergies that can develop sport.