Loughborough to play its part in the biggest sports-acceleration network in the world
HYPE Foundation, a global platform that connects and invests in sports innovation, has this week launched its “SPIN Lab”, a global acceleration program focusing on developing innovation in sports.
The program is launching simultaneously at four leading sports universities, spread over three continents, creating the biggest sports-acceleration network in the world. Representatives from partner universities and the HYPE Foundation board celebrated the launch with a meeting at FC Barcelona’s iconic Camp Nou earlier this week, with recruitment commencing in earnest ahead of a January 2018 start date for the first four month accelerator programme.
One of the four partner institutions is Loughborough University London, activated through its Institute for Sport Business, a fitting contributor given its status as the world’s best sports university, according to the QS higher education league table.
The ‘SPIN Lab’ is a significant milestone in HYPE’s mission to impact people's lives through the power of sports and innovation. The accelerators will recruit, discover, nourish and grow innovative sports start-ups, navigating them to address specific market needs and predicted trends. Each accelerator will include up to 12 start-ups from its country and region. One of the four labs will also conduct a virtual program, enabling start-ups from all over the world to participate.
HYPE Foundation’s Partner and Chief Innovation Officer Dr Ilan Hadar noted:
“The SPIN Lab initiative is a perfect complement with HYPE’s activities in the sports innovation space. By teaming up with top partners, the program will get the highest level of local and global mentoring. We are committed to creating a go-to program for entrepreneurs, looking to fulfil their dreams in the sports technology business.”
Professor James Skinner, Director of the Institute for Sport Business at Loughborough University London, added:
“I’m excited to launch the SPIN Lab and partner with the HYPE Foundation. This is a powerful program that takes sports start-ups to the next level, and as a university that proved to be at the forefront of sports management studies, we are certain this collaboration will be fruitful and impactful from both an academic and business standpoint.”
The four leading sports universities involved in the partnership are:
• Loughborough University London, UK
(Institute for Sport Business)
• The University of Queensland, (UQ) Australia
(Schools of Human Movement, Nutrition Sciences, Engineering & IT)
• San Jose State University, California, USA
• The University of Trento and Trentino Sviluppo, Italy
View the press release on the Loughborough University website for further information and resources.
Loughborough is one of the country’s leading universities, with an international reputation for research that matters, excellence in teaching, strong links with industry, and unrivalled achievement in sport and its underpinning academic disciplines.
It has been awarded five stars in the independent QS Stars university rating scheme, named the best university in the world for sports-related subjects in the 2020 QS World University Rankings and top in the country for its student experience in the 2018 THE Student Experience Survey.
Loughborough is in the top 10 of every national league table, being ranked 4th in the Guardian University League Table 2020, 5th in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2020 and 8th in The UK Complete University Guide 2020.
Loughborough is consistently ranked in the top twenty of UK universities in the Times Higher Education’s ‘table of tables’ and is in the top 10 in England for research intensity. In recognition of its contribution to the sector, Loughborough has been awarded seven Queen's Anniversary Prizes.
Specialising exclusively in postgraduate-level study, Loughborough University London is based on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and offers cutting-edge master’s and PhD degrees, as well as business collaboration, research and enterprise opportunities.
The seven specialist institutes at Loughborough University London include: Design Innovation, Digital Technologies, Diplomacy and International Governance, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, International Management, Media and Creative Industries, and Sport Business. Close industry partnerships with a wealth of leading businesses and creative organisations means teaching and learning is informed by real-life challenges and driven by true industry pressures.