The World Congress of Science and Football 2023 (WCSF2023) is calling for innovators to pitch their product, idea or service during the upcoming congress in Groningen, the Netherlands.

The so-called WCSF Innovation Award gives innovators a big stage where key players from around the world in the field of football, science, business and innovation will be present!

Next to a certificate and media exposure during and after the Congress, the winner of the WCSF Innovation Award will be offered 500 euro and three consultancy meetings with partners of the Sport Science & Innovation Network Groningen (www.ssig.nl) to take their innovation to the next level.

Award Program

On Thursday, May 25, 2023, the best Award applications, selected by the organization, will be invited to pitch their innovation to attendees from around the world and a jury, including experts in elite soccer, innovation management, science and industry. The panel will nominate the best 3 innovations.

The winner will be announced at the closing ceremony on Friday, May 26, 2023.

Application procedures

Fill in the online application form before April, 21, 2023. The best applications will be selected by the organization to pitch their innovations at Thursday, May, 25, 2023 during the WCSF2023 in Groningen, the Netherlands. The selected innovators need to register themselves for at least one day during the Congress for a reduced rate of 125 euro per day. This includes free entrance to all sessions and business stands, coffee, lunch, goodie bag, etc. Applicants will receive further information about registration after being selected.

Conditions and status of the innovation

In general, there must be a product or service available whose operation has been demonstrated, as well as a plan for approach to the market that indicates the proposition for the market. Based on this ‘market plan’, the market potential can be assessed or estimated. The applicant must be authorized or owner of the innovation.

Criteria

• Impact: how does the innovation contributes (makes impact) in the world of football (performance, health, societal impact, economics, marketing, etc.)
• Originality and creativity: Is it a unique product or service? Or in what sense is it different to similar products or services already exist?
• Groundbreaking: the innovation must make a groundbreaking difference. What demonstrable progress has been made in introducing the innovation?
• Need: Does the innovation meet a demonstrable need? Describe that need.
• Time to market: At what stage is the innovation, in short: what is ‘the time to market’?
• Commercial: for which market is the innovation commercially interesting? To what extent can the innovation be put away in the market? What does the revenue model look like?
• Cooperation: Is there a cooperation with football, industry and/or knowledge institutions? To what extent has knowledge been effectively used or searched for?