The sports industry continues to grow at a remarkable pace. Professional sports are extending their global reach and engaging with fans in every part of the world, and more and more people participate in a variety of amateur sports activities. more than ever, sports are connecting different people from around the world in a way that nothing else is capable of. There are increasingly more stakeholders in the sports industry driving this growth and creating a broad ecosystem: from the federations, leagues, teams, and clubs, through the media and various sponsors and partners to apparel and electronics manufacturers.

 

As we look at these global trends, we identify the booming Israeli sports tech ecosystem as a leading source of innovation for top sports organizations in nearly every segment of sports tech, taking a major part in shaping the industry globally. Israeli start-ups are harnessing the firmly established “Start-up Nation” hi-tech expertise and applying it to the sports world. The growth and early success of the Israeli sports tech ecosystem did not go unnoticed, as investors and major companies and organizations – both local and global – are becoming deeply involved in the Israeli sports tech ecosystem.

Seven key trends currently disrupting the sports industry:

  • Data Analytics
  • Media and Broadcasting
  • Wearables and Performance Enhancement
  • The Stadium of the Future
  • Fan Engagement
  • New Sponsorship Assets
  • eSports

 

 

 

Mapping Israel’s Sports Tech Start-ups:

 

  • Minute Media is a leading sports media and technology company, powered by authentic and socially driven content. It develops products that enable fans to create, publish, share and distribute sports content around the world. Minute Media was launched in 2011 as FTBPro, then 90min, and has become the fastest-growing digital football media community in the world.

 

  • WSC’s platform helps media right owners to generate automated videos for all of their digital products and social media channels. The company’s platform analyzes live sports videos in real-time and creates customized videos on every player, team, game, or action. The technology helps sports content owners maximize their video assets by creating more content and increasing the number of views, by allowing for better marketing and branding through smarter content and new branded real estate, and by enhancing fan engagement and loyalty while creating an interactive and personalized experience.

 

  • LifeBEAM aims to sense human body performance during dynamic activities via innovative bio-sensing technology implemented into wearables. LifeBEAM’s developed the SMART, the world’s first cycling helmet that continuously measures vital signs (heart rate, calorie consumption, steps taken, cadence), eliminating the need to wear a chest strap. The company is about to launch Vi, an AI personal trainer, who lives in advanced, bio-sensing earphones, looking to change the world of fitness.

 

  • PlaySight’s vision is to connect the next generation of athletes, bringing together their physical and digital worlds. PlaySight developed a SmartCourt solution (refers to all sports) – connected to the internet with built-in cameras which automatically record, analyze, live stream, and store all activities, and communicates with tracking sensors, scoreboards, etc. The solution allows users to watch, measure, learn from and share any detail about their game instantly and accelerate improvement, while creating a global and connected community of athletes, coaches, and fans.