The University of Limerick will welcome leading sports innovators and entrepreneurs to the Kemmy Business School this September as part of a two day Masterclass in Sports Entrepreneurship in partnership with the not-for-profit organisation SportsTech Ireland.
The event is aimed at future entrepreneurs, athletes and business founders and takes place on the 21st and 22nd of September. The event is the first in a series of masterclass events, in advance of the launch of a full Masters Programme in Sports Entrepreneurship, one of the first of its kind in the world.
According to Deloitte, revenue from the global sports market was estimated to grow to 91 billion dollars by 2017 (not including sports merchandising revenue). Over 5 billion dollars has been invested in sportstech start-ups worldwide in the past two years and accelerators and incubators for sports entrepreneurs have sprung up all over the world, highlighting the ever-increasing business opportunities in this sector.
The two-day Masterclass will look at the global picture and emerging trends, and take a deep dive into the stories of successful entrepreneurs and innovators from the world of sports business to uncover their path to success, including Irish success stories like Kitman Labs, StatSports, Orreco and Shadowman Sports. Special guest Sam McCleery, Head of Innovation at Under Armour will examine the route to successful global commercialisation. A special panel for athletes-turned-founders will welcome a number of ex-international rugby players and investors.
Dr. Briga Hynes, Head of Management Marketing at UL said; “We are very excited about the launch of this Masterclass as a means of building greater connections between the entrepreneurship and sports management fields. It’s a natural fit for UL and the Kemmy Business School given our close ties to sport, our reputation in delivering a range of practical based entrepreneurship initiatives. As the worlds of business and sport collide, we are pleased to be leading the way in academic excellence, with a global focus and in partnership with leading sports practitioners.”
Limerick is the ideal location for this event as it is well on its way to becoming a leading European hub for sportstech, with the recent opening of the STATS EMEA headquarters in the city. STATS is a market leader in sports data and on track to employ 150 people at its data centre in Limerick.
The aim of the Masterclass is to empower startups and future-entrepreneurs with the network, support and expertise, to increase their likelihood of commercial success. Places are limited to 30. Click here for more information.