Jyväskylä strengthens its international sports and wellbeing ecosystem through new partnerships and a growth platform
At the Jyväskylä Business Rally Sport Tech Day, the City of Jyväskylä announced its new membership in the Global Sports Innovation Center (GSIC) and introduced the Hippos Sport Accelerator, set to launch in early 2027. INRACE and MoniCardi were recognized for the event's best startup pitches.
Jyväskylä Business Rally Sport Tech Day brought together sports and wellbeing technology companies, investors and international experts at Restaurant Viilu in Jyväskylä on Friday, July 31, to discuss industry growth, innovation and new business opportunities. The event was opened by Mayor of Jyväskylä Timo Koivisto and Minister of Youth, Sport and Physical Activity Mika Poutala.
The programme featured presentations on startup ecosystem development, international sports technology and emerging growth opportunities within the sport tech sector.
The keynote speaker was Riikka Pakarinen, CEO of the Finnish Startup Community and President of the Finnish Athletics Federation. Pakarinen donated her speaker fee to Jyväskylän Kenttäurheilijat (JKU) to support sports participation among children and young people from low-income families. The donation was received by Esa Kaihlajärvi, Competition Director of JKU.
GSIC membership opens new international connections
During Sport Tech Day, the City of Jyväskylä and GSIC announced their collaboration, through which Jyväskylä has joined the international sport tech network as a member. The membership creates new international opportunities for companies, investors and other stakeholders operating in the fields of physical activity, health and wellbeing. Through GSIC, new companies and partners can also be attracted to the emerging Hippos ecosystem.
- Now that the new Hippos is progressing at full speed, it is especially important to leverage both our existing and new international business, expert and investor networks to accelerate the Hippos growth and innovation platform. GSIC membership enables new connections to markets in Europe, Asia and the United States. In addition, the City of Jyväskylä has been a member of the European Business Angels Network for ten years, and the EBAN Sports investor network is particularly important for supporting the growth of companies in this sector," says Taija Lappeteläinen, Programme Manager at the City of Jyväskylä.
In her address, GSIC CEO Iris Córdoba highlighted the importance of international collaboration in accelerating innovation within the sports and wellbeing industries.
GSIC is a global non-profit organization that promotes innovation in sports and has built one of the world's strongest international sport innovation networks.
Hippos Sport Accelerator to boost business growth
Sport Tech Day also introduced the Hippos Sport Accelerator, which will launch in early 2027 and aims to establish Jyväskylä as a nationally significant growth platform for companies operating in sports, physical activity, health, and wellbeing.
The accelerator is a joint initiative of the City of Jyväskylä, JAMK University of Applied Sciences and the KIHU Research Institute for Olympic Sports. It will bring together companies, investors, research organizations and international networks to support the growth, commercialization and internationalization of startups and SMEs in particular.
At the same time, the accelerator will strengthen Hippos' position as an internationally attractive innovation environment for sports, physical activity and wellbeing. The objective is to create new business opportunities, accelerate market access for innovations, and generate growth, investments and jobs.
The accelerator will begin operations in early 2027 and has received ERDF funding from the Regional Council of Central Finland for the period 2026-2028.
Taija Lappeteläinen, Ville Niskakangas (CEO of Jyväskylän Hippoksen Kiinteistöhallinto Ltd.), Aitor Jiménez and Iris Córdoba visiting the Hippos development site currently under construction. Photo: City of Jyväskylä
Growth companies presented their solutions to an international audience
During the pitching session, Jyväskylä-based companies Nro.one, Psyon Games and Vaara Coaching, together with Tampere-based MoniCardi and French company INRACE, presented their solutions to investors. The companies represented fields such as athletic performance enhancement, health technology, wellbeing services, gamified health solutions, and immersive digital motorsport experiences.
Pitches were evaluated by an international jury consisting of:
- Iris Córdoba, CEO, GSIC
- Audra Shallal, Co-Chair, EBAN Sports
- Kaarlo Kankkunen, President, Veikkausliiga
- Aitor Jiménez, Innovation Director, Baskonia-Alavés Group
- Davorin Štetner, President, Croatian Investors & Business Angels Association (CRANE)
- Albert Colomer, President, Catalonia Business Angels Network
Two startups were awarded: the opportunity to present at an international EBAN Sports event, awarded by EBAN Sports, was won by INRACE, a company delivering immersive VR experiences for rally and circuit racing.
The second award went to MoniCardi, which develops cardiac health analytics solutions. The company received a collaboration opportunity with The Faktory, the innovation unit of Baskonia-Alavés Group. The partnership provides access to international networks, mentoring opportunities, and the possibility to pilot its solution together with leading organizations in the sports industry.
Sport Tech Day was organized by the City of Jyväskylä in collaboration with KIHU, GSIC and EBAN Sports as part of the Jyväskylä Business Rally event series. The event further strengthens Jyväskylä's position as an international meeting place for sports, wellbeing and sports technology.
Further information
Taija Lappeteläinen
Programme Manager
City of Jyväskylä
+358 40 523 9321
taija.lappetelainen@jyvaskyla.fi
https://elinkeinopalvelut.jyvaskyla.fi/sport-tech-day
