Shaking the Tree of Sports Through Innovation

BY RUDINA HOXHA

HYPE Sports Innovation is a Global Platform that promotes Sports Innovation on its various verticals and aspects throughout the world. Amir Raveh, as a amature football player and

football fan, is the Founder and the President of HYPE Sports Innovation which is the industry-leading ecosystem, with 12 sports tech Accelerators worldwide over 40k members and a private VC.

“The most important tangible result of HYPE is our Global Sports Tech Accelerator Network (with both physical and virtual locations). For the past 3 years, we have established, managed and constantly expanded the worlds’ largest network for SportsTech accelerators,” the Israeli entrepreneur underlines in this exclusive interview with TRAILBLAZING MAGAZINE.

HYPE has created many important business partnerships throughout the years that were always aligned towards creating new business opportunities and connections between all the stakeholders. Also Raveh underlines the key support HYPE is giving to the Sports sector in times of COVID-19.

About Amir RAVEH

Founder & president of HYPE Sports Innovation. HYPE is the industry-leading ecosystem, with 12 sports tech Accelerators worldwide over 40k members and a private VC.

Amir is the Founder of “MG Equity” Investments House Author of “Acquired Charisma” and an avid soccer player Founder & CEO of MEDIACALL in London, which was successfully sold in 2003. Father of 4 sons

Full interview below:

Welcome to the Trailblazing Magazine interview Mr. Raveh! As Founder and President of HYPE, can you please make a panorama of how you built and developed this business? What was the spark behind HYPE?

The vision and scope of HYPE Sports Innovation was born out of my two biggest passions: Sports history of being part of the Sports ecosystem, both, as a football player and a sports fan. Then, I realized there are new emerging opportunities in this specific sector, which by the way, 5 years ago was in its infancy and with very

and innovation. I have had a long little attention from Investors and VCs towards Sports Innovation or Sports Tech as an interesting sector to promote and invest. So I had the vision to combine these two passions and to set up HYPE Sports Innovation as a Global Platform that will promote Sports Innovation on its various verticals and aspects throughout the world.

Can you mention some of the tangible results of HYPE?

With pleasure. First of all, the main and most important tangible result is our Global Sports Tech Accelerator

Network (with both physical and in the times of the COVID virtual locations). For the past 3 19 pandemic. How are you years, we have established, managed addressing the pandemic-related and constantly expanded the worlds’ challenges nowadays in the sports largest network for SportsTech sector and further? accelerators. With hundreds of Actually, 100% of what HYPE startups that have graduated the is doing right now is focused program, dozens towards solving real of leading partners such as: 1.FC Koln, FIBA, Miami Dolphins, Adidas “We are now solving our partners’ real challenges and real issues which are related to COVID-19 new reality. By etc. and more than $200M that challenges” establishing the Global Virtual were raised by our Accelerator program, startups throughout the programs. we are now solving our partners’ real challenges. I would even go Obviously more than ever, the as far as saying that for some impact of HYPE is tremendous startups, we acted as a true lifeline and helped them to avoid shutting Innovation is “Women Leaders in down because we are enabling Sports”. How influential has been them to either create quick pivots the role of women in HYPE Sports or secure pilots and new business Innovation? connections in times where the Women are an essential part of future is uncertain. By the way, this our life in HYPE. We are constantly was also a crucial pivot for HYPE, aiming to increase the number of as we changed women that are our mind set and direction due to COVID because “Women are an essential part engaged, active and working within the HYPE until then all of of our life in team. In addition our accelerator programs had a HYPE” to that, nearly in every activity and physical part and event that we have now we are 100% virtual as you done, we always aim to find ways know. to encourage women entrepreneurs and industry leaders to apply and The latest event of HYPE Sports participate. I can openly say that this

has not been as great success as we wanted, but this is a mission that we are constantly working on promoting in any way we can. You can see it in the remarkable list of ladies within our advisory, mentors and partners.

How have you managed to increase the partnerships within HYPE Sports Innovation and which are some of the new partners of this network? Have you thought to join forces with your partners to ease down the effects of the pandemic?

The business partnerships we have created throughout the years were always aligned towards creating new business opportunities and connections between all the stakeholders. On top of that, the focus was and still is, and actually these days it has also increased, to solve real challenges and promote innovation with partners, clubs, brands, etc. This was the reason our partners such as: the Taiwanese Sports administration, PSG, Miami Dolphins, FIBA, LAFC, River Plate, among others, joined HYPE as they wanted to get connected to the leading solutions, the leading sports innovations and the leading SportsTech Startups in the world.