Harnessing the power of stadiums for tourism.

The World Tourism Organisation, with Athletic Club and the Regional Government of Bizkaia, have launched this Smart Solutions for Smart Destinations competition in a bid for innovation and promotion of entrepreneurship in tourism.

We are seeking innovative, intelligent solutions

to turn the San Mamés stadium into a factor that drives change in the tourist model. Stadiums act as central nodes and hubs for resources in the region and their surrounding area.

Participate!

in designing the new experiences the tourist of the future will demand, where security, inclusion and sustainability shall be the connecting themes, and technology and connectivity the levers it is based on.

Competition

We are looking for start-ups with innovative, intelligent solutions that maximise the visitor’s experience of stadiums or events.

They must also facilitate all the tourism experience included in the whole process: before, during and after enjoying that experience.

A positive valuation shall be given to proposals that affect the distribution of flows of tourists through the region, providing access to the offer the territory presents and that complements Athletic Club’s own offer.

Competition categories

  Projects in pre-seed phase (at the development phase of the solution proposed, or just the conceptual design).
  Projects with minimum viable product, with pilot tested on the market.

Benefits

The pre-selected 20 start-ups will have the opportunity to check their proposal with a panel of experts who represent players in the tourism sector, sports and the public administrations.

The finalist 10 start-ups will have the opportunity to present their idea to a board of evaluators at an event to be held in San Mamés stadium.

The winning companies will have the opportunity to develop a pilot project in collaboration with Athletic Club for 6 months.

If the winning companies are from Bizkaia, or if they decide to move their tax domicile to Bizkaia, they shall have access to growth and acceleration services provided by the Regional Government of Bizkaia, advice to finance their projects and space on coworking premises for 6 months.

Evaluation criteria

through collaboration with the start-up and implementation of the solution proposed: Feasibility of the collaboration / agile short-medium term, possibility of co-development of products/services, optimising use of existing resources/infrastructure and capacity to scale the product.

Potential scalability, financial return or development of competitive advantages for the business from short to medium term (for example, access to new technologies, access to technical profiles, etc.)

Degree of definition, degree of innovation considered comparatively with solutions that already exist on the market, degree of maturity of the MVP, present technology or product, potential scalability within the business (taking advantage of existing resources, infrastructure, geographies, etc.).

CV of the founders / team, degree of maturity of the business (for example, alliances / partners, initial investments, clients, initial sales, etc.), need for capital (for example, funds to develop products, terms to complete MVP, etc.), entrepreneurial motivation and personal interests of the founders, organisation and internal processes (for example, use of lean / scrum methodologies, use of outsourcing).

Experience in developing products (for example, collaboration with universities, companies, etc.); Experience as a provider (for example, sale of consultancy services or part of development of a third company, experience in understanding third-party issues / those defined by a third-party); Motivation / interest in collaborating with a corporation.

Chairman denominator to be implemented in the services, business model or solutions, to avoid or minimise the environmental, economic and social impact arising from entrepreneurial activity.

Priority scopes of specialisation

Events

Optimising and maximising the potential of the Events to Develop Tourism at the destination

Installations

Intelligent installations as event connectors in cities and regions. Football stadiums as a catalyst of sustainable regional growth of tourism.

Connections

Solutions that promote the flow of tourists toward the leisure, cultural and sports offer within the territory.

Sports and tourism

How sport may help to re-establish the flow of tourists and visitors to a city after a health catastrophe.

New technologies

Taking advantage of the impact of new technologies in intelligent destinations and in defining new business models for the tourism industry.

Sustainability, inclusion and security

Solutions that encourage a tourism experience with the greatest level of security and inclusion for tourists, with environmental responsibility criteria.

Events

Optimising and maximising the potential of the Events to Develop Tourism at the destination

Installations

Intelligent installations as event connectors in cities and regions. Football stadiums as a catalyst of sustainable regional growth of tourism.

Connections

Solutions that promote the flow of tourists toward the leisure, cultural and sports offer within the territory.

Sports and tourism

How sport may help to re-establish the flow of tourists and visitors to a city after a health catastrophe.

New technologies

Taking advantage of the impact of new technologies in intelligent destinations and in defining new business models for the tourism industry.

Sustainability, inclusion and security

Solutions that encourage a tourism experience with the greatest level of security and inclusion for tourists, with environmental responsibility criteria.

Schedule
5 phases
  • 27 July 2020

    Announcement of the competition

  • 15 October 2020

    Conclusion of candidacies

  • 30 October 2020
  • 5 November 2020

    Selection of 10 semifinalists and presentation on the on-line platform.

  • 9 November 2020

    Selection of 5 finalists and presentation on the on-line platform.

  • 16 November 2020

    Announcement of the two winning start-ups in a final event at the San Mamés stadium in Bizkaia.

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Submission deadline has  ended