IBM and Web Summit have announced the launch of a new global competition, the Sports Tech Startup Challenge, aimed at highlighting startups that use artificial intelligence to advance the sports industry. The initiative will include regional events in Qatar, Vancouver, and Rio de Janeiro, with final winners being selected at Web Summit Lisbon 2026. Participation requirements and official rules for each region will be released ahead of each event.
The sports industry is increasingly adopting AI to improve athlete performance, stadium operations, and fan engagement. IBM has previously partnered with major sports organizations such as the Masters, Wimbledon, the US Open, Scuderia Ferrari HP, UFC, and ESPN Fantasy Football over the past three decades.
Emily Fontaine, Global Head of Venture Capital at IBM, said: “IBM has spent decades partnering with global sports icons, integrating our technology to redefine how the game is played, watched, and experienced. With the IBM & Web Summit Sports Tech Startup Challenge, we’ll fuse that legacy with the ingenuity of some of world’s best startups, to spark the next era of sports innovation — and write a new playbook for AI-driven growth across the industry.”
The competition will run over 12 months and feature mini-regional contests where startups can present their enterprise-grade AI solutions for sports and entertainment. Judges will include leaders from IBM as well as executives from both sports and technology sectors. Regional winners will be showcased at Web Summit Lisbon 2026 before a final winner is chosen. Winners may receive a paid proof of concept worth up to $100,000 in collaboration with IBM’s Sports and Entertainment Partnership Team. Additional benefits could include mentorship from IBM experts in technology and business development as well as consideration for venture funding.
Kevin McDonald, Chief Commercial Officer at Web Summit stated: “As one of our long-standing partners, we’re delighted to enter this new phase with IBM. We have helped showcase startups over the years which have went on to become some of the world’s biggest companies, such as Revolut, Stripe and Whoop. This partnership highlights the rapid growth of AI in sports tech, fusing the biggest growth sector in tech with the sports that captivate billions worldwide. We look forward to discovering the next big success story together with IBM over the coming 12 months.”
Startups interested in participating can find more information on eligibility criteria and deadlines through Web Summit’s dedicated portal for startups (https://websummit.com/ibm-ai-startup-challenge/). Details about each regional pitch event will be published closer to their respective dates.
IBM will also serve as Official AI Partner across all Web Summit conferences in 2026—including those held in Qatar, Vancouver, Rio de Janeiro and Lisbon—and plans to host activations focused on AI and quantum technologies for businesses during these events.
Web Summit organizes technology conferences around the world bringing together founders, entrepreneurs and investors since 2009.
