SFIA hosts 4th annual Start-Up Challenge, showcasing latest innovations in sports, fitness and technology
BALTIMORE, MD (Sept. 25, 2019) – Five finalists competed in the 2019 SFIA Start-Up Challenge this morning, kicking off the Industry Leaders Summit. The five entrepreneurs receive 10 minutes on stage, in front of the entire Summit audience, as well as a distinguished panel of judges, to pitch their company. Judges include leading industry executives, such as Erik Anderson, Executive Chairman of Topgolf, and Head of Marketing & Product Management at Amazon, Brian Finegan; investors such as Alison Minter from North Castle Partners and Brian Westbrook, former All-Pro NFL Running Back and venture capitalist; and innovators such as SVP of lululemon Whitespace, Tom Waller, and Head of Innovation at Under Armour, Lorin Hamlin.
The Start-Up Challenge winner, Miro, is a company rooted in computer vision and artificial intelligence. Miro has created complex algorithms to capture valuable athlete data from various athletic competitions, such as races and sporting events. The tech geniuses behind the start-up have figured out a way to manipulate each participant, individually, segmenting their body into 14 different images, which are then individually analyzed and run through brand detection software. This type of AI provides insights to brands and retailers, picking up in-depth trends and patterns, regarding apparel and equipment, among many different demographic breakdowns, such as age, gender and ability.
Empirika Media Group provided the grand prize of $25,000 worth of digital marketing services, helping to improve the company’s online presence and overall image.
“SFIA has assembled this industry in a room, focused their attention and given a great group of small companies the chance of a lifetime,” said Taylor Host, Co-Founder and CEO of Miro. “We’re thrilled at the opportunity to share our hard work with the titans of the industry. To actually take home the trophy tonight is incomprehensible. We’re going to turn this validation into energy, action and more great nerd stuff!”
Prior to competition kickoff, former Start-Up Challenge finalist from the first-ever competition, Steven Webster, CEO of asensei, addressed the crowd, speaking of his start-up experience and raising capital on-site at the Industry Leaders Summit, regardless of not winning. Through his experience, Webster explained one of his greatest lessons, “It’s not the biggest companies that eat the smallest, it’s the fastest that eats the slowest.” His technology-driven company has skyrocketed since he presented on the SFIA stage in 2016, and serves as an example of what the other 15 previous contestants have accomplished.
It was difficult to select just one winner, as all participants presented new and exciting products, including automated team uniforms, a portable tennis ball launcher, wearable technology to enhance fitness through resistance, and computer vision assets to improve your workout experience and efficiency. The ideas and products presented were unprecedented and are sure to create an impact on the industry.
“We are so proud of the SFIA Start-Up Challenge franchise and are excited by the major innovation we saw this year,” said John Peters, Vice President of Business Development at SFIA. “This competition is in high-demand, due to the many benefits provided by merely attending the conference and networking with leading industry executives and investors, looking to create new relationships, partnerships and mentorships.”
The audience, in addition to the judges, featured over 200 C-Level executives from companies such as adidas, Amazon, Nike, Under Armour, Brooks Running, Walmart and many more. This presentation format allows the entrepreneurs to grow their brand awareness among the right audience and in the right setting.
ABOUT SFIA: The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), the #1 source for sport and fitness research, is the leading global trade association of manufacturers, retailers, and marketers in the sports products and fitness industry. SFIA seeks to promote sports and fitness participation, as well as industry vitality through research, thought leadership, public affairs, industry affairs and member services. For more information, please visit www.sfia.org.
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Premier sports & fitness event of the year heads to Baltimore
SILVER SPRING, MD (Sept. 5, 2019) – The 7th annual Industry Leaders Summit, hosted by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), presents a collection of speakers who have changed the landscape of the sports and fitness industry through an innovative and creative approach. The Summit will take place on September 25-26, 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland. The prime focus of this year’s event is to dive into new opportunities presented by technology, increasing participation by accommodating a larger base, and adapting to exterior influences and pressures, all around the theme, Innovate | Activate | Accelerate.
Erik Anderson, Executive Chairman of Topgolf, will provide the first keynote address, telling the story behind the great Topgolf expansion, attracting new players to the game and providing alternative participation methods. Founder of Zumba, Alberto Perlman, will present the second keynote address, ranging from the inception of Zumba to becoming a global phenomenon. For the third year in a row, “Breakfast with Matt” is back, with Matt Powell, Vice President & Senior Industry Advisor at The NPD Group, to provide assessments and sales tracking data for a deeper analysis and understanding of the overall sports, fitness and retail market. Vice President of Intel, Tamiko Hutchinson, will share expertise and insight on the merging worlds of sports and technology, and where it’s headed from the perspective of a technology company.
New to this year’s Summit, the Under Armour Innovation Team will be hosting a tour of their innovation lab, the UA Lighthouse. This event will focus on highlighting small business and innovation, strongly aligning with many of the Summit’s overall topics. George Foreman III, Founder of Everybody Fights; Michael Schaeffer, Founder of NOBULL; and Bruce Smith, CEO of Hydrow, will provide unique insights from the standpoint of a niche company experiencing rapid growth in today’s market. Tom Waller, Senior Vice President of lululemon’s innovation hub, Whitespace, will speak to the power of lululemon and how the company has changed the way athletes and non-athletes alike dress for both work and play.
To top off a full and exciting agenda, SFIA will also be hosting the 4th annual Start-Up Challenge, showcasing the greatest innovations guiding today’s sports and fitness industry. The Challenge will kick off the two-day summit on September 25th. In addition to the list of renowned speakers, the audience will also be comprised of executives from various sports, fitness and retail leaders, including adidas, Amazon, Nike, Walmart, Bose, New Balance, Under Armour, Spalding, Gildan and many more. Click here to view the full agenda and list of attendees.
ABOUT SFIA: The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), the #1 source for sport and fitness research, is the leading global trade association of manufacturers, retailers, and marketers in the sports products and fitness industry. SFIA seeks to promote sports and fitness participation, as well as industry vitality through research, thought leadership, public affairs, industry affairs and member services. For more information, please visit www.sfia.org.
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SFIA, Under Armour highlight small business and innovation as the future of sports and fitness
SILVER SPRING, MD (Aug. 14, 2019) – Ahead of the 7th annual SFIA Industry Leaders Summit, hosted in Baltimore, Under Armour is offering an exclusive tour of the UA Lighthouse to attendees. The company’s elite manufacturing and design innovation lab has been a hub for the company’s cutting-edge technology and innovative product development for the brand. The tour will be led by Under Armour’s Chief Innovation Officer, Clay Dean; Head of Innovation Partnerships, Lorin Hamlin; Senior Vice President, Randy Harward; and Chief Design Officer, Kasey Jarvis.
“Under Armour is extremely excited to host the SFIA Industry Leaders at the UA Lighthouse for a fireside talk, as we share a bit of our activities, excitement and thinking around sports and sports innovation, as well as how we are exploring the future in tools, products and manufacturing,” stated Under Armour Chief Innovation Officer, Clay Dean. “Under Armour’s DNA is really born from the pedigree of innovation and solving the athletes’ needs, and also in working with new inventors and creators in the sports industry. We look forward to creating new relationships and having some rich vibrant discussion with our leaders here in Design & Innovation and the visitors to the Summit.”
“We are excited to partner with Under Armour’s Innovation Team and host this special event for our attendees,” said SFIA Vice President of Business Development, John Peters. “This year presents a unique opportunity, where our event will be drawing leading industry executives and start-ups alike to the hometown of one of the biggest, most innovative brands in sports and fitness. We are excited to collaborate on this program, as it provides a mutually beneficial opportunity for networking and education within our industry.”
In addition to the tour, Under Armour will host a fireside chat and Q&A for attendees, covering best practices around innovative processes in manufacturing, design and trends shaping the industry. This program will be a value-add for industry executives and small businesses looking to improve their business model. For all interested parties, please register for the Industry Leaders Summit here, and be sure to indicate your interest in attending the UA Lighthouse tour.
ABOUT SFIA: The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), the #1 source for sport and fitness research, is the leading global trade association of manufacturers, retailers, and marketers in the sports products and fitness industry. SFIA seeks to promote sports and fitness participation, as well as industry vitality through research, thought leadership, public affairs, industry affairs and member services. For more information, please visit www.sfia.org.
Finalists present on the biggest entrepreneurial stage in the sports & fitness industry to over 200 C-level executives, experts & investors
SILVER SPRING, MD (Aug. 13, 2019) – Five finalists have been selected by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) to present their start-up company at the 2019 SFIA Start-Up Challenge. The 2019 applicant pool showcased leading innovation in the active lifestyle industry, ranging from training tools to AI-powered accessories to hard good products and equipment. The fourth annual Start-Up Challenge will kick off SFIA’s Industry Leaders Summit in Baltimore, Maryland, on September 25, 2019. To date, the previous 16 finalists have gone on to raise more than $140 million in funding.
Each entrepreneur will receive 10 minutes on the main stage to pitch their new product or idea to the Industry Leaders Summit audience, consisting of industry executives, experts and investors, and a panel of distinguished judges, hand-selected from the industry. Contestants will be competing for a grand prize of $25,000 worth of digital marketing services from Empirika Media Group Inc., as well as one free year of SFIA membership. The Start-Up Challenge winner will be announced during the Awards Ceremony on the evening of Sept. 25, where they will be recognized in front of the full summit audience.
The finalists include:
· Emblem Athletic: A gear and apparel customization company using machine learning algorithms and robotic manufacturing to completely automate the process of designing and delivering a professional personalized look for every team.
· Miro: Miro AI uses computer vision to unlock consumer insights from athletes in motion.
· Perch: Perch uses computer vision and machine learning to enhance the motivation, safety and effectiveness of exercise, solving the problems of those strength training today and creating the gym of the future tomorrow.
· Slinger: Slinger is a brand focused on innovating game-improvement equipment, making tennis accessible and enjoyable to players of all ages and abilities – for new and existing players who have a difficult time finding a playing partner.
· TAU: TAU has created a new category of wearable technology that enhances fitness by elevating physiological loading on the stride, with diagnostic monitoring of performance to enable the design of deficit specific training protocols.
“The Start-Up Challenge represents the best of innovation and entrepreneurship in the sports and fitness industry,” said Tom Cove, SFIA President and CEO. “The Start-Up Challenge is something attendees look forward to, and we are proud to deliver intense competition, year after year. A common theme throughout this year’s applicants was the prevalence of artificial intelligence powering new start-ups, which could be a new opportunity to grow our markets and enhance the physical activity landscape.”
Not only will these talented individuals have a chance to take home the grand prize, but all finalists will be granted the opportunity to spend the two-day summit networking with potential partners and mentors in the industry, as well as build awareness of their brand. In addition, on Tuesday, Sept. 24, SFIA and the Under Armour Innovation Team will be hosting a tour of the UA Lighthouse to highlight innovation and recognize small business. The connections made at the Industry Leaders Summit provide these young start-up companies with pathways to success, as they join in on conversations and attend various presentations and panel discussions regarding the current state of the sports and fitness industry.
ABOUT SFIA: The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), the #1 source for sport and fitness research, is the leading global trade association of manufacturers, retailers, and marketers in the sports products and fitness industry. SFIA seeks to promote sports and fitness participation, as well as industry vitality through research, thought leadership, public affairs, industry affairs and member services. For more information, please visit www.sfia.org.
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The annual conference hosts 250+ C-level executives from the sports & fitness industry
SILVER SPRING, MD (Aug. 6, 2019) – The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) is excited to announce a new strategic partnership with Stahls’, the world’s largest manufacturer of garment decoration materials and equipment. The heat printing giant, Stahls’, grew from the Stahl family business, beginning almost 90 years ago. The company serves as an expert in the trade of pre-cut and custom athletic numbers, letters and logos, making them a premier source for sportswear, apparel and promotional products.
Teams, leagues, individuals and businesses rely on Stahls’ for customization of branded apparel and equipment. The art of heat transfer allows customers to bring ideas to life that will help contribute to their success and profitability, whether be on the field or in the conference room.
“The ability to personalize sportswear and equipment is a huge asset to our industry,” said Tom Cove, SFIA President and CEO. “Stahls’ innovation allows companies to maximize on partnerships and monetize new opportunities through personal branding. We are proud to partner with a world-leading innovator working day after day to improve our industry.”
“We owe our longevity as a supplier to our ability of providing heat printing solutions for all types of performance fabrics, including highly technical materials. Stahls’ heat printing products, equipment and services make it possible to personalize jerseys under quick-turn deadlines with superior results,” stated Carleen Gray, CEO GroupeSTAHL North America. “We look forward to working with SFIA members, bringing you fast and innovative solutions for team jersey customization.”
The SFIA Industry Leaders Summit is an annual conference for C-level executives in the sports and fitness industry. The event hosts a wide range of speakers from inside and outside the industry to discuss trends, challenges and opportunities pertinent to the market landscape. SFIA corporate partners create a bridge between industry professionals and the companies most closely connected and committed to serving the sports and fitness industry. The commitments made by the select partners support the broad range of member services and professional development opportunities provided to SFIA members throughout the summit, such as networking, educational sessions, thought leadership and relationship building.
ABOUT SFIA: The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), the #1 source for sport and fitness research, is the leading global trade association of manufacturers, retailers, and marketers in the sports products and fitness industry. SFIA seeks to promote sports and fitness participation, as well as industry vitality through research, thought leadership, public affairs, industry affairs and member services. For more information, please visit www.sfia.org.
ABOUT STAHLS’: Stahls’, a GroupeSTAHL company, is a world leader specializing in the development, manufacturing, and distribution of heat printing technologies. Stahls’ provides customers with the most cost effective and efficient ways to decorate garments. Stahls’ is located in Sterling Heights, MI, with GroupeSTAHL operations located throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. For more information, go to stahls.com, call 800.4.STAHLS, or email [email protected].
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Tariffs will be imposed on an additional $300 billion in products
SILVER SPRING, MD (Aug. 1, 2019) – After a brief tariff truce with China, President Trump announced a new 10 percent tariff on $300 billion of Chinese imports, taking effect on Sept. 1, 2019. These tariffs will target “List 4” products – products that have not previously been subject to tariff increases. However, the U.S. Trade Representative has not yet released the final list by product category. There is a possibility that certain products will be removed from this list, following the public comments and hearing process in June, in which SFIA advocated for its members’ petitions.
“We are disappointed with the President’s action to escalate this trade war,” stated SFIA President and CEO, Tom Cove. “The announcement of the tariff truce between President Trump and President Xi gave us hope that the two nations would continue negotiations in a positive way that would not harm American consumers and corporations. While we see protecting intellectual property as critically important to global commerce, tariffs are not the solution to the problem, and the American economy will suffer.”
SFIA will continue to discourage the President from increasing import duties on Chinese products, as China serves a crucial manufacturing role for many American companies. As more information is provided regarding the final list to face the 10 percent tariff, SFIA will inform all interested and affected parties. Interested parties are encouraged to contact Bill Sells ([email protected]) or Chandler Hoffman ([email protected]) with any questions.
ABOUT SFIA: The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), the #1 source for sport and fitness research, is the leading global trade association of manufacturers, retailers, and marketers in the sports products and fitness industry. SFIA seeks to promote sports and fitness participation, as well as industry vitality through research, thought leadership, public affairs, industry affairs and member services. For more information, please visit www.sfia.org.
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SILVER SPRING, MD (July 25, 2019) – The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) is releasing a total of 90 Single Sport & Fitness Reports. The first collection of reports is now available, which includes reports for 52 different activities. These reports provide an in-depth analysis and breakdown of participation by various demographics, and by specific sport or fitness activity.
“In this day and age, everyone wants the ‘data behind the data,’ the deep insight that can influence decision making,” said SFIA CEO & President, Tom Cove. “SFIA Single Sport Reports are intended to address this level of desired depth, in a targeted and easily accessible presentation.”
Each report tracks participation as defined by gender, participation frequency, age, geographic region, market size area, income, education level and cross-sport/activity participation. Here are the top 52 reports from 2018, which are now available: FULL LIST CAN BE ACCESSED HERE.
Results for the 2019 SFIA Single Sports and Fitness Reports were gathered by Sports Marketing Surveys USA.
To gather this data, the US Online Panel, operated by IPSOS, conducted 20,069 online interviews in a nationwide sample of individuals and households during the 2018 calendar year.
All 2019 SFIA Single Sport and Fitness Participation Reports are $99 (per report) to all current SFIA members and $245 for non-members. More information about these reports can be found by clicking here.
ABOUT SFIA: The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), the #1 source for sport and fitness research, is the leading global trade association of manufacturers, retailers, and marketers in the sports products and fitness industry. SFIA seeks to promote sports and fitness participation, as well as industry vitality through research, thought leadership, public affairs, industry affairs and member services. For more information, please visit www.sfia.org.
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SILVER SPRING, MD (July 15, 2019) – The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) has announced the winners of the 7th annual Future Industry Leaders Scholarship Program. The 2019 scholarship has been awarded to Tommy Acchione (Engineering Manager, STX), Brian Dietrich (Coordinator of Marketing & Sales, Rapsodo), Kelsey Ping (Marketing Operations Manager, Riddell), Susan Riley (Director of Brand Marketing, BSN Sports), Hewan Teshome (Corporate Counsel, VICIS) and Matthew Weiss (Director of Marketing, Retail, Events & Sports Marketing, Brooks Running).
The program rewards young, hard-working individuals in sports and fitness, who aspire to lead future generations of business executives in the industry. The scholars receive complimentary access to SFIA’s annual Industry Leaders Summit, where they are recognized and applauded for their dedication to the world of sports and fitness. This year, the summit will be held in Baltimore, Maryland on September 25-26. For the second year in a row, SFIA has expanded the program to award six deserving individuals with the scholarship. While all applicants are required to be employed by an SFIA corporate member company, this year’s scholars represent the diversity of the industry, as they come from all different backgrounds, company sizes and product categories.
“We are proud and excited to highlight terrific young talent in the sports and fitness industry,” stated SFIA President and CEO, Tom Cove. “This SFIA program is a win win: bringing new leaders to the Industry Leaders Summit helps their professional trajectory, while also injecting the event with new ideas and energy.”
In addition to the many educational aspects of the summit, the scholarship recipients will also contribute a fresh, new perspective to the discussion. The focus of the Industry Leaders Summit is to address and explore the most prominent issues and trends in the industry, allowing the scholars a unique platform to provide insight from current and future generations, helping to further guide the conversation.
To learn more about the 2019 SFIA Industry Leaders Summit, click here.
ABOUT SFIA: The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), the #1 source for sport and fitness research, is the leading global trade association of manufacturers, retailers, and marketers in the sports products and fitness industry. SFIA seeks to promote sports and fitness participation, as well as industry vitality through research, thought leadership, public affairs, industry affairs and member services. For more information, please visit www.sfia.org.
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The PHIT Act continues to build bipartisan support for a more active America
SILVER SPRING, MD (July 9, 2019) – Congressmen Ron Kind (D-WI) and Mike Kelly (R-PA), lead sponsors of the Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act, sent a letter to all members of the House yesterday seeking additional support of their bill to make activity more affordable. The U.S. is facing an inactivity crisis, with more than a quarter of the population abstaining from any physical activity, and the PHIT Act (H.R. 1679) would allow individuals to pay for activity-related expenses using pre-tax dollars.
This bipartisan bill has garnered the support of 33 republicans and 36 democrats in the House, showing that the widespread need for a healthier nation extends across party lines. The “Dear Colleague” letter, sent by Kind and Kelly, outlines expenditures that would qualify as a form of disease prevention, allowing individuals and families to save money on gym memberships, youth camps, sports leagues, equipment and fitness classes, among other things.
“Earlier this year the CDC reported 90 percent of health expenditures are used to treat chronic disease and mental illness, the incidence of both conditions is lower in the active population,” stated Congressman Ron Kind. “Engaging in regular physical activity can improve people’s health and quality of life to reduce the incidence of preventable and costly chronic diseases. The PHIT Act lowers the financial barrier to activity to encourage healthier lifestyles, which in turn, will reduce overall health care spending.”
The income disparity among active Americans continues to grow. Lower-income households are becoming more inactive each year, and the opportunity to participate in activity and lead healthy lifestyles is becoming a privilege only available to the wealthy. More than 66 percent of the population in households making less than $75,000 are inactive. In contrast, only 16 percent of individuals in households with an income of more than $100,000 are inactive. Since the PHIT Act benefits would operate through individual’s Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), and the average household income of HSA holders is $57,000, PHIT would give lower-income consumers the ability to reduce their activity expenses via the use of pre-tax dollars. Physical activity leads to prevention of chronic disease, and that is worth the investment.
To read the full letter, click here.
ABOUT SFIA: The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), the #1 source for sport and fitness research, is the leading global trade association of manufacturers, retailers, and marketers in the sports products and fitness industry. SFIA seeks to promote sports and fitness participation, as well as industry vitality through research, thought leadership, public affairs, industry affairs and member services. For more information, please visit www.sfia.org.
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President Trump and Chinese President Xi agree to temporarily hold off on new tariffs
SILVER SPRING, MD (July 1, 2019) – President Trump announced this weekend that no additional tariffs will be imposed on imports from China at this time. This is positive news for the sports and fitness industry. American and Chinese officials will return to negotiations and suspend any immediate action on new tariffs, as a result of President Trump and Chinese President Xi’s meeting at the G-20 Summit in Japan.
“We are relieved with the President’s decision,” stated SFIA President and CEO, Tom Cove. “While the decision to avoid new tariffs is temporary, negotiations in this direction are a good step. We see this as a positive sign for the industry, but not conclusive. The industry is struggling to overcome China tariffs that are already in place, so we hope this tariff truce leads to tariff reductions, as well. SFIA supports President Trump’s efforts to bring China into compliance with international intellectual property laws, but we do not view excessive tariffs to be a successful solution.”
The 25 percent tariff on all products included on List 3, announced earlier this year, still stands, and the exclusion process for List 3 began on Sunday, June 30, 2019. SFIA will organize industry petitions requesting exclusions from the proposed tariffs to assist the industry in navigating these difficult challenges. If you’re interested in learning more about the petition process, please contact Chandler Hoffman, at [email protected].
ABOUT SFIA: The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), the #1 source for sport and fitness research, is the leading global trade association of manufacturers, retailers, and marketers in the sports products and fitness industry. SFIA seeks to promote sports and fitness participation, as well as industry vitality through research, thought leadership, public affairs, industry affairs and member services. For more information, please visit www.sfia.org.
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