Rome, September 18, 2024 – The call for the SFS startup competition is officially open, marking the 6th edition of the event. Since 2018, this challenge has become a crucial reference point for startups operating in the sports sector, particularly in the football industry. With over 250 applications received and 40 startups selected in previous editions, SFS has helped promote successful startups such as Stargraph, Olympialex, H-Cube, Ticketoo, Floky, Pick Roll, Up2You, Kama Sport, Floky42, MorphCast, NFT Lab, and Dachain.

Over the years, SFS has garnered the support of prestigious main sponsors, further solidifying its position as a key event for football innovation. Almaviva, already a partner in the 2019 and 2022 editions, has once again committed to backing the Social Football Summit challenge, contributing to the growth of innovation in this field.

This year, the competition will follow a new format, structured in two halves—just like a football match—with access to the final round. During the competition, the eight selected startups will compete in the first half with a 4-minute pitch for a chance to move on to the next stage. In the second half, the remaining four startups will face a new challenge on a specific theme, and the two finalists will then have 3 minutes to present their “Future Pitch.”

Participating startups will tackle some of the most innovative topics in the industry, including Artificial Intelligence and Big Data, Web3 and Immersive Technologies, Smart Stadiums and Fan Engagement, Wearables, Devices and Hardware, Sustainability, Inclusion, and Gender Equality.

“We are proud to launch the sixth edition of our startup competition,” said Gianfillippo Valentini, CEO and Founder of SFS and Go Project. “Extra Time represents an extraordinary opportunity for all startups looking to innovate the world of football, a sector that is constantly evolving and increasingly open to new technologies.”

“Sport and innovation create a combination that works,” said Antonio Amati, General Manager of the IT division at Almaviva. “The implementation of technology in sports has created immense value in terms of economic development and service usability, offering opportunities and security, while expanding the audience and amplifying the message. In this context, we support the SFS startup competition to contribute to the sector’s evolution.”

“For this sixth edition, we are excited to present a renewed format for the startup competition, inspired by the structure of a football match. We are confident that this new format will test the capabilities of the startups in a dynamic and engaging way, just like football itself,” stated Vincenzo Filetti, head of the SFS startup competition.

Interested startups can submit their applications online via the official competition website www.socialfootballsummit.com/en/extratime-almaviva/ until October 31. For further details on requirements, rules, and prizes, in this page.