READY FOR THE SFS24 PITCH COMPETITION
On November 19, at the Olympic Stadium, the Social Football Summit will host the final stage of the startup competition Extra Time 2024 – Almaviva. Since 2018, this challenge has become an essential reference point for startups operating in the football industry, and Almaviva, already a partner of the 2022 edition, has once again chosen to support the SFS challenge.
Gianfillippo Valentini, CEO and Founder of SFS, commented on this annual event: “Extra Time represents an extraordinary opportunity for all startups wishing to innovate the world of football.”
In October, an Innovation Tour was organized, involving over 100 stakeholders and held at iconic Italian football venues such as the Allianz Stadium in Turin, Rome’s Olympic Stadium, and the Renzo Barbera Stadium in Palermo.
Each event featured speakers, including Gianfillippo Valentini, Vincenzo Filetti – Head of Extra Time Startup Competition – and Glauco Ciprari, Head of Digital Compliance & Advisory at Almaviva. Additional participants included Carolina Chiappero, Innovation Manager at Juventus F.C.; Andrea Dal Piaz, Program Manager at Dock3; Dario Ferretti, Co-founder and CEO of Pick-Roll; and Gaetano Lombardo, Communication Manager at Palermo F.C.
This year’s format features an elimination-style pitch competition. The initial eight startups will compete with classic pitches, four will advance to present on a specific focus, and the final two will compete with a “Future Pitch” on the football industry. The pitch competition will take place in the Training Room on the first day of SFS, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The €5,000 prize will then be awarded during the Gala on the first evening, at the SFS Awards in the Protomoteca Hall of Campidoglio.
Eight startups – six Italian and two international – have qualified for the pitch competition. Their core business aligns with the focus areas proposed by SFS: AI, Web3 and VR, Smart Stadium, Sustainability, Fan Engagement, and the Wearable industry.
The eight finalists are: Aileven Digital Media, PickEat Srl, Wegoo, Aced Sports, Fell Good Plus Srl, Valeur Sport, Trucrowd, and Clava Sports Srl. They will be evaluated by a jury of 16 experts in innovation, startups, and new technologies: Carolina Chiappero (Juventus FC), Glauco Ciprari (Almaviva), Andrea Basile (Go Project), Berenice Marisei (Lazio Innova), Massimiliano Motefusco (RDS), Irene Carpinelli (Theorema), Andrea Dal Piaz (Dock3), Vincenzo Vitale (SEI Ventures), Marco Meola (Innovation Strategist), Davide De Luca (Silicon Drink About), Guido Fabbri (GeoSmartCampus), Daniele Buzzurro (Startup Grind Roma), Lorenzo De Meo (CEO Olympialex), Dario Ferretti (CEO Pick Roll), attorney Giacomo Ciammaglichella (Studio Legale Massaro Ciammaglichella), and Marcello Ferraguzzi (Finance Commission OCDEC Roma).
This is an unmissable opportunity to discover new business models and successful projects, celebrating an event that embraces sports digitalization as a fundamental asset of its mission.
