Olympic Games 2016
Des start-up françaises à Rio

FLEDGLING ENTREPRENEURS IN THE CLUB FRANCE

Until August 21st, professional and amateur athletes from all over the world will have their eyes fixed on the Corcovado, as Rio de Janeiro is hosting the first  South American edition of the Olympic Games.

This year, Club France has taken up headquarters in the heart of the city. An embassy for French sports, the space is managed by the Comité national olympique et sportif français (CNOSF, French Sports and Olympic National Committee) and welcomed over 90,000 visitors during the London Olympic Games in 2012. Supporters and curious passers-by, as well as journalists and institution representatives, came by to watch sports events and to celebrate the medal won by France in the company of the athletes.

What's new for the 2016 edition? Four French start-ups making innovations in the sports industry have been selected to be present at Club France and to meet the general public: Arionéo, Sport Heroes, Vogo Sport and YPPA.

A GAME-CHANGER IN SPORTS

As true representatives of "Made in France" innovation, the start-ups all come from Tremplin, a unique incubator for companies in the sports industry. From covering high-level performances, to the individual and/or collective experience of fans, their services and applications are extremely diverse.

• Arionéo develops connected solutions (captors, trackers, etc.) to analyse and improve the performance and health of race horses.
• Running Heroes uses a digital service to encourage athletic activity and make it more fun. The smartphone application allows amateur runners to gain points throughout their training, so they can win gifts from well-known brands.
• Vogo Sport offers a more comfortable viewing experience for fans. Their application allows fans to relive the climactic moments of a game on their smartphone from different angles, with the ability to replay at various speeds.
• YPPA allows sporting event organizers to offer their audience an unforgettable experience. On their phone screens, the audience is invited to participate in a sort of light show, a technological version of 'the wave' commonly performed in stadiums, either before, during or after the game.

AN INNOVATIVE INCUBATOR DEDICATED TO SPORTS

Le Tremplin is a business incubator dedicated to sports-related start-ups. It was created in 2014 by Paris&Co, the agency for economic development and innovation of the City of Paris.

Le Tremplin is located in the recently renovated Jean Bouin Stadium and is comprised of 36 young companies. The organisation provides tailor-made services to support company development: access to subsidies, trainings and dedicated stakeholders, to coworking spaces and more. The aim is to allow companies to create solid bonds with actors in the sports industry in order to further develop in France and the world.

The goal of Le Tremplin is clear, and the presence of these four start-ups in Rio confirms it - to make Paris a hot spot for innovation in sports.

[Photo credits]
Bandeau © RioTur
Corps 1 © KMSP
Corps 2 © DR