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Mass Participation World (MPW) and the Global Sports Innovation Center (GSIC) powered by Microsoft are thrilled to announce the launch of the GSIC MPW Innovation Challenge 2025! This second edition of the challenge builds on the success of last year’s inaugural event, spotlighting cutting-edge tech solutions for the mass participation sports industry. Applications are now open for startups and innovators worldwide to tackle real-world challenges identified by leading sports organisations.
Stand a chance to win US$1,000 cash and the opportunity to present your solution live at MPW 2025 in Ho Chi Minh City on 4 December. Apply by 10 November 2025.
Stand a chance to win US$1,000 cash and the opportunity to present your solution live at MPW 2025 in Ho Chi Minh City on 4 December. Apply by 10 November 2025.
This year’s problem statements span across 4 key categories, reflecting the industry’s most pressing needs:
Fan Engagement: In mass participation the fans are largely the supporters of participants – family, friends, work colleagues. How can we engage these fans during the participant’s training journey and as event day spectators to get more people active, and create more touch points for sponsors and other commercial opportunities?
Fan Engagement: Spectators at mass participation events can range from hundreds to millions depending on event size but in most cases organisers have no idea who they are and exactly why they are there – supporting a loved one or friend, sport fan, curious passer-by etc. How can we capture their details and engage with them to create commercial opportunities?
Participant Engagement: The mass participation ecosystem includes many thousands of small to medium events. How could technology be created and offered in a cost-effective manner to make quality participant engagement accessible to all sizes of events? This can include personalised communication to athletes in the lead up to events as well as using their performance and results and extend to engaging participants in a more immersive way post event both at the venue and in the digital space thus generating more exposure for sponsors and more revenue for organisers/rights holders.
Event Operations: How can we use technology and/or AI to simplify event operations by providing centralised access to critical event information ultimately improving the overall event experience for organisers, participants, and attendees? For example, site and route plans, traffic management, volunteers, equipment and other assets, medical, baggage storage and allocation.
Smart Venues: How can we use technology to enhance spectator, participant, volunteer and staff experiences across all areas of the event including expo/packet pick up, arrival, start, transition, course, finish, baggage collection, post event celebrations and departure.
Fan Engagement: Spectators at mass participation events can range from hundreds to millions depending on event size but in most cases organisers have no idea who they are and exactly why they are there – supporting a loved one or friend, sport fan, curious passer-by etc. How can we capture their details and engage with them to create commercial opportunities?
Participant Engagement: The mass participation ecosystem includes many thousands of small to medium events. How could technology be created and offered in a cost-effective manner to make quality participant engagement accessible to all sizes of events? This can include personalised communication to athletes in the lead up to events as well as using their performance and results and extend to engaging participants in a more immersive way post event both at the venue and in the digital space thus generating more exposure for sponsors and more revenue for organisers/rights holders.
Event Operations: How can we use technology and/or AI to simplify event operations by providing centralised access to critical event information ultimately improving the overall event experience for organisers, participants, and attendees? For example, site and route plans, traffic management, volunteers, equipment and other assets, medical, baggage storage and allocation.
Smart Venues: How can we use technology to enhance spectator, participant, volunteer and staff experiences across all areas of the event including expo/packet pick up, arrival, start, transition, course, finish, baggage collection, post event celebrations and departure.
Ready to apply?
You’ll just need to sign up for a free YouNoodle account — it takes less than a minute and lets you save your work as you go.
QUESTIONS?
Email nina@massparticipationworld.com for support.