Sports
10 finalists chosen in 2019 Startup Competition


BY: Ikenna Oluka
- Almost 300 companies from 55 countries took part in the initial competition.
- Projects relating to Fan Engagement, Media, Smart Venue and Performance were selected in the final ten.
- The chosen companies, which hail from Spain, United Kingdom, United States and Australia, will take part in a Growth Acceleration Program which includes mentoring and contact sessions with investors and top directors at LaLiga and GSIC powered by Microsoft, among others.
The Startup Competition 2019 from The Original Inspiration Centre by LaLiga supported by GSIC has chosen the 10 winners of the first stage of the competition.
This initial phase saw a total of 279 companies from 55 different countries and five continents take part.
The competition, organised by LaLiga and the Global Sports Innovation Center powered by Microsoft, is part of the global agreement signed by LaLiga and Microsoft in 2016.
The initiative seeks to boost digital talent and ideas by promoting disruptive solutions that can help LaLiga and its clubs continue to grow in the field of innovation and technology, acting as a gateway into the sports and entertainment world for new companies around the world.
All solutions submitted for consideration had to be based on the following fundamental aspects: Media (OTT, Broadcasting, Digital Content, etc); Fan Engagement (Fan Profiling, Social Media, eSports, etc.); Smart Venue (Security, Ticketing, Cashless Payment, etc.); Performance (Analytics, Injury Prevention, Health, etc.); and others such as Big Data, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.
Below are the projects chosen for each area by a panel drawn from LaLiga, GSIC and Microsoft representatives:
Smart Venue:
1. A project presented by an Australian company offering solutions in the fields of access control, cashless payments and user experience. Can also in the future develop solutions which will facilitate the purchase of official merchandise and prevent piracy.
2. An app developed in the United Kingdom which helps capture fans’ most exciting moments inside a stadium. Can help generate high-quality and viral content for clubs across LaLiga.
Performance:
3. A solution developed in Spain which helps to analyse the cause of injuries and, above all, how to avoid them. Facilitates the work of backroom staff across LaLiga and helps reduce the number of injuries suffered by LaLiga players.
4. Another Spanish initiative which can recreate a 3D body model with a scanner to direct medical supervisions and track the progress of each player.
Media:
5. A Spanish-developed product that allows for instant movement between different cameras to improve the fan experience, with the added ability to connect with different events simultaneously.
6. An application developed in the United States which offers different commenting options for live games. Can facilitate the adaptation of LaLiga-developed content for broadcast in different countries.
Fan engagement:
7. A solution developed by a UK-based company which connects users and allows them to interact during match broadcasts. Can help to improve LaLiga’s television broadcasts, connecting fans from across the world.
8. A Spanish application which gives fans the chance to have digital autograph collections certified by blockchain technology, in addition to offering a marketplace where users can buy, sell and exchange memorabilia. Can strengthen the club-fan relationship for every club at both a national and international level.
9. A U.S.-developed application which helps fans travelling in another country to find fellow fans of their club and watch the game at a venue in the city they’re in. No matter the place, fans will always be able to share and exchange their football experiences.
10. A Spanish solution which analyses user behaviour and habits through the use of artificial intelligence and data analysis to make content recommendations. Can help generate more user-specific content, improving fan experience as a result.
The Managing Director at GSIC powered by Microsoft, Iris Cordoba, said: “Thanks to The Startup Competition 2019, ten innovative companies will have the opportunity to explore synergies on an individual level with LaLiga and in group with other winners, and, as a result, initiate pilot schemes within one of the most important sports organisations in the world. At GSIC powered by Microsoft we will help them at this stage through our growth acceleration program and by incorporating them into our ecosystem, boosting the integration of these solutions into LaLiga’s strategy.”
Also speaking, LaLiga’s Innovation Director, Minerva Santana, said: “We are convinced that we have picked the perfect startups to improve the LaLiga fan experience and boost our clubs’ technological growth. From this point on we’ll be working hand-in-hand with them in order to maximise the potential of these pioneering projects.”
A unique growth acceleration program
The ten chosen teams will prepare through July and August for the immersion week, which will take place in September. In this final phase of the competition the ten selected startups will arrive in Madrid to prepare their final presentations at the World Football Summit (24-25 September). This preparation stage, which will extend until December, will help them to better understand the organisation and familiarise themselves with the areas in which their pilot projects will be developed.
During the period the ten startups will start the growth acceleration program with GSIC powered by Microsoft featuring mentoring sessions, contact with investors and high-level directors at both LaLiga and GSIC powered by Microsoft, digital transformation certification and the chance to access the Microsoft for Startups program. In addition, pilot projects approved by LaLiga will begin development during this time.
The ten finalist start-ups will also be able to enjoy free GSIC membership for six months with all the services and benefits the center provides its ecosystem: networking, participation in activities aimed at innovation and applied research, B2B contacts, media coverage and international events, among others.
Sports
MTN Nigeria Awards 150 million Naira to Super Falcons after Historic WAFCON 2024 Win
Reporter: Sandra Ani


MTN Nigeria has rewarded the Nigerian Super Falcons with 150 million naira following their remarkable victory at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
The announcement was made at a celebratory breakfast reception hosted by the technology company in Lagos, in the presence of Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) leadership and female executives across key sectors, alongside a host of MTN executives who came out to celebrate the champions and reaffirm the company’s commitment to football, inclusion and youth empowerment.
The Super Falcons’ win goes down as one of the most thrilling in tournament history. Facing Morocco on their home soil, Nigeria came back from 2-0 down to secure a dramatic 3-2 victory, clinching their 10th WAFCON title and reinforcing their status as Africa’s most decorated women’s team.
Delivering the opening remarks, MTN’s Chief Marketing Officer, Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, highlighted the Super Falcons’ win as an inspiration for Nigerian women. “The Women’s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) is a championship that has been held 13 times and Nigeria has won 10 times. This is no small feat. It is a testament to how determined Nigerian women can be when they set out to achieve something. What you have achieved not only makes Nigeria proud, but it makes us, even we women, proud. Here at MTN, we believe, and one of our values is ‘Can Do’, can do with integrity. Your final match exemplifies that.”
As the official telecommunications partner of the NFF, MTN presented the 150 million naira reward to celebrate the team’s resilience and achievement. MTN director, Ifueko Okauru explained that 115 million naira would go to the players and 35 million to the technical team.
“At MTN we believe in the power of connection, not just through technology, but through our soul, through our spirits, what we share and what unifies us,” said Dr. Karl Toriola, CEO, MTN Nigeria.
Toriola described the company’s investment in the NFF as fruitful. “As proud sponsors of the Nigerian Football Federation, this long-term significantly financially-heavy investment in supporting the NFF has borne so many fruits. We followed you through every match, every challenge, every trial and some of them losses. We followed you and we continue to support you and today we are so proud to say our efforts have not been in vain. We followed you for the big things, we followed you for the smaller things.
He added, “To the Super Falcons, you are more than athletes, you are inspirations. You are an inspiration for everyone in Nigeria, every young lady to go out there and make a difference. You are role models, you are ambassadors, and you are proof that when Nigerian women rise, the world will take notice.”
Captain of the Super Falcons, Rashidat Ajibade, thanked MTN and its board members for their warm reception and support. “We appreciate you a lot. We feel valued, we feel honoured, we feel respected, and this only inspires us to do better, and keep inspiring the next generation.”
“This win is for all of us,” she said, dedicating the 10th title not just to the current Super Falcons squad but to all the players who came before. While grateful for the milestone, she made it clear they were not content. “We want to take this to the next level. We want to be global contenders. We don’t want to be just local champions. It’s time to take it to the next level. We understand the huge responsibility on us, and we hope that we can all work together, the Federation, the federal government, and also private bodies to keep investing and keep supporting the Super Falcons Council so we can all achieve this objective.”
The breakfast reception featured a classical string quartet, stirring soul-Afrobeats choir rendition that had the Falcons on their feet, dancing joyfully in celebration of their hard-won victory. Singer Praiz also delivered a performance that drew cheers from the audience and added to the festive energy in the room.
As the nation continues to celebrate their victory, this moment stands as both a reward and a reminder of what Nigerian women can achieve when backed by belief, investment and opportunity. The celebration was especially timely as it fell on Pan African Women’s Day, a fitting moment to honour the strength, resilience and achievements of Nigerian women on and off the pitch.


John C. Nwosu, governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has hailed the Super Falcons for lifting the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Women’s African Cup of Nations (WACON) held in Morocco for the 10th time, after a dramatic outing in Rabat, capital of the North African nation.
The Nigerian female team came from behind after a 2:0 lead they were handed down by the Atlas Lionesses at half time to turn the tide in a dramatic fashion, marked by energy, resilience, determination and skill, slotting in three goals in less than 30 minutes.
A totally enthralled Nwosu declared that feat clearly showed how with determination and focus, the most difficult tasks could be achieved and toughest challenges could be surmounted, adding that the feat embodied a lot of life’s lessons.
“What we saw today is the can-do spirit of that Nigerians are known for. It is a spirit that has broken many barriers and achieved great things. I particularly noticed the teamwork and synergy among the girls and their determination not to give up. It shows the reward of unity of purpose.
“As I watched our girls lift this beautiful trophy up, my spirit was also lifted. I am sure I am not alone. This spectacular achievement today shows how much we can achieve in Nigeria when we de-emphasise those things that divide the nation and emphasise the things that unite us.
“This is the focus of the ADC. We take it as a task to unite Nigeria by promoting unity, equity, justice and fair play in all facets of the society, knowing that together, working individually and collectively, we wake the sleeping giant.
“It is particularly so as we make deliberate moves to recreate a new Anambra where the government and the people will form an environment of common vision and move in the same direction, achieve a common goal. That vision has gained a strong fillip by this wonderful feat in Morocco.”
Well done girls. Once again, you have put smiles on millions of Nigerians, both home and abroad. May this joy continue to resonate everywhere in the life of our dear nation, now and in future.


Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has congratulated the Super Falcons of Nigeria on their 10th Women African Cup of Nations, WAFCON, title, saying that they demonstrated the resilience of the Nigerian spirit.
The Super Falcons, who fell behind by two goals in the first half, staged a memorable comeback in Rabat in the second half, beating their Moroccan counterparts before their huge crowd of home fans to lift the WAFCON 2025 trophy courtesy of goals delivered by Esther Okoronkwo, Folashade Ijamilusi, and Jennifer Echegini.
Mbah, who took to his verified social media handle, @PNMbah, to celebrate the impressive Nigerian side wrote, “Congratulations, Super Falcons, on your well-deserved WAFCON 2025 triumph.
“Coming from two goals down to beat the Moroccans to the trophy underscores the resilience and invincibility of the Nigerian spirit and what we can achieve as a people by working together in oneness of mind.
“We are super proud of you.
“Again, congratulations, girls, and keep flying higher.”
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