“When I joined sport sessions at school, girls were always chosen last for the teams. Not because we lacked the skills, but just because we were girls. This phenomenon persists to this day. Women still need to win twice just to get on the field.
The adidas Breaking Barriers Project is a commitment to breaking down those barriers for women and girls across Europe. By working directly with nonprofit sports organizations, the project empowers local leaders and coaches, and provides the sports industry with the necessary tools to lead change. We are really proud and excited to see the launch of the adidas Breaking Barriers Innovation Lab, a call to all innovators and entrepreneurs who aim to address gender inequality in the sports industry with tangible solutions.”
Clémentine PAINTER, Director Strategic Planning, adidas Business Development EMEA
This lab aims to identify and support initiatives that will grant women and girls better access to the benefits of sport and enable them to reach their potential and succeed in all areas of life.
Through financing, network and development programs, the Innovation Lab aims to house projects, harness the collective energy of innovators, and unite the business of sport. Through a phygital environment, startups will meet key players and experts in the sports field and have access to the support they need to develop their solution.
“The adidas Breaking Barriers Innovation Lab puts impact at the heart of its project which is at the core of our DNA at Paris&Co. We have been supporting purpose projects since day 1 in many industries, including diversity in sport via Willa's program Les Sprinteuses, in which we have been involved since 2016 to promote gender inclusion in Sportstech.
We are proud and happy to work side by side with adidas to bring our considerable expertise to this great initiative. We will bring both our entrepreneurial spirit – built by supporting more than 500 innovative start-ups every year - and the sport-specific expertise of Le Tremplin, Europe’s leading sport innovation hub since 2014. We will leverage our best-in-class competences, sourcing capabilities and ecosystem network to best support the selected projects across Europe.”
Jean-Baptiste Alliot, Director Vitality Hub – Sport, Health & Food Paris&Co
The call for applications is open until April 24th to owners of European startups that meet at least one of these three categories:
- Solution that addresses the barriers to sport faced by women and girls
- Women-led startup working in the sports industry
- Driven to create space for and amplify women in sport (sports media, coaching, senior leadership, etc.)
Do not miss the opportunity to join the leading innovation platform in the sports industry and revolutionize sport for women and girls within a dynamic and international community!
https://candidatures.parisandco.com/en/challenges/call-for-applications-adidas-innovation-lab?lang=en
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