The USTA recently announced the launch of the inaugural USTA Connect Innovation Challenge, a nationwide open call for startups and engineers to submit applications, products or other tech solutions that can have a direct and positive impact on tennis.
The winner will receive a $10,000 prize, along with potential further integration into the USTA and tennis technology ecosystem.
USTA Connect is the USTA’s strategic technology partnership and data-sharing program, designed to better integrate the digital tennis landscape. The first USTA Connect Innovation Challenge is focused on technology that can support the USTA’s mission by improving an existing USTA platform or creating a new, standalone tennis tech solution.
Photo credit: Break Media via Pexels
Key focus areas include pro performance analytics and live-match storytelling; elite player scouting, evaluation and pipeline progression; personalizing player experiences; and broader support of the USTA’s goal of making America the No. 1 tennis-playing nation in the world, with 35 million players by 2035.
Applications are open through July 3 at usta.com/innovationchallenge. Applicants are expected to submit a usable prototype or proof of concept for either a standalone product or an application. Submissions may include a new build, an existing product or an enhancement.
An initial 10-12 submissions will be selected to receive USTA datasets, including facility and court databases, anonymized player history, US Open ball-tracking and player positioning data, and more. Those datasets will be used to help finalists prepare for presentation and judging.
Photo credit: Break Media via Pexels
The judging panel will include USTA leadership, sports industry venture capitalists and representation from US Open partner IBM.
Selected submissions will present virtually to the judging panel in late August. From there, the top three finalists will be chosen to pitch live at the USTA Connect event at the US Open on September 3, when the winner will be announced.
“We are inviting the brightest minds in tech to co-author the future of tennis,” said Michael Hughes, Sr. Director, Digital Strategy & Business Development, USTA. “The USTA Connect Innovation Challenge is a unique vehicle for sourcing scalable, cutting-edge software solutions that can seamlessly integrate into our ecosystems to grow the game at both the grassroots and professional levels.”
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Source: USTA. Photo credit (top): Break Media via Pexels.
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