In this episode I chat with Alex Zurita, Head of Sport Tech Hub for London Sport about the organisation's vision to make London the most physically active city in the world and how they act as the gateway between innovative ventures and the public sector, creating partnerships that get more people active.
We discuss the support Alex and his team offer to innovative businesses, from start-ups validating their initial product right through to scale-ups looking to grow in the UK or beyond, and hear about the community of entrepreneurs they are building, the importance of thorough research and evidence to back up a proposition for a new product, and much more!
In his role with London Sport, Alex has responsibility for shaping Sports Tech Hub's strategic commitments to supporting technology, data and digital initiatives designed to raise levels of participation in physical activity and sport in the capital and beyond. He has led Sport Tech Hub’s delivery since inception, supporting over 31 tech ventures which, between them, have reached more than 130,000 Londoners and raised £4.2m of investment.
Alex joined London Sport in 2011 with brief stints as Great Britain Women’s Football Team Manager, and a secondment to the London Legacy Development Corporation as Programme Manager for the post-London 2012 legacy and multimillion-pound project - Active People, Active Park. Having used technology and data while coaching football with grassroots and international players, Alex is a committed technophile, a widely-recognised advocate for the role of technology in boosting participation in physical activity and sport, and a champion of the importance of sport for the future health of London and its residents.
You can reach out to Alex at: alex.zurita@londonsport.org
Or via these other channels ...
Twitter: @jalexzurita
Twitter Sport Tech Hub: @SportTechHub
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-zurita/
LinkedIn Sport Tech Hub: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sporttechhub
Your host, Stephen Carter, is Founder of The Intellectual Property Works (theintellectualpropertyworks.co.uk) and a patent attorney by trade.
Over the last 25 years Stephen has worked with some amazing businesses, including writing the patent applications for the Speedo swimsuit that helped Michael Phelps to his record breaking 8 gold medal haul at the Beijing Olympics and Second Sight, a West Coast US startup who make a retinal implant to restore sight to the blind.
Stephen is now recognised by IAM Strategy 300 as one of the world's leading IP strategists and is on a mission to help innovative businesses succeed by protecting their most valuable asset, their innovation, so they can make a positive impact in the world.
Follow Stephen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenjcarter/
Follow Stephen on Twitter: https://twitter.com/theipstrategist
Contact Stephen directly: stephen@theintellectualpropertyworks.co.uk