Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) Center of Excellence in Sports Science and Analytics (CESSA) is going to organize a ‘Sports Tech start Up Conclave’ in New Delhi on 12th and 13th July 2024.
The Conclave will showcase IIT Madras’ commitment to promote sports start-ups in India and its plans to technologically support the Indian Government in facilitating hosting Olympics 2036. Supporting indigenization in the sports goods manufacturing firms will also be a focus area.
A key objective of this Centre is to work towards indigenization and technology support for Atmanirbhar Bharat in this field. The Conclave will witness the launch of far-reaching programs that are in line with the Government of India’s vision for sports development in the Nation and also just ahead of the Olympic Games Paris 2024, scheduled to commence on 26th July 2024.
Inviting start-ups from across India to take part in this Conclave, Prof. Mahesh Panchagnula, Dean (Alumni and Corporate Relations), IIT Madras, and Head of CESSA, IIT Madras, said, “Sports tech is a nascent industry in India. It is important for us to grow tech start-ups in this space for our sportspeople to gain recognition on the global stage.”
Mr. Ramesh Kumar, the Chief Executive Officer of Center of Excellence in Sports Science and Analytics (CESSA), IIT Madras, is a former Global Head of ESPNcricinfo.
Speaking about this event, Mr. Ramesh Kumar, CEO, CESSA, IIT Madras, said, “Along with the research , innovation and development in sports technology at IITM CESSA we want to take the lead in creating a support infrastructure for Sports Tech for various players in India by creating awareness about opportunities in this space, showcasing some products and applications, enabling networking opportunities for various players and bringing both public and private players under one roof to enable collaboration opportunities.”
Key objectives of the event include promoting technology start-ups in sports and creating a technology ecosystem in sports. The CESSA will support 10 novel sports tech start-ups with a total investment to the tune of Rs. 5 crore investment through IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies with incubation support as well. Over the next five years, IIT Madras will lead the drive to incubate at least 200 sports technology start-ups from India with novel ideas.
The Conclave will also spell out vision and plans for access to quality sports education through digital platforms of IIT for various players in the sports eco system in the country and also potential collaborative models between various players involved in sports education eco system in the country.
The Conclave will also pave the way for creating supporting structures to support the initiatives of the Government of India and various sports bodies towards hosting the Olympics 2036 with active technology support from IIT Madras CESSA.
The Institute also provides technology support for sports federations and athletes in India working closely with the National Centre for Sports Sciences and Research (NCSSR) and Sports Authority of India (SAI) to ensure the long-term success of Indian sportspersons in international competitions.
In line with the various objectives, IIT Madras CESSA will:
- Support technology for various sports goods manufacturing players in India for specific products and services indigenisation
- Use technology for providing access to quality sports education for various players in the sports ecosystem ranging from PE teachers, coaches, referees, analysts, managers, players
- Promote the usage of the technology stack for universal and self-paced learning of various sports courses launched through NPTEL in partnership with various players
- Build further on the success of the digital learning initiatives of IIT Madras to operationalize a digital university for sports industry-focused courses to provide upskilling opportunities for various players in the sports value chain
The Conclave will also set the backdrop for IIT Madras to develop a comprehensive plan for engaging retired sportspersons through education and upskilling, education opportunities, employment opportunities and promote opportunities through sports education and courses in collaboration with various players in India
