Decathlon

Join “Decathlon Open Innovation”, a venture client and resource sharing program with Startups aiming to make sport accessible to the many through digital solutions.

At Decathlon we want to make sport and its benefits accessible for the many.

In this context, athletes have needs that require technological and digital solutions.

To respond to those needs, at Decathlon we will join forces with startups to go further and faster in these digital solutions.

That is why we have created the Decathlon Open Innovation initiative, the umbrella under which all collaboration programs with startups will be grouped.

This initiative is aimed at SportsTech, RetailTech & Datatech applied to sports industry startups that offer digital solutions and are in a early growth stage

During the year, we will launch challenges that startups must solve through 3-month proofs of concept

The selected startups will count on Decathlon resources to support their development.

To always be updated on the challenges and calls that we launch, follow our main communication channel:
Decathlon Open innovation Linkedin page

 

What are we looking for?

The startups that apply to the program must meet the following characteristics:

COMPANY CREATED & IN EARLY GROWTH STAGE

2 FULL TIME FOUNDERS MINIMUM

TRACTION AND METRICS

SHARES THE DECATHLON SENSE

STARTUPS FROM ANY COUNTRY

SPORTSTECH, RETAILTECH & DATATECH DIGITAL SOLUTIONS

SOLUTIONS FOR OUR CHALLENGES

YOUR CLIENTS ARE COMPANIES OR INDIVIDUALS

*You should not apply to the program if:

Your solutions is / needs hardware

Your solution or business model is not scalable

Your startup offers a physical sports product of any kind or manufacturing materials for sports apparel or products

Why Decathlon?

The leader in the Sports industry. We want to make sports accessible for the many

Together we can do it.

PROOF OF CONCEPT

You will carry out a proof of concept of your solution in the most appropriate Decathlon space (stores, ecommerce, marketplace, app…).

Depending on the results of the test, Decathlon could become your client or adopt other forms of collaboration.

This will give you access to the market to grow thanks to our diffusion capacity, capillarity and connections in the industry (federations, clients, sports centers, internationalization…)

BOND WITH DECATHLON

You will link the name of your startup with that of Decathlon through the channels and partners of this program.

This will increase your credibility with investors and other partners. It will also increase the confidence of your potential customers

SPORTS INDUSTRY KNOWHOW

We offer you technical mentoring to get to know the sports market well, how a great brand works and the trends in the sector.

This will help you get to know your target better, improve your service/product and increase your value proposition in the market.

VISIBILITY AND CONNECTION WITH THE ECOSYSTEM

You will establish connections with the sports and entrepreneurial ecosystem. We will invite you to the most relevant events, you will meet investors, clients, partners, federations and other startups with which to collaborate.

We will also help you create connections in other countries to internationalize your solution.

This will save you time, give you insight into what is happening in your ecosystem and create valuable alliances.

*More information

The “Supported by Decathlon” program does not include a capital investment by Decathlon for the selected startups.

This is an Equity free program. The selected startups will have the opportunity to count on Decathlon as a corporate partner without having to lose equity for it. We believe in the founding teams and we bet on them with total confidence.

What are the exploration areas?

SPORTSTECH

Our goal is to solve all the problems or challenges in the life of an athlete through digital solutions.

These digital sportstech solutions can be about:

  • Activity and performance
  • Management and organization
  • New sports business models, both B2B and B2C

RETAILTECH

Innovation is in our DNA and, therefore, also in all our current sales channels and those we may create in the future.

That is why we explore digital solutions in these fields within retailtech:

  • New sales platforms (B2B, B2C, B2B2C, P2P…)
  • New Marketing solutions
  • New digital business models
  • New technologies for omnichannel commerce

DATATECH

In order to be truly useful, we must better understand the trends in different sports and the needs of our athletes.

To do this, we investigate datatech technologies related to:

  • Sources of statistical information on sports activity and trends for each sport
  • Management tools for large volumes of data
  • Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning solutions

*What we are not looking for:

We are not looking for solutions that require hardware (except a smart phone or watch).

We are not looking for physical sports products of any kind or manufacturing materials for clothing or sports products

HOW DOES THE PROGRAM AND IT’S STAGES WORK?

During the year, we will launch different challenges to which startups must propose a solution.

To always be updated on Decathlon's new challenges for startups, you can follow our main communication channel: the Decathlon Open innovation Linkedin page

IN EACH CHALLENGE, WE WILL FOLLOW THESE STEPS:

👇

KNOW THE ACTIVE CHALLENGES

FAQ

All the information

Is the “Supported by Decathlon” an acceleration / incubation program?

Where is the Supported By Decathlon program located?

What about money? Do you buy our technology or do you invest? How much?

What happens after the program?

My Startup offers physical sports products or manufacturing materials for sports apparel or products, Can I apply?

What is a Venture Client? How is it different to Venture Capital?

What is the application deadline?

What language should I use for the application? What language is used in the program?

What startups are you looking for and what are the Must Haves to partner?

When and how can my startup apply?

My Startup is not SportsTech, Retailtech nor Datatech, can I apply?

What happens during the program? How long is the program?

Partners

Retos activos

SPORTS ACTIVITIES

At Decathlon we have a lot of visibility for our sports products, but we also offer many sports activities and services that are not as well known. How can we increase athlete awareness and participation in our Decathlon Sports Activities website?

Challenge file 🚫 Challenge closed

Challenge closed on 05/09/2022

Omnicommerce

Decathlon develops its online activity through its marketplace and app. But how can we detect and develop new digital channels of interaction with the young athletes of the future that generate new business models different from those already established?

Challenge file 🚫 Challenge closed

Challenge closed on 23/05/2022

NEW CHALLENGES
SOON…