NEWS

Césped Inteligente Grass-Twin is an industrial research project led by INDESCAT, the sports industry cluster, driven by the cluster companies Fliwer Intelligence and Sports & Landscape, as well as the organisations Inolve NewTech and Rotimprés, and with the participation of the cluster Functional Print. The proposal will receive a grant of €229,298 from the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism (MINCOTUR) for innovation in the field of sport and physical activity. The total budget of the project - which aims to optimise the use of irrigation on grass pitches - including the MINCOTUR grant, is €291,958. INDESCAT has advised and accompanied the participating companies and entities in the preparation, drafting and application of this sports industry project. On the other hand, INDESCAT has also obtained two projects, with an overall aid of more than 70,000 euros, funded by the programme of initiatives to strengthen competitiveness for cluster projects of ACCIÓ.

From 10 to 13 November, INDESCAT has participated in a new face-to-face meeting of the I3-INSHAPE project in Eindhoven, in the framework of the ELIS Pitch Stop Event organised by Cluster Sports & Technology. In this meeting, the representative ‘Flagships’ from each region that were selected at the beginning of the project, met for the first time with their co-developers, companies that have recently joined the project to provide them with services. The participating organisations have carried out work dynamics, with experts in various areas, with the aim of reinforcing joint innovations. Three companies from the cluster are represented: Onalabs Inno-Hub, Clubs Eurofitness, and SevenMila.

We interviewed Ramon Amich, director of Nielsen Sports in Spain and Portugal, a company that, among other services, offers ‘measurement of the media return of sponsors in all types of competitions for clubs, entities, associations and brands; market research through regular surveys in 35 countries around sport (interest, practice); and consultancy to help our clients define/evaluate/understand sponsorship possibilities’. Amich points out that one of the biggest challenges for the company is the constant change in the way content is consumed and the relationship with fans. To meet this challenge, Nielsen Sports has developed a strategy centred on three main axes: the use of technology to monitor new channels, the ability to adapt to evolving formats and audiences, and personalisation to offer experiences that are more tailored to each consumer.

INDESCAT, along with some twenty Catalan clusters, travelled to China the week of 14 October to explore the country's innovation ecosystem, establish alliances and seek opportunities for international collaboration. This is the tenth edition of the Strategic Cluster Week, an initiative organised by ACCIÓ.

On October 1st and 2nd, INDESCAT participated in the second in-person meeting of the ESMIS project in Dublin, organized by Sport Ireland. The project is currently in the phase of creating a digital platform that will help sports facility managers to access information and find inspiration from best practices in sustainability implemented by other facilities across Europe.

More than a hundred members of INDESCAT, the sports industry cluster in Catalonia, participated today in the Day of strategic reflection and innovation in relation to the trends that will mark the future of the sports industry. The event, which was held at the Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site, was based on the INDESCAT TRENDS 2024 study. More than 25 trends and other industries that will transform the sports sector prepared by the cluster itself. Among the most relevant trends were the evolution of technology, the hyper-personalisation of products and services, and a holistic view of health.