About EPSI
EPSI is a Non for profit European association (ASBL) located in Brussels (Belgium).
The European Platform for Sport Innovation is a Membership-based networking organisation focusing on innovation in the areas of physical activity, sport, leisure, health and many more.EPSI Vision: “Leading Sport Innovation Globally”
the European Platform for Sport Innovation is an Accelerator of innovation in the area of physical activity/sport, related to Leisure, transport, education, turism environment, construction and health in Europe.
– EPSI strives for a more innovation-friendly environment to stimulate businesses development with a focus on the quadruple Helix: business, academia, government and end consumers –Services
1 LOBBING:
- To Influence Policy makers at European, National and regional level to increase political attention to world Sport
- To Increase public investments into sport
2 FUNDRAISING:
- To Inform its members on European/national financial opportunities through call for proposals and public tenders
- To Kick start, coordinate and manage European/national project developments and project execution.
- To Create business opportunities among its members and other relevant stakeholders
3 NETWORKING and EVENT ORGANIZATION
- Event Management: EPSI is a benchmark within the European Sport sector for the organisation of international Conferences, Summits and Matchmaking Events crucial for its Networking activities. Below ( or HERE) an Aftermovie of one of the event to give a practical overview on the quality of contents.
- Networking Organization
EPSI functions as a networking organization for and between its members. In the coming years activities will be focused on following items:
- Organizing activities and events to tackle and harvest chances and needs for innovation for the sector. Sources for innovation will be based on the Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) but also on public health needs and on innovation opportunities provided by the organization of top sport events
- Share and disseminate information (e.g. project results, new knowledge, innovation programmes and innovation chances) to the members by e.g. organizing of workshops, seminars, website and newsletters.
- Elaboration of the network (by strengthening the connections to the sports eco-system and by increasing transparency in the knowledge network)
- Putting forward the sports agenda on innovation and research towards the European Commission and national governments
EPSI will be flexible and open to providing other activities and services which may be required to achieve its primary aim.
EPSI organization
Legal structure
EPSI is a non profit association (ASBL) located in Brussels (Belgium)Network of networks
EPSI is a networking organization. Its core is a network of national sports and innovation networks thus representing the ecosystem-sports-innovation partners throughout the EU. Members of EPSI typically come from sports eco-system, universities and academia, Sport research institutes, consumer health and safety organisations, medical and teaching hospitals, educational institutes, public authorities, national sports innovation contact points and other relevant stake holders
Direct links to Sport Eco-System
EPSI is directly linked to the industrial needs and agenda. It is supported by several national sports and innovation networks. Each of these networks holds direct relations to the sport sector.
Organization structure
EPSI is a membership organization with a president, general assembly and board. Day to day activities are lead by two executive directors.- Alberto Bichi
- Rene Wijlens
Additional Information
“Leading Sport Innovation Globally”
Goal
EPSI strives to achieve a more innovation-friendly environment for the sports industry in the EU in order to stimulate technological innovation and establish businesses based on innovation technology. To accomplish this, EPSI does the following:- Encourages networking between high tech companies, SMEs, universities and research organisations as in addition to other interested parties
- Develops and fosters a durable and innovation friendly / innovation stimulating environment for the entire EU Sports movement
- Initiates activities among its members to respond to regional, national and European calls for proposals with the aim of finalising certain innovation projects
- Contributes to the dissemination of new knowledge and innovation opportunities / trends for its members
Focus
The platform focuses its activities on innovation in the area of physical activity related to sport leisure and health such as:- Sporting goods, footwear/ apparel and hardware
- Performance, monitoring and enhancement apparatus
- Sports facilities, sport surfaces and equipment
- Sports nutrition, health and physical activity
In 2006, organisations from the Sports industry, Sports and R&D organisations throughout the EU joined together in a European project, entitled the Innosport.eu initiative (www.innosport.eu). This project was established under the European sixth Framework Program (FP6) in order to deal with the challenges that the EU sports sector faces, by carrying out:
- Ways of dealing with fragmentation and focus research
- Increasing innovative power in the sector
- Combining national and European approaches in Sports R&D&I
- Incorporating opportunities which come out due to emerging technologies