Young innovators present sports app at Samsung's competition in Eschborn!

Young innovators present sports app at Samsung's competition in Eschborn!

At Samsung's German headquarters in Eschborn, three young founders recently presented an idea that could revolutionize physical education. Alica, Gabriel and Kamil, all 17 years old, presented their app “Skillfit” at the “Solve for Tomorrow” ideas competition. This innovative application aims to increase the visibility of individual efforts in physical education and enable fair assessments. Gabriel discovered the advertisement on LinkedIn and convinced his classmates to take part, which led to an exciting competition.

Samsung's competition combines the worlds of sports and technology while promoting social value. A total of 150 applications were submitted, from which nine teams were selected to take part in the “Idea Camp”. Here they had two days to work out their ideas and practice pitching. A jury made up of experts from competitive sports, science and Samsung evaluates the approaches of the young innovators. Five teams will be selected for the next round.

Pioneering ideas for sport

Among the other participants was Nele Mainka, 22 years old, who supports women with cycle tracking and sport with her app “Cycle you”. During the presentations it became clear that other promising ideas were also presented, such as a communication tool for sports clubs and a headband for blind people. Nele Mainka received positive feedback and support from mentors about the marketability of her app. At this point it becomes clear that pitching is important not only for the finalists, but also for the teams that do not advance to the next round.

Another highlight of the competition was the contribution by para-athlete Anna-Lena Forster, who discussed self-confidence in the competition. The winning teams will receive funding of 5,000, 7,500 and 10,000 euros to advance the start of their projects and develop their prototypes. The final presentation of the ideas will take place in February in the “German House” during the Winter Olympics in northern Italy. Alica felt taken seriously after her presentation - an important sign for the sports innovators of the future.

Artificial intelligence in sports

Parallel to this competition, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in sport is becoming increasingly important. At the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics, all 32 sports are expected to be powered by AI. This technology is primarily used to analyze and optimize sporting performance. In addition, the Judging Support System (JSS) was created to promote fairness and transparency in competitions. It analyzes exercises using high-resolution cameras and supports referees in controversial decisions. But whether it will also be used in Paris remains questionable; after all, the technology is promising.

However, the application of AI in sports goes far beyond the Olympics. European Football Championships use AI for big data analytics to refine tactics and scouting methods. In the world of tennis, such as Wimbledon, AI is used to generate animated rallies and provide real-time analysis. These developments show that AI is no longer just relevant for professional athletes, but is also becoming increasingly important in the amateur and youth sectors. For example, Fujitsu plans to use its AI technology to support the Red Wave basketball team and minimize the risk of injury in sports.

The combination of innovative app ideas and the increasing use of AI in sport shows that the future of sport is exciting and diverse. The young talents in the “Solve for Tomorrow” competition and modern technologies could work together to make sport more accessible and fair for everyone.