Three Finalists Chosen to Present at 2020 Tennis Industry Innovation Challenge
January 6, 2020
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (Jan. 7, 2020) — Three finalists have been chosen to present at the 2020 Tennis Industry INNOVATION CHALLENGE, which will be held on Thursday, Jan. 23, during the Racquet & Paddle Sports Show in Orlando, Fla.
Bleachr, Hydrogen Sports and Mojjo will present five-minute pitches about their new product or service to a panel of judges—and in front of an audience of tennis and racquet sports industry leaders—in a “Shark Tank”-like competition to determine a winner.
“This is our fifth edition of the Tennis Industry INNOVATION CHALLENGE, and we’ve seen some some amazing products and services that have come to light designed to help the racquet and paddle sports industry grow,” says Jolyn de Boer, executive director of the Tennis Industry Association (TIA), which sponsors the competition. “We’re excited to see the on-stage presentations from our three finalists later this month.”
This edition of the Innovation Challenge attracted more than 20 applicants from seven countries. The showdown with the finalists will take place at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) during the 2nd Annual Racquet & Paddle Sports Show (racquetpaddlesportsshow.com), held Jan. 22-24, which will also include the TIA’s annual Tennis Owners & Managers (TOM) Conference.
For industry professionals, registration is free for the Racquet & Paddle Sports Conference (RAPS), which will include attendance at the TOM Conference Tennis Innovation Challenge Session on Jan. 23, starting at 8:30 a.m. at the OCCC. A separate fee is required for attendance and participation in the educational TOM Conference (register at racquetpaddlesportsshow.com).
The three finalists who will present at the OCCC are:
Bleachr LLC’s TennisOne App (www.bleachr.co), which is a mobile hub for all things tennis, providing a robust platform that addresses the needs of the tennis community. The TennisONE App provides live scoring, AI ball tracer technology, player stats, social games and other content.
Hydrogen Sports’ Proton (www.hydrogensports.com), a robotic ball machine that is less than half the size and weight of other ball machines, and smart enough to automatically aim shots. The user taps the court location on a mobile phone, selects speed and spin, and the Proton machine does the rest.
PLAYR’s Mojjo (http://mojjo.io), a unique technology based on image processing and Artificial Intelligence that is capable of analyzing a match “on the fly.” The system is intended for clubs, academies and schools and uses a touch-screen computer and two fixed cameras installed on the court, while a smartphone can be synchronized as a third camera.
Mike Barrell, coach for more than 30 years and the director of evolve9, an international company that helps national tennis federations and providers design and implement tennis programs for children.
Louis Foreman, the founder and chief executive of Enventys Partners, an integrated product design, engineering and marketing firm. He is also the founder of Edison Nation, and Edison Nation Medical.
Dr. Stuart Miller, the senior executive director of Integrity & Development at the International Tennis Federation.
Keith Storey, president of Sports Marketing Surveys and one of the world’s leading authorities on sports market research, with nearly 30 years of experience in the field.
Maik Burlage, a former ATP tour player who is the CEO and co-founder of smart-court technology company Wingfield, which recently received $1.2 million in investments.