Deadline: 15 August 2019

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), in collaboration with Futbol Club Barcelona, presents the 1st UNWTO Sports Tourism Start-up Competition to identify startups with the greatest potential to outline the future and promote sustainable innovation in the sports & tourism sector.

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is the United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism. As the leading international organization in the field of tourism, UNWTO promotes tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability and offers leadership and support to the sector in advancing knowledge and tourism policies worldwide.

Awards

• 20 selected start-ups will be shortlisted by a panel of international experts and stakeholders from the sports & Tourism sectors (public and private sector, academia and civil society);
• The 5 finalist start-ups will have the opportunity to pitch their idea to a panel of experts, governments, industry leaders and international investors who will attend the Mobile World Congress (MWC) to be held in Barcelon on 25-28 February 2019;
• The winning company will have the possibility to make its mark on the international stage and increase the impact of its start-up with the help of FC Barcelona experts with a customized mentoring programme and the possibility of participating Barca Innovation HUB;
• The winning company will have the opportunity to design a pilot project with FC Barcelona and implement it with the help of its network.

Criteria

The projects will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• Innovation and disruptiveness
  • They are looking for startups with a project/product/service proposal that will disrupt the sector by introducing new concepts not yet identified in the gastronomic tourism industry.
• Potential impact and scalability
  • They are looking for startups with a sound business model that has the potential for scalability in another environment/market/region making it feasible to increase and grow its social, technological and economic impact.
• Initially validated or tested business model
  • They are looking for startups in growth or seed stages that have tested their idea and have a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) tested in a real market.
• Partnership Readiness
  • They are looking for startups that have experience in the co-development of products/services and interest in accessing collaborations with partners in the sector.
• Suitable and committed team;
  • They are looking for startups that have an entrepreneurial team suited to the needs and characteristics of the project, with high motivation, interest and commitment to its development.
• Sustainability in the value proposition;
  • They are looking for startups that integrate sustainability into the business model of the project, taking special care of the relationship between culture, heritage, gastronomy, tourism and economic growth.
• Technological or digital component
  • They are looking for startups in which a technological or digital component is embedded in the business model.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must be in the early stage or series a stage;
• Applicants can be both from for -profit and Non- profit;
• Applicants must be Natural or legal persons;
• Startups with a minimum viable product (MVP);
• Startups with potential for scalability;
• Startups with a sustainable vision.

How to Apply

Applicants can apply online via given website.

For more information please visit https://unwto-barcainnovationhub-challenge.org/en/