December 17 – The two start-ups selected for the second edition of Champions Innovate, UEFA’s pioneering programme promoting active and healthy lifestyles around the 2025 Champions League final, have been announced: Mastercard will collaborate with FC Urban, while adidas will partner with Equip Sport.
Champions Innovate is a collaborative partnership between UEFA, the host city of the Champions League final, which this season s Munich, and Champions League commercial partners.
UEFA and the City of Munich agreed on the theme of promoting physical activity and healthy lifestyles, with start-up companies in those fields invited to propose ideas and solutions to meet specific challenges identified by UEFA partners Mastercard and adidas.
Mastercard will partner up with FC Urban, a platform designed to connect amateur players and get them involved in football, to expand their reach into Munich, creating more opportunities to be active for the local community.
Meanwhile, Adidas will collaborate alongside Equip Sport, a digital solution that provides unlimited access to sports gear through its sustainable and modern equipment stations. They will combine to make sports experiences, both planned and spontaneous, easily accessible throughout Munich.
Both startups will receive a €50,000 financial contribution to help cover the costs of implementing their pilot programmes. They will also gain exclusive access to experimental platforms through partnerships with the City of Munich and UEFA, as well as mentorship and expert advice.
This initiative connects the start-ups to a valuable network, including investors, innovation accelerators, public authorities, media organisations, and major brands, opening up opportunities for collaboration and growth.
Between January and May, the startups will participate in three in-person workshops in Munich.The startups will showcase the results of their pilot projects at a final event on 29 May 2025 at Munich’s historic Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus) in Marienplatz – two days before the UEFA Champions League final.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1734559843labto1734559843ofdlr1734559843owedi1734559843sni@g1734559843niwe.1734559843yrrah1734559843