UEFA promotes healthy and active lifestyle through latest Champions Innovate challenge

UEFA is proud to announce the launch of the second edition of its Champions Innovate programme, designed to address meaningful contemporary challenges faced in the world today, fostering innovation to create a genuine legacy. Originally conceived by the UEFA innovation hub Champions Innovate is a collaborative partnership between UEFA, the City of Munich, the German Football Association (DFB) and UEFA Champions League commercial partners Mastercard and adidas which aims to leave a lasting impact on Munich, the 2025 UEFA Champions League final host city.

Together with the City of Munich, UEFA has agreed upon the key strategic policy of promoting physical activity and healthy lifestyles, with startup companies in those fields invited to propose ideas to meet specific challenges identified by Mastercard and adidas.

Mastercard will implement its vision of using the power of football to connect, inspire and serve as a force for good by supporting and inspiring the citizens of Munich with a purposeful digital innovation that makes sport – especially football – more inclusive and accessible for everyone. Its aim is to remove the obstacles which prevent participation in organised sport.

Meanwhile, adidas is seeking to harness the excitement generated by the UEFA Champions League final to make more fans, especially from the younger generation, fall in love with practising sport, and football in particular – encouraging them away from screens and to become more active, creating beneficial lifelong habits.

The programme, open to startups worldwide, will run from this autumn, and UEFA’s partners will mentor the selected startups throughout the process, holding workshops in winter and spring before the pilot projects are presented and celebrated at a final showcase event in Munich two days ahead of the UEFA Champions League final, which will serve as the launchpad for continued collaboration.

Note to startups:

The application phase for startups interested in participating is now open and remains so until 20 October. Detailed information is available here, and proposals can be submitted via this link.