UEFA reveals the startups selected to promote active and healthy lifestyle through Champions Innovate

The two startups for the second edition of Champions Innovate, UEFA's groundbreaking programme focusing on the promotion of active and healthy lifestyle around the 2025 UEFA Champions League final, have been announced: Mastercard will partner with FC Urban, while adidas will work with Equip Sport.

Originally conceived by the UEFA Innovation Hub, Champions Innovate is a collaborative partnership between UEFA, the host city of the UEFA Champions League final as well as UEFA Champions League commercial partners.

This edition sees partners Mastercard and adidas onboarded to the programme in tandem with the City of Munich – 2025 UEFA Champions League final host city – and the German Football Association (DFB), with the aim of leaving a lasting impact in the German city.

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

Mastercard x FC Urban

Through its platform and community builders, FC Urban breaks down traditional barriers of commitment and accessibility, enabling footballers of all levels to join games at their convenience and track their progress using gamification features. Using the Champions Innovate programme, FC Urban and Mastercard will aim to explore innovative technological solutions to make access to sports more inclusive and equitable in Munich.

adidas x Equip Sport

Equip Sport is a digital solution that provides unlimited access to sports gear through its sustainable and modern equipment stations. With over 300 stations across Europe, Equip Sport is committed to facilitating access to sport, empowering both individuals and communities to engage in sports anytime and anywhere. Through Champions Innovate, Equip Sport and adidas will aim to leverage their technological expertise to make sports experiences, both planned and spontaneous, easily accessible throughout Munich.

Collaboration and mentoring

Both startups are granted a financial contribution of €50,000, with the intention of offsetting the costs associated with executing the pilot programme and will benefit from exclusive access to experimental platforms facilitated by affiliations with the City of Munich and UEFA in addition to the expertise and mentorship of experienced professionals. This grants both of them the opportunity to connect with a valuable network that includes investors, innovation accelerators, public authorities, media organisations and well-known brands, creating possibilities for collaborations and avenues for growth.

The startups will also benefit from three in-person workshop sessions in Munich scheduled between January and May, actively engaging and gaining valuable insights – allowing them to refine their innovative solutions to the challenges identified by Mastercard and adidas in the context of the 2025 UEFA Champions League final.

Finally, in addition to extensive support from both the commercial partners and UEFA, the startups will have an exclusive opportunity to demonstrate the outcomes of their pilot development project at the final showcase event due to take place on 29 May 2025 at Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus), located in Munich’s iconic Marienplatz, two days prior to the UEFA Champions League final.

Detailed information on Champions Innovate, the chosen startups and programme ahead can be found here.