Sports Tech Research Network (STRN)

What Sports Tech Research Network (STRN) does

Sports Tech Research Network (STRN) is a Belgian non-profit initiative (STRN - SportaMundi vzw, headquartered in Ghent) that operates as a membership-based convening and matchmaking network connecting research-driven professionals across three stakeholder groups: academia (universities and research scientists), industry (sports-technology vendors and innovation firms), and sports field practice (professional clubs, federations, and athletes). Its stated purpose is to facilitate multi-disciplinary collaborations that produce, validate, and bring to market science-based sports technology solutions, covering domains including IoT, sensors and wearables, e-health and m-health, tracking and video analysis, fittech and exergaming, platforms and apps, data science and algorithms, medical imaging, smart places and cities, telemedicine and rehabilitation, and personalized nutrition.

STRN is not a product company; it does not sell software, hardware, or IP. Instead, it delivers a portfolio of services to its members: matchmaking across the three stakeholder groups, consulting for prototype-to-market strategies, project setup facilitation, webinars, summits (2018, 2022, 2024), online meet & greets, the Sports Tech Research Podcast, a news & insights blog, a newsletter, Special Interest Groups on Quality and Innovation, and a Vision Whitepaper. Its network comprises more than 50 member organizations, including FIFA, City Football Group, Vancouver Whitecaps FC, Garmin Health, STATSports, Suunto, Realtrack Systems, KU Leuven, Ghent University, Edith Cowan University, Nord University, and the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences. STRN is an initiative of Victoris (Ghent University's sports innovation consortium) in collaboration with SportaMundi, a Belgian non-profit.

STRN's business model is subscription-based recurring membership fees paid by individuals and organizations. Go-to-market is community-led, relying on its website, LinkedIn presence, podcast, webinars, summits, and meet & greets. The organization employs 1-10 people, is privately held (non-profit), has no disclosed funding rounds, no patents, and no proprietary technology stack; pricing is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Sports Tech Research Network (STRN)

Legal name

STRN - SportaMundi vzw

Website

https://strn.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sports Tech Research Network (STRN) is a Belgian non-profit membership network connecting academic researchers, sports-technology companies, and sports organizations to collaborate on and commercialize science-based sports technology solutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ghent

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: STRN operates as a non-profit initiative that generates revenue through membership fees. Organizations and individuals join the network to access matchmaking, consulting, project setups, and collaboration opportunities across academia, industry, and sports practice.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

STRN is a non-profit membership-based network that connects research-driven professionals from academia, industry, and sports field practice to create, bring to market, and implement science-based sports technology solutions. It delivers matchmaking, consulting, project setup facilitation, webinars, events, podcasts, news and blogs, and Special Interest Group participation to its 50+ member organizations.

Product overview

Sports Tech Research Network (STRN) is a non-profit initiative that functions as a collaborative network rather than a product company. It brings together research-driven professionals from Academia, Industry, and Sports field practice to create, bring to market, and implement sports technology solutions based on science. STRN offers organizational services including matchmaking, consulting, webinars and events, news and blogs, podcasts, project setups, and newsletters. The network facilitates multi-disciplinary collaborations through its platform, connecting members with expertise across key technology areas including Internet-of-things, Sensors & wearables, E & M Health, Tracking & video analysis, Fittech & Exergaming, Platforms & apps, Data science & algorithms, Medical imaging, Smart places & cities, Telemedicine & rehab, and Personalized nutrition. STRN organizes summits (Summit 2024, 2022, 2018), operates Special Interest Groups focused on Quality and Innovation, and maintains a LinkedIn Group community. The network is an initiative of the sports innovation consortium Victoris at Ghent University (Belgium), in collaboration with the non-profit organization SportaMundi.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• STRN Network Membership Paid membership to the Sports Tech Research Network granting access to matchmaking, consulting, project setups, webinars and events, news and blogs, podcasts, LinkedIn Group, and Special Interest Groups for academia, industry, and sports field practice members.
• Matchmaking Service Member-facing service that connects academic researchers with sports technology companies and sports practitioners to co-develop or validate solutions.
• Consulting Service Member-facing advisory service that helps members define strategies and partners for bringing research prototypes and sports technology products to market.
• STRN Webinars and Events Series of webinars, meet & greets, and annual summits (Summit 2024, Summit 2022, Summit 2018) organized by STRN for members and the broader sports technology community.
• Sports Tech Research Podcast Podcast series featuring discussions on sports technology research, innovation, and commercialization.
• News & Insights Blog Regular news articles and insights about sports technology research and innovation published on the STRN website.
• Special Interest Group: Quality Member-only Special Interest Group focused on quality topics, supporting science-based validation of sports technology.
• Special Interest Group: Innovation Member-only Special Interest Group focused on innovation, supporting open innovation projects and bringing research to market.
• Project Setup Service Service that facilitates the setup of multi-disciplinary research and innovation projects between academic, industry, and sports practice members.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Victoris (Ghent University Sports Innovation Consortium)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTRN is an initiative of Victoris, the sports innovation consortium at Ghent University in Belgium. Victoris provides the institutional foundation and academic backing for the network's activities.
• SportaMundicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTRN is a non-profit initiative in collaboration with SportaMundi, a non-profit organization. SportaMundi vzw co-initiates and supports the network as a non-profit entity.
• STRN Member OrganizationscoreOthersSTRN has over 50 member organizations including FIFA, City Football Group, Vancouver Whitecaps FC, STATSports, Garmin Health, Suunto, Realtrack Systems, and major universities (KU Leuven, Ghent University, Edith Cowan University, Nord University, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences). These members participate in network activities, events, and collaborations.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• HYPE Sports Innovation: HYPE is a global sports innovation network and accelerator connecting startups, corporates, and investors in sports technology. It is directly comparable to STRN as a community-led organization facilitating cross-stakeholder collaboration in sports tech.
• Sport Techie: Sport Techie is a leading sports technology media and community platform covering sports tech news, analysis, and events. It is comparable to STRN as a content-and-community-driven organization serving the sports tech ecosystem.
• Sports Innovation Lab: Sports Innovation Lab is a Boston-based research and advisory organization that maps and analyzes the sports technology market, connecting brands, leagues, and technology providers. It is comparable to STRN as it operates a research-and-network model focused on sports tech adoption.
• SportsTechX: SportsTechX is a research and insights platform focused on the global sports tech ecosystem, providing market intelligence, reports, and community. It is a direct peer to STRN as it serves the sports tech industry with research-driven content and community engagement.
• International Sports Engineering Association (ISEA): ISEA is a professional academic association dedicated to sports engineering research, organizing conferences and publications. It is a direct peer to STRN as an academic/professional body supporting sports tech research collaboration and conference management.

Broad incumbents

• Catapult Sports: Catapult is a publicly-traded sports performance technology company providing wearables, tracking, and analytics to elite teams and athletes. It is comparable to STRN as it sits at the intersection of sports tech and field practice, but operates a commercial product model rather than a network model.
• World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI): WFSGI is the global industry association representing sports goods manufacturers and brands. It is comparable to STRN as a sports industry membership body, though it serves a broader traditional sporting goods constituency rather than the tech-focused niche.

Regional players

• European Association for Sports Management (EASM): EASM is a European academic association for sports management research with conferences and journals. It is a regional peer to STRN as an academic professional association, though it focuses on sports management rather than sports technology specifically.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/STRN_SportsTech
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sports-tech-research-network

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sports Tech Research Network (STRN)