Decathlon has teamed up with London Sport’s Sport Tech Hub as part of a digital poverty push to help increase Londoners’ physical activity by “eradicating barriers to participation and increase accessibility”.
The Sport Tech Hub was established by London Sport to support the launch and growth of sports technology ventures which play a major role in solving the world’s physical inactivity crisis.
As one of the world’s largest sports retailer, Decathlon will be able to offer access to sector experts via mentoring, workshops and events; helping Sport Tech Hub ventures reach users and make the most of their innovative sports tech solutions.
Ventures will be able to access support from Decathlon during their time on the Innovation Programme and within the wider Sport Tech Hub community.
“We are delighted to be partnering with Decathlon and using our collective efforts to continue to accelerate the use of technology to help more people become active,” said London Sport’s director of commercial, marketing and communications, Tanya Rabin.
“We ultimately want to see technology as an enabler to helping less active Londoners to be more active and ensuring we can continue to support innovators to launch, grow and scale tech products which eradicate barriers to participation and increase accessibility.”
Rabin pointed out that while Covid-19 increased adoption of digital products as a means to be active, it also exacerbated existing digital inequalities, leaving behind millions of people and families across the UK.
“The value of this partnership is centred on making sure more people in London and beyond can make the most of products accelerated by Sport Tech Hub,” she added.
Decathlon’s corporate social responsibility lead Delphine Mazillier, also commented, “We know that regularly staying active does wonders for our physical and mental wellbeing. We also know that there are too many barriers currently preventing a large proportion of the UK public from doing so.
“At Decathlon, it’s our mission to make sport accessible to the many, so we look forward to working closely with London Sport who clearly share the same goal.”
