The ISPO Global Innovation Award (ISPO Brandnew) was initiated by surfing legend Robby Naish, whose brand Naish Kites was the first winner when the competition was launched in 2000. By the time ISPO Munich 2018 opened, the 30-edition-strong ISPO Global Innovation Award had gradually become the most closely watched high-standard competition for startups in the sports industry — a prestigious accolade that past winners continue to speak highly of. Well-known brands such as GoPro, Maloja, ON, POC, and Nixon Watches, among others, have also stepped onto the global stage and gained worldwide recognition from this very platform.
Taking advantage of the 30th anniversary of the ISPO Global Innovation Award, ISPO.com has organized a series of insightful articles introducing the winning brands, exploring questions such as: Where do these brands come from? How do their innovative concepts take shape? How do they combine product and brand to win in the market?
In an interview with ISPO Munich Exhibition Director Markus Hefter, he provided detailed insights on topics such as "the original intention behind organizing the ISPO Global Innovation Award," "how startup brands stand out among numerous competitors," "what comprehensive support ISPO offers to winning brands," and "the significant role digitalization plays for startup brands."
ISPO.com: As the largest design innovation competition for global sports startups, all the 2018 winning brands will make a collective appearance at ISPO Munich (January 28–31, 2018), giving the 30th edition’s winners a milestone significance. As the person in charge of this competition, could Mr. Hefter share whether any special events have been planned for ISPO 2018?
Markus Hefter: We have already published a series of feature articles on ISPO.com, sharing the stories of the winning brands from the past 30 editions of the ISPO Global Innovation Award, allowing everyone to learn more about the background of each brand’s establishment, the untold entrepreneurial journeys of these startups, and the stories of the teams behind them.
At the same time, we have also specially set up the “Walk of Fame” (The Walk of Fame). It will not only invite past winning brands to form a historical retrospective exhibition but will also engage professional audiences in exploring the past and present of these winning brands.
Additionally, we will launch a special issue of the ISPO Brandnew magazine and invite winning brands from the past 17 years to attend a celebration dinner.
ROBBY NAISH has been invited once again to serve as a judge on the 2018 ISPO Global Innovation Award jury
ISPO.com: Which startup brands have participated in the ISPO Global Innovation Award in the past? Over the course of 30 editions, what changes has the ISPO Global Innovation Award undergone?
Markus Hefter: As the founder of Naish Kites, Robby Naish is not only a legendary figure but also the leader who led his own brand to win the first (2000) ISPO Global Innovation Award. This marked the beginning of Naish Kites’ development. Looking back over the past decade or so, through continuous refinement, we have gradually realized our positioning — as a stepping stone to success for global sports startups.
Today, we receive applications from around 350–400 startups globally each year, all competing for 50 winning spots under unified and strict criteria.
2018 is a particularly memorable edition for us, and I am especially pleased that we have the honor of inviting Robby Naish to be a judge again this year. I personally look forward to this judging session.
ISPO.com: Over the years, which winning brands have left a deep impression on you? Have there been any that surprised you particularly?
Markus Hefter: Actually, to me, all the winning brands are top-notch. The current winning rate is close to 1:8 (400 brands competing for 50 spots), and we are confident that every selected brand is of high quality. On a personal note, there are indeed some products that have left a strong impression on me. They were the competing brands during my first tenure as head of the ISPO Global Innovation Award, including Maloja, Nixon Watches, and GoPro.
Former winners, today’s independent judges
ISPO.com: As far as I understand, there were 67 participating brands in 2000; by 2017, that number exceeded 400, with over 6,000 total applications submitted over the years. As one of the judges yourself, how do you determine which brands among so many applicants will secure a place in the competitive market?
Markus Hefter: The independent judging panel is primarily composed of past winning brands of the ISPO Global Innovation Award. These now-established brands clearly understand the qualities startups need to succeed, as they carry shadows of their own pasts — they have all weathered the toughest stages.
Over the years, we have also continuously refined our scoring system, evaluating based on the criteria of “concept, innovation, marketing capability, and market potential.” Under this framework, we can make neutral and systematic judgments about the participating brands.
ISPO.com: How can applying brands increase their chances of winning?
Markus Hefter: Naturally, those that perform excellently in all aspects. Generally speaking, the concept is the most important; if a brand’s concept is entirely new, it is more likely to earn extra points. Next, we consider the team behind the brand — what is their background? What is the brand’s composition and the spirit it embodies?
At the same time, we also score the brand’s marketing capability: does the founding team have a clear sales and marketing strategy? How do they communicate their creative ideas? Finally, we also assess the product’s market potential: is the brand’s concept market-adapted? Did the brand conduct effective market research when designing the product?
Winning Brands Showcase: Each winning brand will receive a dedicated booth at ISPO MUNICH
ISPO.com: Initially, one of the major motivations for participating brands to win was the opportunity to showcase at ISPO Munich. How did the Winning Brands Showcase come about? What changes have occurred since its inception?
Markus Hefter:The idea for the ISPO Global Innovation Award came from our sponsors. We all know that without long-term partners, it would have been impossible to establish this competition successfully. As the number of supporting brands grew, we needed to explore more ways to showcase them.
Establishing the Winning Brands Showcase helps foster greater cohesion among brands in the sports industry and encourages more open exchanges among startups. That has always been our guiding principle. Uniform booth designs, a culturally diverse global atmosphere, and professional exhibition organizers can meet all the essential needs of the brands.
ISPO.com: Ideally, can winning brands of the ISPO Global Innovation Award leverage the customer relationships built on the ISPO Munich platform to leap into becoming major brands and enter the international market? What help can ISPO provide to the winning brands?
Markus Hefter: As the world’s leading sports business platform, ISPO is committed to facilitating communication and exchange within the global sports industry. It has long been dedicated to serving sports businesses, regardless of their size, type, or stage of development, providing them with comprehensive services year-round. If a brand encounters difficulties entering a specific country, we can offer them the best tools to assist — the ISPO Academy and market introduction programs are highly effective guidance tools.
In China, we hold a series of exhibitions in Shanghai and Beijing to help overseas brands enter the largest developing market in the sports industry. At the same time, we also provide online services, such as ISPO Open Innovation for new product R&D testing and the industry’s original news portal, ISPO.com.
In 2017, the ISPO Global Innovation Awards began including a digital technology category.
ISPO.com: The rapid development of digital technology is transforming today's traditional sports industry, and startups are no exception. In the face of such changes, how do you think the ISPO Global Innovation Awards will respond to this development?
Markus Hefter:Indeed, we have received an increasing number of products from brands that are closely integrated with digital technology. For example, among last year’s winners, the champion in the wearable technology category, PIQ, designed a product capable of analyzing millions of types of movement data and providing real-time feedback on mobile phones, which can also be used for various types of sports analysis. Among the 2017 winners, there were also innovations such as a virtual avalanche avoidance training course and a football coaching tactical platform.
In the future, we will see more similar innovative products emerging. In addition, mobile apps, websites, platforms, and software related to sports are becoming increasingly important. Regarding digital technology, we introduced an independent competition category for the first time in 2017, specifically for digitally enabled sports products.
We believe the digital transformation is a significant opportunity—established traditional companies are entering the sports field, and emerging brands are making their mark. This is the most exciting new era.