7 Startups from 5 countries competed all day, with Irish StartUp KinetikIQ winning “Most Investable” prize.

The Sophia Business Angels (SBA) held their traditional International Venture Academy this last Friday 07 November which focused on SportsTech with a star-studded cast of Keynote Speakers and an international cohort of 7 Startups from 5 countries, (Spain, Türkiye, Finland, France, Ireland) participating.  The SBA was delighted to welcome EBAN Sports as the sponsor of the all-day event which took place at the Novotel in Sophia Antipolis.

The SBA International Venture Academy is conceived as a “Coaching and Investment Readiness Day” for StartUps which are considered to be “Almost Investment Ready” and are usually recommended by SBA Members and the SBA’s partner Angel networks throughout Europe and the world.

International Venture Academy – 7 November 2025 (Coaches, Judges and Star)

Keynote Speakers and Special Guest Appearances

Former Manchester United soccer star Louis Saha, champion of the 1998 world cup with the French national team, shared his winning secret of “Focus” during his reveal of KiiMasters, his new platform where we can access champions to inspire us to improve body & mind. 

Le Tremplin incubator Co-Founder and Olympic 2024 Innovation Chief Omar El-Zayat talked about the need to continually innovate and use data to get insights.  

EBAN Sports Co-Chair and SBA Board Member, Audra Shallal underlined that “SportsTech” touches every part of our lives, be it entertainment, competition, mental and physical health.  

Ashish Gupta,  a veteran business leader who drove the global adoption of Wi-Fi at Intel, now serves as a Board Member of the Oregon Venture Fund, advising startups on pitch strategy, go-to-market execution, and scaling success.

Anna Badurska, President 42 Global Ventures, former EIT Health Director and President of Mougins School Business Club, added examples of how Sports affects our health.

(Top) Jean-Claude Goldenstein, Louis Saha, and Audra Shallal,

(Right) Barbara Saxby, Catherine Marchand, Candace, Audra Shallal.

The Startups and Entrepreneurs that participated at the November 2025 IVA

Icorpod presented by Jaime de la Calle – A smart-tracking sports tech platform that delivers real-time data and analytics via wearable sensors and cloud software to optimize training performance, primarily for badminton and racquet sports. (Spain)

Inrace presented by Ilia Khaliavin & Benoit Gouit – A sports-tech platform delivering “the most immersive motorsport experience” by using virtual reality to transport fans deep into the action of each race weekend presented. (France)

KineticIQ presented by Emma Meehan – A precision‐sports and health technology company that brings biomechanics lab-level movement analysis into your hand, using LiDAR 3D scanning to deliver instant metrics that enable athletes and clinicians to optimize performance, reduce injury risk and train smarter. (Ireland)

Mistikist presented by Bûgra Karahan – A neuroscience-based mental wellbeing platform that uses AI-driven, personalized audio-visual brainwave entertainment to help users reduce stress, enhance focus, improve sleep and program their subconscious mind — all in just a few minutes per session. (Turkey and UK)

Stepswatch presented by Rahul Mehta – Provides a personalized digital health solution, aiming to deliver “personalized care at every step” through remote monitoring and data-driven insights via its platform. (France and India)

Vest Padel presented by Adrian Torres Montero – Tailored padel-training experience combining high-performance methodology with a welcoming, club-style atmosphere.(Spain)

Viva Jets presented by Timonthy Kronqvist– A Finnish-based company specializing in fully electric personal watercraft, designed for sustainability and high performance — boasting zero emissions, rapid recharging and innovative materials made from recycled bio-composites.(Finland)

These 7 companies participated in the SBA International Venture Academy with KinetikIQ winning the top prize of “Most Investable”:

Best Presentation Award went to Inrace; Best Improvement to Icorpod and the Michael Rogosin Best Team Award to Stepswatch.

Edgardo da Fonseca, Candace Johnson, IcorPod entrepeneur – Jaime de la Calle, Audra Shallal, Pascal Thomas and Francois Ruppli 

Catherine Marchand, Edgardo da Fonseca, Candace Johnson, Audra Shallal, Stepswatch entrepreneurs – Shikha and Rahul Mehta, Pascal Thomas and Francois Ruppli 

About Sophia Business Angels:

Based in the Sophia Antipolis technology park, Sophia Business Angels (SBA) has forty investor members from around the world. SBA is unique in being an international network, as evidenced by the numerous initiatives launched by Edgardo da Fonseca (Founder and President of SBA) and Candace Johnson (Co-Founder of  SBA  and President Emeritus of European Business Angels Networks and the SBA ) together with Senator Pierre Laffitte in 2002, the founder of Sophia Antipolis.  The SBA’s  now-famous “International Venture Academy,” which, since June 2010, has mobilized nearly 500 coaches and 40 internationally renowned speakers, and has enabled the financing or support of nearly 160 projects, 40 % of which have received funding through their participation in the SBA International Venture Academy.

For more information, visit www.sophiabusinessangels.com 

About EBAN Sports:

EBAN Sports is a specialised community within the European Business Angels Network (EBAN) dedicated to fostering investment, collaboration, and innovation in the SportsTech sector. Its main goal is to connect early-stage investors, startups, and industry stakeholders working at the intersection of sports and technology, such as wearables, data analytics, virtual reality, smart venues, and fan engagement tools.

The community serves as a hub for angel investors seeking to identify and support promising SportsTech ventures, while also helping entrepreneurs gain access to mentorship, funding, and international exposure. EBAN Sports hosts networking events, pitch sessions, and thematic conferences—such as the EBAN SportsTech Explorer Tour—to encourage deal flow and knowledge exchange between investors and founders.

Through partnerships and reports, EBAN Sports promotes awareness of emerging trends and investment opportunities across Europe’s rapidly expanding SportsTech ecosystem. It also collaborates with accelerators and innovation programs to advance the growth of sports-related startups.

While EBAN Sports does not act as a direct investment fund, it provides a powerful platform where members of the EBAN network can share expertise, co-invest, and collaborate on high-potential opportunities. The initiative is led by industry professionals including Juan Fuentes Fernández and Audra Elena Shallal, who guide its strategy and community engagement.

Overall, EBAN Sports plays a vital role in shaping Europe’s SportsTech investment landscape by bridging the gap between investors and innovators, fostering cross-border collaboration, and driving the technological transformation of the global sports industry.

For more information, visit: https://www.eban.org/eban-sports/