UK Sport and Loughborough University Sports Technology Institute have launched two competitions to challenge the nation’s entrepreneurs find the most innovative ideas in sport. 

Competition winners will benefit from funding to pursue their project, together with access to an outstanding network of world-leading expertise and specialist research facilities, dedicated to developing cutting edge technologies in both elite performance and the sport and leisure industry.

Through its Ideas 4 Innovation programme, UK Sport’s Research and Innovation team is seeking pioneering new ideas designed to give our best athletes the competitive advantage they need to win medals on the world stage.  Novel training and recovery strategies or aids, equipment or apparel will be considered for the Garage Innovators Award, a single grant of up to £25,000 to be used to further the idea, exploring its potential to benefit the British Olympic and Paralympic teams.

Loughborough University Sports Technology Institute is offering Innovation Awards of up to £10,000, supported by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation.  Innovative sports clothing, footwear or equipment at any stage of development will be considered, provided it demonstrates strong commercial potential.

The Institute is one of a select few research organisations to be granted ‘Innovation Partner’ status by UK Sport in recognition of their working partnership in developing innovative technologies that could hold the key to world beating performances. 

The partnership has already produced results, with three Beijing-bound Paralympic athletes benefiting from collaborative research to improve the design of individual frames used in archery and throwing events. The project has already demonstrated an average weight reduction of up to 50% for the frames as well as improved ergonomic design. 

Another collaborative project has teamed leading specialist sports shoe manufacturer New Balance with Loughborough University experts to develop the first ever sprint spike that is biomechanically tuned to the individual athlete to optimise force production and therefore speed. 

Award winners would have access to the expertise and facilities used in cutting edge projects such as these.  At the launch of the awards held at the Institute, Olympic Gold medal winning cyclist, and Ideas 4 Innovation judging panel member, Jason Queally said:

“I have been directly involved with the research and development work that has gone on behind the scenes between British Cycling and UK Sport over the last four years to ensure the team remain a step ahead of the rest of the world technologically.  As the world’s leading cycling nation, the GB team will hopefully reap the rewards of this work, as well as their own hard work and dedication, in Beijing.

“But the hard work on and off the track doesn’t stop there.  We’ve got 2012 to look ahead to and we need some fresh ideas and approaches to make the team even better by then.  This is where the British public can help by telling us their Ideas 4 Innovation – and not just for cycling – UK Sport work with all of our Olympic and Paralympic sports.

“Sometimes the best ideas come from outside the sporting world because, that way, moments of inspiration are not confined by knowledge of the ‘norms’ and what has gone before.  If you’ve got wild ideas, creativity and a passion for sport we want to hear from you - this is a real opportunity for you to contribute to British sporting success.”