Lisbon, Portugal, November 12th / PRNewswire / -- IBM (New York Stock Exchange ticker: IBM) announced today that LivXP has won the Web Summit Lisbon IBM Sports Technology Startup Award Challenge. IBM stated that the company was recognized for its innovative applications in proxy AI, which have changed the way fans interact with their favorite teams, organizations, and leagues.
This challenge competition is the concluding event of the IBM Sports Technology Entrepreneurship Challenge. The program, which lasts for one year, is a global initiative aimed at identifying and evaluating startups in the growth phase that are developing enterprise-level technologies for sports organizations, teams, media companies, and fans. IBM launched this program in Web Summit Lisbon in 2025, and subsequently engaged with the founders in Web Summit in Vancouver, Rio de Janeiro, and Lisbon, as well as in a16z in New York and San Francisco, and through online forums. These showcase events are intended to provide opportunities for exposure and interaction, but they do not grant any entry qualifications, rankings, preferences, or advancement rights to this week's competition, which is limited to invited participants only. A total of 7 finalist companies have been selected for this invitation-only challenge, all of whom were chosen from a wide range of sports technology innovators. The finalists presented their solutions before a panel of judges, which includes the IBM Chief Communications and Brand Officer, an Ferrari ambassador, the Scuderia Ferrari HP's Marc Gen, the CNN top broadcaster Brad Smith, and the FREDGIL Academy founder and CEO of a token issuance Gil.
LivXP is a Swiss-American company that has received acceleration support from Harvard Innovation Lab. The company provides an infrastructure for impulsive consumption in the sports sector, driven by AI, covering auctions, experiences, and sponsorship activations, and triggers transactions at peak moments of fan emotion. From the Tour de Suisse to the sports programs of Boston College, leagues, clubs, international competitions, as well as American university sports programs, all use its white-label platform to reach fans in 150 countries.
"We are deeply impressed by the technological innovation and practical applications of the LivXP solution," said Sarah Meron, Chief Communications and Brand Officer of IBM. "At IBM, we have been constantly seeking new ways for AI to help customers create more attractive and personalized experiences. We believe that such technologies have exciting potential in enhancing our collaboration with global sports and entertainment partners."
After the award announcement, LivXP CEO and Co-Founder Ashima Saxena stated: "Every emotional high in sports carries an opportunity for revenue, and AI has finally enabled sports organizations to capture these opportunities on a large scale without increasing staff. We are proud to have won the IBM Sports Technology Startup Challenge and look forward to collaborating with the IBM Sports and Entertainment team to bring impulsive consumption to more clubs, sponsors, and fans around the world."
The final in Lisbon marked the conclusion of a year-long entrepreneurship showcase and evaluation event that brought together influential figures from the fields of sports, media, and venture capital, including Maria Sharapova, as well as representatives from a16z, USTA Ventures, Sony Ventures, Comcast Ventures, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment ( MLSE ), FIFA, and Powerhouse Capital.
Shortlisted Companies
- Fanory — A smart platform for fans that transforms on-site sports experiences into memories, assets, and behavioral data.
- Neuron Systems — A multi-agent AI platform for live sports and entertainment, capable of generating real-time commentary, insights, and content for fans and creators.
- LivXP — A fan engagement platform that connects sports fans with exclusive experiences, auctions, and opportunities to interact with teams, athletes, and sports organizations.
- PressBox — A content platform driven by AI, helping sports leagues, teams, and media organizations to create and personalize content and marketing.
- NTangible — A language cognitive assessment platform used to measure athletes' performance under pressure.
- Proximity Works Inc. – The AI engineering company that builds real-time intelligent and fan engagement systems for sports, media, and entertainment organizations.
- Noiz — A sports matching platform that helps users find courts more easily, try new sports, and build connections with players.
The prizes for this award include: up to $100,000 to support a proof-of-concept project that meets the criteria and is jointly pursued with the IBM sports and entertainment collaboration team, subject to individual review and agreement requirements; up to $20,000 in IBM credits, which can be used for IBM services and technologies; as well as mentorship opportunities and evaluation opportunities described in the official rules.
About the IBM Sports Technology Entrepreneurship Challenge
The IBM Sports Technology Startup Challenge, in collaboration with Web Summit, is a global initiative aimed at supporting startups that utilize AI and other emerging technologies to address various challenges in the sports industry. Building upon the mission of IBM Ventures to connect cutting-edge innovations with corporate clients, this challenge extends that approach to IBM's sports business portfolio, using sports partnerships as a testing ground to showcase technologies with real potential for application in the sports sector and beyond. The 2026 program includes Web Summit events in Vancouver, Rio, and Lisbon, a16z events in New York and San Francisco, as well as online startup showcases. Ultimately, a Prize Challenge event exclusive to invited participants will be held in Web Summit Lisbon. These showcase events provide opportunities for exposure and interaction, but they do not confer any competing rights, rankings, preferences, or qualifications for advancement.
About IBM in the field of sports
For over 30 years, IBM has been collaborating with some of the most iconic sports organizations around the world, including Wimbledon, the US Open, the Masters Tournament, Scuderia Ferrari HP, and UFC. IBM works together with its partners to create experiences driven by AI, aiming to provide global sports fans with deeper insights, more intelligent interactions, and a richer digital experience.
About IBM Ventures
As the corporate venture capital department of IBM, IBM Ventures invests in enterprise AI and startups in the field of quantum software. As a strategic investor, IBM Ventures works closely with startups and their founders to introduce innovative technologies into IBM and helps create value for IBM customers. Leveraging the technology, professional capabilities, and global customer network of IBM, IBM Ventures assists portfolio companies in establishing strategic relationships and accelerating their growth.
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Rebeccah ProppIBM
