‘Dragons Den’ for entrepreneurs and sports tech start-ups

BT is looking for entrepreneurs and start-ups to participate in the second BT Infinity Lab competition to find ways of bringing viewers closer to the action during its sports coverage.

Having undergone a Dragons’ Den-style grilling, the winning idea or invention will be trialled on BT Sport and could partner with the broadcaster on further ideas, original tech and the overall TV viewing experience. The winner will also receive a six-month membership at flexible workspace TechHub.

Entries are encouraged to focus on “disrupting traditional broadcast approaches”, for example by capturing the in-venue experience, encouraging interaction between sports fans, using new technologies like virtual reality (VR), using data, or by making live sports more accessible for impaired viewers.

BT Sport was the first broadcaster to show live content in 4K and to adopt Dolby Atmos. It has also embraced social media, showing the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League finals on YouTube and showing content such as BT Sport Score live for free on Twitter and Facebook.

The previous winner of the BT Infinity competition, London-based Seenit, now plays a pivotal part in BT Sport’s Premier League Tonight show. Seenit is used to enable fans to send in questions for BT Sport pundits to answer, and they can also summarise matches they’ve been watching on video and send their films in to BT Sport for the presenter to show.

As one of the panellists who will interview the shortlisted firms pointed out, BT’s Premier League coverage has been boosted by Seenit, so the panel is looking forward to how the rest of BT’s sports coverage might benefit from this year’s Infinity Lab competition winner.

Entrants must apply before midday on 13 November.