Lausanne is one of the world’s most unique sports ecosystems, bringing together sports organizations, academia, research institutions, startups and industry.
By joining GSIC powered by Microsoft, the city strengthens its international commitment to innovation, technology adoption and business development in sport.
Lausanne, globally known as the Olympic Capital and home to the world’s largest concentration of international sports federations, has joined GSIC powered by Microsoft, the global non-profit hub for innovation in the sports industry. The collaboration will focus on the next phase in the design of the Lausanne Sport Innovation Hub project, further strengthening Lausanne’s position as a national and international reference for sports innovation and business.
Through this new membership, Lausanne will draw on GSIC’s expertise and international track record in designing and developing city- and country-level innovation hubs. This includes the GSIC Testing Lab, which combines applied innovation programmes with real-world testing and validation capabilities for sports technology, as well as GSIC’s work in Singapore supporting technology adoption, internationalisation and business development across Asia’s sports ecosystem.
Since beginning its international expansion in 2018, GSIC has built teams in Asia and the Americas and developed initiatives with governments, public institutions, universities and sports organisations across markets including Andorra, Finland, Singapore, Taiwan, Australia and Indonesia. This experience enables GSIC to connect local ecosystems with international opportunities, helping innovation move from concept to adoption and supporting companies as they enter new markets.
The initiative reflects GSIC’s broader mission: connecting the global sports industry through technology adoption, business development and cross-ecosystem collaboration, using a model that can be adapted at city, regional or national level. By joining GSIC’s international network, Lausanne gains access to a global community of sports organisations, startups, technology companies, investors, universities and institutions working together to turn innovation into implementation and lasting value.
Connecting testing environments across cities
Building on the experience of the GSIC Testing Lab, GSIC is launching a programme to connect sports technology testing environments in different cities. The aim is to create an international framework through which sports organisations, universities, research centres and public institutions can share knowledge, identify opportunities for collaboration and generate tangible benefits for their local ecosystems.
The programme is also designed to facilitate the mobility and internationalisation of startups, allowing them to test their technologies in different markets and real operating environments. Successful tests can be validated through Tested & GSIC Certified, GSIC’s existing industry certification, which evaluates sports technology solutions through an independent methodology and provides companies with credible evidence to support product improvement, market adoption and international growth. More than a dozen companies have already been certified during the programme’s first year.
International presentation at GSIC Summit Valencia 2026
Lausanne will be formally presented to the international sports innovation community at GSIC Summit Valencia 2026, taking place on 7 and 8 October 2026 under the theme “Scaling the Future of Sport Through Technology and Cross-Ecosystem Innovation.” The city will join a dedicated panel alongside other cities that have worked with GSIC to advance their sports innovation strategies, sharing how local hubs can be built on international collaboration, applied technology and real-world testing.
“Lausanne occupies a unique position in the global sports ecosystem. As the Olympic Capital, it has the potential to become one of the world’s leading sports innovation hubs. For GSIC, this collaboration goes beyond the development of a local initiative. It is an opportunity to connect Lausanne with a growing international network of innovation and testing environments across Europe, Asia and the Americas, enabling sports organisations, universities, startups and technology companies to test, validate and scale solutions across borders. Our ambition is to create a new generation of interconnected hubs that accelerates innovation while generating lasting economic and social value for each local community.”
Iris Córdoba, Managing Director & Co-Founder, GSIC powered by Microsoft
“Joining GSIC is a strategic step in our ambition to foster the connection between Lausanne and the international sport industry and turn the strengths of the Olympic Capital ecosystem into innovation and lasting economic value.”
Grégoire Junod, Mayor of Lausanne
