Sports Tech Growth Lab - Session 2: Networking

Sports Tech Growth Lab is a new GSIC online event format designed to bring more strategic value to our members throughout the year.

Every month, GSIC will host a live 1-hour expert-led session focused on one key growth topic for sports tech companies, startups, scaleups and innovation-driven organizations. Each session will provide practical insights, industry knowledge and direct access to GSIC experts, ambassadors, partners and international ecosystem leaders.

The program is built around the real challenges faced by companies in the sports industry: raising capital, preparing stronger pitches, entering new markets, protecting intellectual property, validating technology, building B2B visibility, accessing public funding and creating business opportunities within the GSIC network.

Unlike traditional webinars, Sports Tech Growth Lab is designed as a live-only experience. Sessions will not be recorded, reinforcing participation, interaction and the value of being present within the GSIC community.

What members can expect

Members will gain access to 12 live sessions per year, each focused on a specific growth challenge. The sessions will combine expert insights, practical recommendations, market knowledge and opportunities for Q&A and networking.

Session 2: How to prepare for investment

Growth in the sports industry rarely happens in isolation. Behind every partnership, deal, or breakthrough opportunity is a network of relationships built on trust, visibility, and mutual value. 

In this live session, we will explore how sports tech companies and professionals can approach networking as a strategic discipline rather than a matter of luck. 

The session will provide practical guidance on how to identify the right connections, communicate your value clearly, and nurture relationships that open doors across the sports ecosystem.

Speaker

Iris Cordoba, CEO of GSIC powered by Microsoft

Since founding the Global Sports Innovation Center powered by Microsoft in 2015, Iris has built it into an international benchmark for sportstech. Her career spans Latin America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, including leading the establishment of GSIC's office in Singapore, with a consistent focus on enterprise development, business development, and the art of building networks that generate real value.

A leading advocate for female leadership in sport, she founded GSIC's Women Leaders Mentoring Programme, which has engaged senior female leaders across Asia and the Middle East to support nearly 100 entrepreneurs.

Twice recognized as one of the most influential women in sport, Iris is a frequent mentor, jury member, and keynote speaker at international sportstech events and startup competitions. Few people understand the art of building networks better than Iris.