PERFORM Sportstech is Launched: the global platform bringing the SportstechEcosystem together to close the gap between claims and real-world results

• The new global, year-round platform will help professionalsport cut through the noise around artificial intelligence, data, wearables and emerging performance technologies – focusing on what works in practice.

• PERFORM will officially launch in Barcelona on 26 and 27 November 2026, convening leading figures from professional sport, performance science, technology and innovation.

Barcelona, X September 2026.

As professional sport faces an accelerating wave of artificial intelligence, wearables, biometrics and performance data, one question is becoming increasingly urgent: which technologies genuinely improve athlete performance, health and longevity? PERFORM SportsTech is a new global platform created to answer that question by connecting sport, science, technology and innovation, turning emerging ideas into evidence-informed, real-world impact.

Driven and operated by Kenes Group, PERFORM is designed as a global, year-round platform that will translate emerging technology into practical intelligence, connect the people shaping performance and health, and help professional sport make better-informed decisions about innovation.

“Professional sport does not need more technology for technology’s sake. It needs trusted evidence, practical insight and better connections between the people building solutions and those responsible for athlete performance and health. PERFORM is creating that global meeting point – bringing the whole professional sport and performance ecosystem together toseparate signal from noise and turn innovation into measurable impact for athletes,” says Ori Lahav, CEO of Kenes Group andPERFORM SportsTech.

Barcelona Launch Event Brings Leading Voices Together

PERFORM will officially launch in Barcelona on 26 and 27 November 2026, bringing together influential voices from across professional sport, science, technology and human performance. The gathering will mark the first major milestone for the new platform and open a year-round conversation about how evidence and innovation can shape the future of athlete performance.

Among the confirmed participants are Marc Bertomeu, Co-Founder and COO of NextStage Arenas; Jordi Bertomeu, independent consultant and Founder and former Chief Executive Officer of Euroleague Basketball; Dr. Antonio Tramullas, Director of Sports Medicine and Performance at Sevilla FC; Guy Aharon, CEO and Co-Founder of Playermaker; Holly Ransom, CEO of Emergent Global; and Dr. Steve Ingham, Director and Performance Scientist at Supporting Champions, writer, speaker and podcaster, together with other influential leaders from across the sports and performance ecosystem.

Further details of the launch program and format and participants will be announced soon. 

More Technology, More Data and an Increasingly Important Question: What Works?

Technology is changing how athletes train, recover and manage their health. Wearables, artificial intelligence, data analytics, biometrics, biomechanics and recovery technologies are already embedded in many high-performance environments—but adoption is moving faster than the industry’s ability to assess what delivers meaningful results.

That acceleration has created a crowded and fragmented market of solutions, suppliers, data and competing claims. For clubs, federations and performance teams, the challenge is no longer gaining access to innovation; it is identifying which technologies are credible, relevant and ready to deliver value in real-world high-performance settings.

Added to this fragmentation is the gap that sometimes exists between scientific research and its practical application in sport.

It is precisely here that PERFORM aims to make its mark: by providing insight and linking innovation to the decisions made on a daily basis in professional and elite sport.

PERFORM’s editorial principle can be summed up in one idea: “Signal over noise, practical over theoretical”.

The platform is committed to analysing technology in terms of its application, rather than simply its novelty. To this end, it adopts a ‘validated technology’ approach, based on available evidence, real-world examples in elite sport, expert review and lessons learnt from implementation.

This is not about certifying technologies or replacing academic validation processes, but rather about providing context and criteria to understand what has been tested, what has been measured, what results have been obtained, and how useful a particular solution might be in a real-world, high-performance environment.

A platform that connects the sportstech ecosystem

PERFORM places particular emphasis on professionals who work directly on athletes’ performance and health.

High-performance managers, performance teams, sports medicine leaders, specialists in injury prevention and return-to-play, elite coaches, sports scientists and performance analysts will come together within a single ecosystem alongside clubs, federations, leagues, Olympic programs, research centres, universities, SportsTech start-ups, investors and technology companies.

The aim is to foster a multidisciplinary dialogue that enables scientific knowledge and technological innovation to reach those who need to apply them more effectively.

From performance to prevention and longevity

PERFORM’s approach is based on a broad vision of sporting performance. The aim is not merely to achieve better competitive results, but to do so whilst taking into account the athlete’s health and longevity.

To this end, the platform will address areas such as injury prevention, rehabilitation and recovery, biomechanics, training load management, sports medicine, performance science, data, artificial intelligence and wearables.

This vision is encapsulated in its tagline: “Built for Performance. Driven by Prevention.”

Not a One-off Event but a Year-Round Conversation

The key feature that sets PERFORM apart is that its activities will not be limited to a single in-person event.

PERFORM will maintain an active year-round editorial program including weekly blog articles, in-depth analyses, applied case studies, interviews, a newsletter, and a dedicated podcast series. Hosted by Dr. Steve Ingham, the podcast will feature conversations with leading voices in performance, science and technology, including Martin Buchheit, Nicky Keay, Marco Cardinale, Emilie Thienot and Jo Clubb, together with a surprise guest whose episode will be recorded live during the Barcelona launch event.

The annual Summit will provide the main in-person meeting point for the community, while the weekly editorial programme and podcast will keep the conversation active, practical and accessible throughout the year.

Web & social media 

PERFORM website

PERFORM Spotify

PERFORM YouTube

PERFORM LinkedIn

PERFORM Instagram

Contact details:

Alèxia París | +34 649 036 920 | alexia.paris@newlink-group.com

Claudia Masfaré | +34 620 087 360 | claudia.masfarne@newlink-group.com