Another exciting week ahead at the intersection of elite sports, sports science, artificial intelligence, technology, investment, and business!
Next week, weâll host two Upside group podcasts featuring leading experts from the NBA, NHL, MLS, and sports technology industry. Weâll also follow major sports industry conferences, technology earnings, AI product developments, and emerging opportunities for sports-tech startups.
đ One of the biggest highlights will be Mondayâs 2026 Ballon dâOr ceremony in London, where the worldâs top soccer players will be recognized. Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal, and Kylian MbappĂŠ are among the leading contenders for the menâs award.
Weâll also announce one new sports-tech vendor joining our Upside VIP Lunch in Atlanta on December 18! Weâre excited to introduce another innovative company to our growing lineup of presenting vendors.
With the NBA regular season underway and AI continuing to reshape multiple industries, there will be plenty to discuss.
At Upside, our focus remains on identifying emerging trends, best practices, promising innovations, and practical applications that can help professional sports organizations improve performance, rehabilitation, athlete health, and operational efficiency.
Hereâs what weâll be following next week.
đď¸ MAIN SPORTS INDUSTRY CONFERENCES
Two sports-focused conferences are on our radar next week, bringing together executives, technology providers, event organizers, and commercial partners.
đď¸ TEAMS Conference + Expo 2026 â Birmingham, Alabama | October 26â29
đ Official Website
TEAMS is a major conference dedicated to sports events, sports tourism, and the business of sports.
The event attracts executives from sports organizations, event managers, sponsors, sports commissions, and technology providers.
Discussions cover sports-event development, technology, digital platforms, commercial partnerships, and strategies for improving event operations.
Upside Take: While TEAMS focuses more on sports business than athlete performance, AI, automation, and data analytics are increasingly influencing how sports organizations manage events and commercial operations.
What to watch: Sports-event technology, digital platforms, AI-powered automation, sponsorship technology, and partnerships.
đ Sports Innovation Forum â The Woodlands, Texas | October 28â30
đ Official Website
The Sports Innovation Forum focuses on emerging trends in sports marketing, events, digital engagement, and business operations.
The event provides opportunities for sports industry professionals to exchange ideas and explore technologies that could transform the sports business ecosystem.
Upside Take: Innovation in sports extends well beyond athlete performance.
AI, digital platforms, fan engagement technologies, and data analytics are creating opportunities for startups to develop new products and business models.
What to watch: Sports innovation, AI applications, fan engagement, digital experiences, and emerging technology partnerships.
đ Ballon dâOr 2026 â Who Will Be Crowned the Worldâs Best Soccer Player?
đ
Monday, October 26, 2026
đ London Palladium, London, UK
đ 8 PM London time / 4 PM ET
The prestigious Ballon dâOr ceremony takes place Monday, celebrating the worldâs best soccer players and marking the awardâs 70th anniversary. For the first time, the ceremony will be held in London rather than Paris.
Who is likely to win?
The menâs competition is shaping up to be a fascinating battle between two leading candidates:
Harry Kane (Bayern Munich / England): Currently the betting favorite after an outstanding season, scoring 61 goals in 51 games for Bayern Munich and helping England reach the World Cup semifinals.
Lamine Yamal (FC Barcelona / Spain): Kaneâs closest challenger following his performances for Barcelona and Spainâs World Cup triumph.
Kylian MbappĂŠ (Real Madrid / France): Another contender following an impressive individual season and his record-breaking World Cup performances.
What do the polls and betting markets say?
According to betting odds reported ahead of the ceremony:
These are bookmaker-implied probabilities, not official voting percentages, and they include the bookmakerâs margin.
A reported survey by The Athletic of 100 football professionalsâincluding coaches, executives, scouts, and playersâalso ranked Kane first with 1,103 points, ahead of Yamal (991) and MbappĂŠ (728).
Womenâs Ballon dâOr
Alexia Putellas is considered the leading favorite for the womenâs award, with Ewa Pajor and defending winner Aitana BonmatĂ among her closest challengers.
Why it matters beyond soccer
The Ballon dâOr is more than an individual sporting award. It can influence playersâ commercial value, sponsorship opportunities, personal brands, and the global visibility of their clubs.
It also raises an interesting question about how we evaluate elite performance. While goals, assists, trophies, and individual achievements remain central, advanced analytics, tracking data, and AI are increasingly providing additional ways to assess player contributions.
Upside Take: As soccer becomes more data-driven, it will be interesting to see how advanced analytics influence player evaluation, scouting, and eventually the way individual excellence is recognized.
Our prediction: Harry Kane is the favorite, but Lamine Yamal could still create an upset.
Who do you think deserves the 2026 Ballon dâOr?
đ MAIN EARNINGS TO WATCH
Next week will be important for technology and financial markets, with several major companies scheduled to report quarterly earnings.
For sports-tech startups and investors, these announcements provide useful signals about AI investment, cloud infrastructure, healthcare innovation, and the broader technology economy.
đť Microsoft â October 28
Microsoftâs earnings will provide insights into Azure cloud growth, Copilot adoption, enterprise AI, and AI infrastructure spending.
Upside Take: Microsoftâs AI and cloud technologies are increasingly relevant to companies developing sophisticated analytics, automation, and data integration solutions.
For professional teams, enterprise AI could eventually help connect information from athlete management systems, medical departments, performance monitoring platforms, and scouting tools.
What to watch: Azure, Copilot, AI infrastructure, enterprise adoption, and cloud profitability.
đ¤ Alphabet / Google â October 28
Alphabetâs results will highlight developments in Google Cloud, Gemini, AI infrastructure, and the companyâs broader AI strategy.
Upside Take: Googleâs research through DeepMind is particularly relevant to the future of Physical AI, computer vision, robotics, and intelligent simulation.
These technologies could eventually support new applications in biomechanics, skill acquisition, athlete digital twins, and intelligent training environments.
What to watch: Gemini, Google Cloud, DeepMind, Physical AI, and AI commercialization.
đŚ Amazon â October 29
Amazonâs earnings will provide insights into AWS, AI infrastructure investment, automation, and robotics.
Upside Take: Cloud computing is a critical component of the modern sports technology ecosystem.
Many startups rely on cloud infrastructure to process data, develop AI models, and deliver analytics to professional teams.
Advances in robotics and computer vision could also influence future training and rehabilitation technologies.
What to watch: AWS, AI investment, cloud demand, robotics, and automation.
đĽ Eli Lilly â October 29
Eli Lillyâs earnings will provide updates on pharmaceutical research, metabolic health, and commercial growth.
Upside Take: The convergence of healthcare and sports performance continues to create opportunities for innovation.
Developments in medical science, diagnostics, and physiological monitoring may influence how athletes are assessed and supported in the future.
What to watch: Healthcare innovation, metabolic health, research investment, and clinical development.
đł Visa â October 27
Visaâs earnings will provide insights into digital payments, consumer spending, and financial technology.
Upside Take: Financial technology continues to transform ticketing, sponsorships, fan engagement, and commercial operations across professional sports.
What to watch: Digital transactions, payment innovation, consumer spending, and commercial trends.
The Bigger Question for Sports-Tech Startups
Major technology companies continue investing billions of dollars in AI infrastructure and new products.
But investors increasingly want to understand how these investments translate into revenue, productivity, and profitability.
For sports-tech startups, the lesson is clear:
Developing innovative technology is important, but demonstrating measurable value and a sustainable business model is just as critical.
đ PRODUCT & TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENTS TO WATCH
Several major technology events next week could introduce capabilities with potential implications for sports technology companies.
đ Apple â Computing & AI Developments
Weâll be watching for developments in Appleâs computing hardware and AI capabilities.
Upside Take: Improvements in processing power, AI capabilities, and device integration could benefit sports technology companies developing video analysis, biomechanics, and computer vision applications.
More powerful devices may enable faster processing of movement data and more sophisticated AI applications.
What to watch: Computing hardware, AI processing, device performance, and developer opportunities.
đ¤ Oracle â AI World
Oracle AI World will feature developments in enterprise AI, cloud infrastructure, automation, and data management.
Upside Take: One of the biggest opportunities for AI in professional sports is helping organizations connect data across departments.
Teams collect large amounts of information from GPS systems, force plates, wearables, medical assessments, and athlete management systems.
AI-powered tools could help practitioners analyze these different data sources more efficiently.
What to watch: AI agents, enterprise automation, cloud platforms, and data integration.
đť GitHub â GitHub Universe
GitHub Universe will focus on AI-assisted software development, coding agents, and developer productivity.
Upside Take: AI-powered development tools could help early-stage sports technology startups accelerate product development and reduce engineering costs.
For companies operating with limited resources, these tools could become an important competitive advantage.
What to watch: AI coding agents, software automation, developer productivity, and new platform capabilities.
â Wearables, Biomechanics & Athlete Monitoring
Weâll also continue following innovations across several sports performance technology categories:
Advanced GPS and athlete tracking.
Markerless motion capture and biomechanics.
Continuous physiological monitoring.
Sleep and recovery technologies.
AI-powered athlete management systems.
Intelligent training equipment and Physical AI.
Upside Take: The next generation of sports technology will increasingly combine multiple data sources to provide a more comprehensive understanding of athlete performance.
However, collecting more data is not necessarily better.
The real value comes from delivering accurate, validated, and actionable insights that help practitioners make better decisions.
đ UPSIDE VIP LUNCH â ATLANTA, DECEMBER 18
Weâll also continue preparations for our upcoming Upside VIP Lunch at the new U.S. Soccer Headquarters in Atlanta.
đ December 18, 2026 | 12:00â2:30 PM
đ U.S. Soccer Headquarters, Atlanta, Georgia
đĽ Approximately 250 MLS and NWSL practitioners and decision-makers expected.
The event will bring together performance directors, athletic trainers, rehabilitation specialists, sports scientists, and innovative sports technology companies.
Selected startups will have opportunities to present their technologies, participate in speed-dating sessions with teams, demonstrate their products, and network directly with decision-makers.
đ New Vendor Announcement Coming Next Week!
Next week, weâll be announcing one additional sports-tech vendor confirmed to present at our Upside VIP Lunch in Atlanta!
We already have 7 startups confirmed to present. We only have 3 spots left for startups to present so if you are interested in presenting please email us at julien@upsideglobal.so before we are sold out.
Weâre excited to introduce this company to our network and share more about its technology, innovative approach, and potential applications in elite sports.
The new vendor will join our growing lineup of companies showcasing technologies and solutions to MLS and NWSL practitioners.
Stay tuned for the official announcement!
Upside Take
One of the biggest challenges facing sports-tech startups is gaining access to professional teams and the practitioners responsible for evaluating new technologies.
Our goal is to create an environment where innovative companies can showcase their products, receive meaningful feedback, and develop relationships with leading sports organizations.
By bringing startups and practitioners together, we hope to accelerate innovation and help teams identify technologies that address real performance, rehabilitation, and sports medicine challenges.
đď¸ AT UPSIDE NEXT WEEK â TWO GROUP PODCASTS
đ NBA Group Podcast â Performance, Recovery & Innovation
Next week, weâre excited to welcome two experienced NBA sports performance experts:
Bill Burgos: Former NBA Strength & Conditioning Coach with experience at the Orlando Magic, New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Pittsburgh Piratesâ minor league organization. He is also CEO of LONU, an AI-powered nutrition platform.
Derek Millender: Head Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
đĄď¸ Group Podcast â The Future of Thermography in Elite Sports
Weâll also bring together four experts to discuss best practices, emerging research, and innovation in thermography.
Our guests:
Mauricio Elizondo: Director of Sports Medicine, Austin FC (MLS).
Meshari Alwashmi: CEO, AmplifAI Health.
Chris Stackpole: VP Performance, New Jersey Devils (NHL).
Eric Roman: Head Athletic Trainer, Sporting JAX.
đŽ THE BIG PICTURE â FIVE TRENDS WEâRE WATCHING
Several important themes stand out heading into next week.
1. AI investment and commercialization
Major technology companies continue investing heavily in AI infrastructure, but investors increasingly expect measurable returns.
For sports-tech startups, demonstrating a clear return on investment will become increasingly important.
2. Athlete health remains a major innovation opportunity
Technologies focused on recovery, rehabilitation, biomechanics, and athlete monitoring continue attracting interest.
However, accuracy, scientific evidence, and practical usefulness remain critical.
3. Wearables, biomechanics, and healthcare technologies are converging
The boundaries between consumer health, medical devices, and professional sports performance technologies continue to blur.
This convergence could create opportunities for startups, investors, and sports organizations.
4. Sports technology companies need more than great products
Developing innovative technology is only the first step.
Successful startups must demonstrate credibility, validate their solutions, build strong relationships with practitioners, and provide excellent customer support.
5. Practitioners remain at the center of innovation
At Upside, we believe the most successful technologies are developed through close collaboration with the people who use them every day.
Thatâs why our upcoming NBA and thermography group podcasts are particularly exciting.
They provide opportunities to hear directly from practitioners about their challenges, best practices, and experiences with emerging technologies.
CONCLUSION â CONNECTING INNOVATION WITH REAL-WORLD SPORTS PERFORMANCE
Next week highlights what makes the sports industry so exciting: world-class competition, emerging technologies, growing commercial opportunities, and the people driving innovation behind the scenes.
đ The Ballon dâOr will celebrate individual excellence in global soccer, while also raising interesting questions about how we evaluate player performance and the increasing influence of data and analytics.
â˝ Our preparations for the Upside VIP Lunch in Atlanta continue, with seven startups confirmed and three remaining opportunities for companies to showcase their technologies to MLS and NWSL decision-makers.
đď¸ Through our upcoming practitioner discussions and podcasts, weâll continue exploring the challenges teams face in training, athlete health, rehabilitation, recovery, and technology adoption.
At Upside, our goal remains the same: connecting teams, practitioners, startups, and investors while identifying technologies and ideas that can make a meaningful difference in elite sports.
Weâre looking forward to another exciting week of conversations, innovation, and opportunities across the global sports ecosystem.
What are you most looking forward to next week? Who do you think will win the 2026 Ballon dâOr?
Stay tuned!
Best,
