October 12–18, 2026
Another busy week ahead at the intersection of sports, technology, AI, investment and business!
From major sports-tech conferences in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia to new developments in wearable technology and AI, there will be plenty to watch.
On the business side, major banks and semiconductor companies will report earnings, providing insights into investment activity, AI infrastructure and the broader economy.
And at Upside, we have two announcements coming: an interview with the co-founder of Detect Fit and the introduction of another startup presenting at our VIP Lunch in Atlanta on December 18.
Here’s what we’ll be following next week.
🏟️ SPORTS + TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCES
🚀 Sports Tech Week — Los Angeles | October 12–18
Sports Tech Week continues its 2026 program in Los Angeles during a16z Tech Week, bringing together entrepreneurs, investors and executives across sports, entertainment and technology.
Upside Take: The convergence of sports technology and venture capital continues to accelerate.
Some of the most promising technologies for professional sports may emerge from industries such as healthcare, AI, robotics and computer vision.
What to watch: Sports-tech investment, AI, wearables, digital health, computer vision and startup innovation.
🤖 Game Changers Summit: How AI Is Shaping the Future of Sports — San Francisco | October 13
This invite-only event hosted through the OpenAI Forum will explore how AI can support athletes, coaches, doctors and sports organizations.
The agenda includes panels, presentations, discussions and a product presentation.
Upside Take: AI is moving beyond experimental applications in sports.
The next challenge is making AI useful within the daily workflows of performance, medical, coaching and business departments.
What to watch: Personalized athlete health, AI-assisted decisions, safer play, fan engagement and real-world applications.
🏋️ Fitness Technology Summit — Washington, D.C. | October 12–14
The Fitness Technology Summit will bring together industry participants to discuss technology, digital transformation and innovation in fitness.
Upside Take: The boundaries between professional sports performance technology, consumer fitness and digital health continue to blur.
Technologies developed for elite athletes are increasingly finding applications in gyms, rehabilitation facilities and the consumer market.
What to watch: Connected fitness, wearable technology, digital health and technology adoption.
🏟️ Wharton Sports Business Summit — Philadelphia | October 16
Hosted at the Wharton School, this year’s summit focuses on The Business of What’s Next.
Topics include sports investment, team ownership, emerging leagues, media, analytics and fan engagement.
Upside Take: Sports franchises are becoming increasingly valuable assets, attracting investors from private equity, technology and venture capital.
We are also seeing more team owners invest directly in sports-tech startups.
What to watch: Sports ownership, private equity, startup investment, emerging leagues and AI.
📱 MWC Las Vegas — October 14–16
MWC Las Vegas brings together companies working across 5G, connectivity, enterprise technology and digital infrastructure.
Upside Take: Connectivity is becoming increasingly important to sports organizations.
From smart stadiums to connected wearables and real-time athlete tracking, reliable networks are essential.
What to watch: 5G, edge computing, AI, connected devices and smart venue infrastructure.
📈 MAJOR EARNINGS TO WATCH
Next week marks the beginning of an important earnings period, particularly for financial institutions and semiconductor companies.
🏦 JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Citigroup and Wells Fargo — October 13
Major U.S. banks are scheduled to report quarterly earnings.
Upside Take: The financial sector provides useful signals about capital markets, corporate investment and economic conditions.
For sports-tech startups, the broader financing environment can influence venture capital fundraising and acquisition opportunities.
What to watch: Investment banking activity, capital markets, lending conditions and economic outlooks.
💻 ASML — October 14
ASML is scheduled to report earnings.
The company produces advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment essential to the global chip industry.
Upside Take: The rapid growth of AI depends on increasingly sophisticated semiconductor technology.
Sports-tech companies building AI-powered video analysis, computer vision and analytics platforms ultimately rely on this infrastructure.
What to watch: AI chip demand, semiconductor manufacturing investment and technology infrastructure.
🏦 Bank of America, Morgan Stanley and BlackRock — October 14
These financial institutions are scheduled to report earnings.
Upside Take: Institutional investment trends matter to the sports industry, particularly as private equity and investment funds increase their involvement in professional sports.
What to watch: Asset management, private markets, dealmaking and institutional investment.
🖥️ Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) — October 15
TSMC is expected to report its quarterly earnings.
As one of the world’s most important semiconductor manufacturers, its results can provide insights into AI computing demand.
Upside Take: AI infrastructure costs will influence the economics of sports-tech startups building advanced analytics and computer vision solutions.
What to watch: AI-related chip demand, manufacturing capacity, capital expenditure and advanced computing.
🚀 PRODUCT & TECHNOLOGY ANNOUNCEMENTS
⌚ Google / Fitbit — Expected Fitbit Edge Announcement | October 12
Google has teased an October 12 announcement widely expected to introduce the Fitbit Edge.
Reports suggest the device could include GPS, heart-rate monitoring, blood oxygen measurements, ECG capabilities and additional health sensors.
Final specifications and pricing have not yet been confirmed.
Upside Take: The wearable market continues moving toward more sophisticated physiological monitoring.
The competition between Fitbit, Apple, Garmin, WHOOP, Oura and other companies is increasingly focused on transforming health data into actionable insights.
What to watch: Sensor accuracy, health monitoring, battery life, pricing and AI-powered insights.
🏟️ OpenAI Forum — Sports AI Product Presentation | October 13
The Game Changers Summit agenda includes a product presentation, although specific product details have not been publicly confirmed.
Upside Take: AI applications in sports are evolving quickly, particularly in athlete health, video analysis and operational decision-making.
What to watch: Whether the presentation demonstrates new practical applications for teams, coaches or athletes.
📡 MWC Las Vegas — Connectivity and AI Technology | October 14–16
The conference is an opportunity for technology companies to showcase developments in connectivity, AI and connected devices.
Specific product announcements remain to be confirmed.
Upside Take: Advances in wireless connectivity and edge computing could support new applications in smart stadiums, real-time tracking and connected sports equipment.
What to watch: New connected devices, edge AI, 5G infrastructure and real-time data applications.
🚀 AT UPSIDE NEXT WEEK
🎙️ Upside Podcast — Interview with the Co-Founders of DetectFit
Next week, we will interview Tyler Sauter, Founder, CTO, and Isaiah Anderson, CEO, co-founders of DetectFit, to learn more about the company, its technology and its ambitions.
We’ll discuss:
The company’s origin and the problem it is solving.
How its technology works.
Potential applications for athletes and sports organizations.
Challenges associated with building and scaling a sports-tech startup.
Future opportunities in the sports technology industry.
🎙️ Upside Podcast — NFL Group Podcast with Top NFL Practitioners
Next week, we are excited to host a new Upside NFL Group Podcast, bringing together leading NFL practitioners and experts working with professional football players to discuss the latest best practices, challenges and innovations in player performance, sports science, rehabilitation and technology.
With the NFL season underway, this is a great opportunity to hear directly from practitioners working at the highest level of professional football.
These conversations provide valuable insights into how NFL teams are leveraging sports science, technology and data to improve player performance, reduce injury risks and optimize recovery.
We are super excited about these discussions!
🏟️ New Startup Announcement — Upside VIP Lunch in Atlanta
Next week, we will announce two additional sports-tech startups selected to present at our upcoming Upside VIP Lunch.
📍 U.S. Soccer Headquarters — Atlanta, Georgia
📅 December 18, 2026
👥 Approximately 200 MLS/NWSL practitioners and decision-makers expected.
The selected company will have the opportunity to present its technology to performance directors, sports scientists, rehabilitation specialists and other professionals from elite soccer organizations.
Upside Take: One of the biggest challenges for sports-tech startups is getting access to the right decision-makers.
Our goal is to bring innovative companies and professional sports organizations together, facilitate meaningful conversations and accelerate technology adoption.
🔮 THE BIG PICTURE
Several themes stand out heading into next week.
AI continues expanding into sports. From athlete performance and healthcare to media and fan engagement, practical applications are multiplying.
Investment remains critical. Financial markets, semiconductor earnings and sports business conferences will provide signals about the broader investment environment.
Wearables are evolving. Companies are competing to deliver more sophisticated health monitoring and actionable insights.
Sports-tech startups need commercial access. Building great technology is only part of the challenge. Getting it into the hands of practitioners and decision-makers is equally important.
At Upside, we’ll continue tracking these developments while connecting innovative startups with professional sports organizations around the world.
Stay tuned for another exciting week!
Best,
