ISPO Visitor Spotlight: Meet Laurent Petit

Laurent: I wish I could do it all! But I’ll focus on sustainability and circularity, understanding the market’s current pains and retailer strategies. I’m also excited to see how AI is being used in sports and to get inspired by start-ups. And yes, parties at ISPO are always a lot of fun!

We’re here to connect with innovators, brands, and organizations rethinking how products are made, used, and re-used. At ReCircle Impact, we build AI-driven solutions that help companies recirculate materials and reduce waste. The sports and outdoor industry is perfect for accelerating this change.

Our goals:

• Explore collaborations with brands, retailers, and manufacturers
• Optimize reuse of production offcuts, returns, and unsold products
• Showcase how AI can enable smarter resource use
• Find partners ready to pilot circular solutions

We’re a Berlin-based startup developing an AI-powered platform to digitalize and optimize material cycles. Our mission is to help industries and cities reduce waste and resource underutilization by predicting the condition, volume, and recirculation potential of materials and products.

For the sports industry, that means helping brands and manufacturers track, reuse, and repurpose materials – from production offcuts to returned or unsold products.

We also just launched the ReCircle Impact app, letting sports lovers understand the value of unused gear and find the best recirculation options nearby, extending the life of sport gear to the fullest.

Innovations that push circular design and material reuse really excite me, like modular products, repairable gear, new recycling tech, ERP and DPP. I’m also curious how brands are tackling returns, resale, and re-commerce, areas where our AI can really add value.

Workshops I’m eyeing include:

• Sustainability Solutions Guided Tour
• SWAP Event – Functional Clothes Swapping
• EPR: Why Sports Brands Can’t Afford to Wait
• Measuring Circular Performance to Meet CSRD Standards
• Repair as Climate Infrastructure
• Future strategies of top German sports retailers
• Start-up pitching sessions

Brands, manufacturers, and sustainability leaders serious about making their production and product lifecycles more circular. Also innovation teams, recyclers, and digital solution providers who see the potential of collaboration.

I’ve already scheduled some meetings. It’s almost like a ritual now, since I mostly only meet these contacts at ISPO.

I like a mix of planned meetings and spontaneous encounters. I schedule some meetings in advance but leave time to wander, explore exhibitors, and dive into inspiring conversations. It’s all about reconnecting with old contacts while discovering new opportunities.

Schedule meetings with the ISPO App

I love participating in the morning runs – the best way to get in the mood! Last year, meeting Andre Agassi felt like a childhood dream. Presenting the results of the JOMP Convention on stage was also unforgettable.

Of course, I do. Here are my recommendations:

• Join workshops and side events to dive deeper
• Plan enough time, the expo goes fast!
• Stick to your program but leave room for spontaneity
• Follow conversations that spark unexpectedly