Young Talents, get ready: Your springboard into the future of sports retail

The program is free of charge for all participating Young Talents, including meals and accommodation from November 30 to December 1. It offers invaluable knowledge, inspiration, new ideas, and valuable insights.

As part of the exclusive and varied program, the participants gained in-depth insights into the sports industry over the course of two days and laid the foundations for promising career opportunities. They had the opportunity to learn about the latest sustainability trends that will shape the industry and discover innovative start-ups and inspiring brands. Nadja (22) from Switzerland confirms this: "Although I know a lot of sports brands, I was able to get to know new brands at ISPO Munich."

Current sustainability trends were also a hot topic in the program. Participants learned about the innovations that are making the sports industry ever greener. This also included exciting workshops and inspiring keynotes, including from tennis legend Andre Agassi. The program also gave them the opportunity to network with like-minded people and discover interesting training and job opportunities.

Day 1: The first day of ISPO Young Talents 2025 is all about innovation and networking. After the welcome session, Markus Hubach, former Managing Director of Sport 2000, will open the program with an inspiring keynote. Participants will then dive straight into practice: in workshops on Innovation & Brand Development and Circular Retail & Sustainability, they will deepen their knowledge and discuss current industry trends.
A guided tour through the Experience Area and the ISPO Award Exhibition offers additional insights into the latest product innovations. The day concludes with the FEDAS Happy Hour, where Young Talents can connect with brand representatives and industry professionals in a relaxed atmosphere. These shared activities offer an ideal opportunity to network and exchange ideas with fellow talents.

Day 2: The second day focuses on sustainability and career development. A Sustainability Tour through Hall A2 kicks off the day, offering practical insights into how companies take responsibility and implement sustainable strategies.This is followed by workshops on Employer Branding & Career Paths and Digital Tools & Retail Solutions, providing valuable knowledge for everyday professional life. The day concludes with the certificate ceremony and a group photo on the Retail Stage. In addition, the Young Talents will have the opportunity on both days to explore the exciting topic hubs, exhibitor booths, and panel talks of ISPO 2025 independently.

The initiative aims to demonstrate practical knowledge, innovative ideas and sustainability approaches that can shape the future of sports retail. This was impressively successful, as can be seen from the positive feedback from the young talents, who reported enthusiastically about the new perspectives and the international exchange. With insights into forward-looking topics and the promotion of active involvement, the next generation was motivated to play an active role in shaping the industry. After all, it is only through the fresh ideas and energy of the young talents that sustainable and successful development of the industry can be achieved.

MTS/Schildkröt provided practical insights into its supply chains - starting with sustainable product development, through procurement and production, to sales and marketing. The focus: transparent processes and environmental awareness. For example, the company replaces plastic packaging with FSC-certified wood.

In addition to the POW workshop, there were also practical program points from three other exciting companies. Blackroll taught the participants how fascia training can be used specifically to prevent injuries, while also providing an introduction to modern regeneration techniques and sustainable product development. This gave the Young Talents the opportunity to get to know the versatile applications of the products and their benefits.

In three short interactive presentations, Patagonia provided an in-depth look at the topic of repairing and caring for clothing to extend its lifespan. True to the slogan "Repair & Care". The company provided inspiration with concepts for the circular economy and showed how sustainability can be integrated into retail. Nadja (22) from Switzerland was also enthusiastic: "I learned new things from various brands, such as the fact that Patagonia has a twelve-year guarantee - that's amazing!".

The initiative focuses on responsible behavior in winter sports. True to the slogan "Protect What We Love". In the workshop of the Protect our Winters initiative, POW for short, participants were sensitized to climate protection. They learned about the effects of climate change, the responsibility of the sports and outdoor industry and how they can work together to have a positive impact on the environment.

Of course, practical examples of more sustainable action on a local and global level were also included. Whether it's sustainable product decisions or energy-efficient business models. And it is not absolutely necessary to be a decision-maker. Everyone can make a valuable contribution: by becoming an ambassador for climate protection. Aylin (19) from Switzerland confirms: "POW has motivated me to do more for climate protection - both professionally and privately."