Our jurors
They have all been in precisely the same situation: a panel observed their product, their brand and decided that they receive the unique opportunity to present themselves at ISPO Munich as one of the best start-ups of the sports business. Now they had the same task. Almost all the ISPO Brandnew jury members were founding members of former ISPO Brandnew winners and finalists. From their own experiences, they know precisely what is of importance. In addition, further sports professionals add their expertise to generate the best selection of the emerging start-ups in the ISPO Brandnew competition.
Former tennis pro | Sasha Zverev Management
Mischa Zverev, born on August 22, 1987 in Moscow, Russia, is a German tennis player known for his serve-and-volley game. He is the older brother of Alexander Zverev and achieved his highest singles ranking of 25th in January 2017. He has made a name for himself in the tennis world with his unique game and fighting spirit.
General Manager / Global Sports Innovation Center powered by Microsoft
Iris has built her professional career around business development and supporting SMEs from both public and private sectors, with a special focus on the cultural sector, the Spanish-speaking economy, and the entertainment and sports industry in Latam and Spain. She specializes in project management, networking, and business development. In 2015, she founded the Global Sports Innovation Center powered by Microsoft, a public-private initiative aimed at fostering innovation in the sports industry, with the goal of creating a network of over 230 companies and institutions from 38 countries. Iris is also actively involved in promoting women in the sports industry, both in entrepreneurship and leadership roles. Her achievements were recognized in 2018 by the Spanish association "Mujeres y Cia", which included her in the Top 100 Female Executives in Spain. In 2020, she was nominated for the Globant Awards - Women that Build Edition in the Tech Executive category for her work supporting women in tech.
Matti Heilmann is a business development manager at Globetrotter and brings extensive experience in the sports and outdoor sectors to his role. This passion has been a constant throughout his career and forms the basis for his work on innovative projects. In the dynamic sports and outdoor ecosystem, Matti uses his knowledge to identify potential and promote new business ideas – particularly through his involvement with start-ups at Globetrotter. Here, he supports international start-ups in developing sustainably and bringing new innovations to market. Another important aspect of his involvement is his role as a juror in the ISPO Brandnew Awards, where he creates exciting synergies between start-ups and established industry players.
Xavier is a serial entrepreneur (launched startups in Spain, with special focus in legaltech, SaaS and marketplaces), and advisor in startups. He is currently managing Director at Barcelona Sports Hub, impulsed by Barcelona City Hall (Ajuntament de Barcelona) and managed by INDESCAT ( Catalan Sports Cluster) with the mission to consolidate, grow and expand the Sportstech ecosystem, promoting the practice of sport and its relationship with technology in order to boost innovation and entrepreneurship.
Christoph Landsgesell has been editor-in-chief of the first German-language edition of Sports Illustrated since 2021. Born in Kaufbeuren in 1984, he completed his studies in Augsburg before starting a traineeship at the Abendzeitung in Munich in 2008. After his time as a freelancer, he joined the Abendzeitung as an editor in 2011 and later took over the position of Head of Sports. In 2019, he moved to GQ, where he worked as head of copywriting and lead editor. With his many years of journalistic experience, he now brings a breath of fresh air to the German-language Sports Illustrated. Christoph is married and has two children.
YKK | Senior Marketing Executive
Lynn Whittingham is a Senior Marketing Executive at YKK Europe and works within the company’s Business Strategy Group in Cheshire, UK. With over 10 years at YKK, she has maintained a close relationship with ISPO and its team for more than 8 years. YKK joined the ISPO Brandnew Village in 2007 and has been one of its main sponsors since then. Since 2015, YKK has been the official main sponsor of ISPO Brandnew. This partnership allows YKK to collaborate with emerging startups in the sports industry and showcase innovative products to a relevant audience. Participation in ISPO provides YKK with an opportunity to stay closely connected to the market and current trends, as well as gain a better understanding of industry demands.
WW Strategic Partnerships Director
Sebastian leads global partnership between Microsoft and top Enterprises (Fortune 500 organizations) to re-imagine their businesses as a digital and sustainable one across horizon 1-2-3, through cultural transformation enabled by the use of Cloud & AI technologies. The main areas of digital transformation: engage with customers and consumers, empower employees, transform the products and services, and optimize operations. Sebastian´s division works closely with Microsoft CEO and CRO to build fruitful strategic partnerships over 5+years. In his 27 years at Microsoft, he has held many leadership and board responsibilities in Latam, Europe and WW. Sebastian has led the Microsoft Sports practice and is the president of the Global Sports Innovation Center. In addition, he participates in advisory boards and is a guest speaker at universities, MBA programs and industry conferences.
Oren Simanian is a well-known figure in the field of sports technology and start-ups and is known for his role as founder and CEO of Colosseum Sports Tech, Israel's first international center for sports innovation. With his experience as a soccer referee in Israel's top leagues, Oren has combined his passion for sports with his expertise in innovation.
Founder & CEO | Doubledeck Snowboards
Andreas Kramer is a visionary entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience in the sports industry. At the age of 18, he founded his first company and from 1993 to 2011, built Europe's largest skateboard factory, producing more than 250,000 skateboards annually. He also developed snowskates for brands like Burton and founded Decept Snowskates. In addition to skate and snowskate production, Kramer managed the European distribution of snowboard brands like Sims Snowboards. Today, he leads Alpine Sports Group, an investment and holding company with a diverse sports portfolio. Since 2022, he has held a majority stake in Doubledeck Snowboards and operates overstock solutions with large logistics centers in Germany. Kramer's passion for innovation and his extensive expertise continue to drive his success.
Managing Director
Paul Schif is Managing Director of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation Germany & Austria. The non-profit foundation acts as a social investor and supports non-profit sports organizations in their development with the aim of helping young people worldwide to develop a perspective and realize their potential through sport. Previously, Paul Schif worked for an international consulting firm for several years and built a company in South Africa that helps reduce social inequality.
Marion Reichel is a leading expert in business development and innovation who combines her passion for sports, technology and sustainable ideas. With her experience in founding the Bundesliga's first SportTech accelerator, strategic innovation management and as a certified business angel, she is committed to long-term transformation through innovative concepts. As the founder of Athlete Ventures, she connects athletes, investors and the sports ecosystem to drive future-oriented sports innovations. Together with Gateway Venture, she is creating a digital platform that pools expertise, connects investors and simplifies processes - always with the aim of shaping sport and its social impact in a sustainable way. Their philosophy: "We drive technology, not technology us!"
Founder I Flexi-SPORTS® GmbH
Barbara Klein is the founder and CEO of FLEXI-SPORTS® GmbH and the brand owner of BK Barbara Klein, FLEXI-BAR®, FUNKTIONAL FLOOR®, and the movement concept BMI (Body Mind Improvement). She is known as the inventor of the FLEXI-BAR® vibrating bar, which is a market leader worldwide. As a state-certified sports physiotherapist and fitness expert, she has published numerous books on fitness and nutrition and hosted TV formats. Barbara Klein is also an international speaker and coach, having developed fitness and movement programs for major brands like Nike and RTL. She shares her expertise with companies like Medisana and Therabody.
