The camera revolutionaries at GoPro, Crocs with their eccentric shoe creations and watch manufacturer Nixon – all of these are previous winners of ISPO BRANDNEW. The list of brands who have used the prize at the largest platform for sporting start-ups in the world as a springboard to success is long, and the competitors in the 28th edition have good reason to hope for a bright future.
372 competitors from 38 countries entered the race, with one product asserting itself as the 2016 Overall Winner in the end: ICAROS. The futuristic sports equipment is set to become the exercise machine of the 21st century and fascinated the jury with the way it combined the elements of gaming and sport.
"Creative items I have never seen before"
In a total of eight categories, the products sent in were judged by a renowned jury made up of previous ISPO BRANDNEW award winners and experts in the field.
"There really are some creative items here that I have never seen before," said Ardy Shobani, CEO of the company Oru Kayak and Overall Winner in 2014, impressed by the submissions.
As well as the Overall Winner category, the best products in the areas of Accessories, Athleisure, Hardware Summer, Hardware Winter, Style, Wearables and Wheeler received awards. In the 15th year of the competition, ISPO BRANDNEW Social Awareness Award was also awarded.
How innovative is the product?
When making their valuations, the jury focus on four elements in particular. Which marketing measures has the start-up company taken? What is the design of the product? How innovative is the product? And what is its market relevance?
"For us as a jury, it is important that the competitors are real game changers. They either invent a completely new sport, or they enable real innovations in a sporting discipline," said Peter Bauer, managing director of Amplid, and 2006 finalist, summarising the expectations of the jury.
The award winners will present themselves and their products at ISPO MUNICH. They can be found in hall B5 in ISPO BRANDNEW Village from 24th to 27th January 2016.
ISPO BRANDNEW 2016: Here are the award winners.
Overall Winner – ICAROS, Germany
Gaming, sport and excitement. Overall winner Icaros combines all these attributes in one device and is aiming to revolutionise fitness training. On the futuristic device, athletes have fun gliding through virtual worlds while training their entire body at the same time. The core muscles in particular are given a real workout while flying through virtual canyons. The system consists of the ICAROS device, a controller fitted with sensors, a VR headset and an app, and is set to become the exercise machine of the 21st century.
- Only existing as a prototyp
Estimated prices 5.000-10.000 Euro
Homepage: www.icaros.net
Winner Accessories – BioLite, USA
Imagine that you are out in the wild and in desperate need of electricity. For your smartphone, GPS device, or to charge batteries for your torch. No problem with the BioLite CampStove. The electronic devices can be charged using a USB connection – by burning wood without smoke. Meals can be prepared on the small but functional campfire at the same time. The CampStove's broad field of application is particularly promising, since the idea will no doubt be of interest to more than just outdoor enthusiasts.
- Available
Prices starting at 147,95 Euro
Homepage: www.biolitestove.com
Winner Hardware Summer – Tripstix, Germany
The stand up paddle boarding market is continuing to boom and the inventors are by no means running out of ideas. Tripstix developed an inflatable SUP board, which has a two-chamber system. With the "VacuumAir" technology, a vacuum chamber filled with granules surrounds the high-pressure chamber of the board and provides additional stability. Another advantage of the two-chamber variant is that the board is particularly safe. A hard board concept can also be implemented, which enables thin rails, a clear nose and a stable tail.
- Available spring 2016
Prices to be announced
Homepage: www.tripstix.de
Winner Wheeler – Onewheel, USA
Make way, the SUV of boardsports is coming through. The Onewheel is based on the idea of snowboarding in powdered snow and, thanks to its go kart racing tyres and wheel hub motor, is a real grenade both on and off the asphalt track. And despite the engine, the fitness factor is not lost since you accelerate and brake by shifting your weight on the board. And depending on the length of your commute, you can even use it to get to work. The Onewheel can cover up to eleven kilometres in the urban jungle; highspeed is 24 km/h and it takes just a lean 20 minutes to charge.
- Available
Price: 1.499 Dollar
Homepage: www.rideonewheel.com
Winner Wearables – COBI, Germany
Bicycle meets smartphone, linked by COBI. The magic word is Connected Biking, and turns a bicycle into a "smart" bike. The modular system unites six accessories in one design: dynamic front and rear light, bicycle navigation, smartphone holder with charging function, bell, alarm and bicycle computer. More than a hundred features are available to the biker of tomorrow, making touring a new experience.
- Available 1. quarter of 2016
Prices starting at 179 Euro
Homepage: www.cobi.bike
Winner Winter Hardware – DMOS Collective, USA
Avalanche shovels have their place, no one contests that, but when a kicker builds up, the important aides reach their limits. This is why DMOS Collective developed the "Kicker Tool". Weighing just 1.5 kilogrammes, yet still robust and equipped with a telescopic handle – meaning that only a few drops of sweat stand between you and the next session.
- Available start of decembre 2015, Onlineshop DMOS Collective
Homepage: www.dmoscollective.com
Winner Athleisure – Saysky, Denmark
By athletes for athletes: Who has a better idea of what athletes really need. The Danish company Saysky won the jury over with their performance sports clothing, which is urban, sporty and typically Scandinavian all at the same time. The company from Copenhagen presented their highly-functional collection for the disciplines running, triathlon and endurance training.
- Homepage: www.saysky.dk
Winner Style – Aztech Mountain, USA
Surprising components for that special comfort are provided by the Eagles Club Down Jacket. Performance sportswear for men, for anywhere from in the city to in the mountains – without compromising on style. That is possible with Aztech Mountain, because this is what drives David Roth and Heifara Rutgers, founders of this outerwear brand.
- Available in stores
Price: 2.500 Dollar
Homepage: www.aztechmountain.com
Winner Social Awareness – GORILLA, Germany
The health promotion programme GORILLA helps children and young people enjoy movement, and expertise in nutrition and sustainability. The project has been touring Germany since 2015 with the aim of making a balanced diet and freestyle sport attractive and fun for kids. The team currently consists of 15 freestyle pros and five dieticians. Sustained success is supported by an e-learning model and a fitness app.
- Homepage: www.gorilladeutschland.de
