Where innovation becomes commercial success
The Ingredients & Components Forum explores how the technologies, materials and component brands behind today's products create measurable commercial value for brands, retailers and the wider sporting goods industry.
Unlike sessions focused on material science or emerging technologies alone, this theatre looks beyond product specifications to examine how ingredient innovation drives category growth, strengthens consumer trust, accelerates adoption and creates competitive advantage.
Across two days, industry leaders from established ingredient brands, pioneering material innovators, retailers and global manufacturers will share the strategies, partnerships and business models shaping the next generation of sporting goods.
The Programme
The programme, curated by Tomas Vucurevic, Managing Director at BRAIND©, is deliberately built around commercial reality rather than future speculation. Every session is designed to answer one question: How do ingredients and components create value for brands and retailers today - and what lessons will shape tomorrow's success?
Day One
Proven ingredient brands. Proven commercial impact.
The opening day celebrates ingredient brands that have already transformed the market.
Rather than discussing technical product features, speakers will demonstrate how innovations from companies such as BOA, RECCO, ULEX, Gore-Tex, Vibram and YKK have helped create entirely new categories, command premium pricing, strengthen retail performance and build lasting consumer confidence.
Sessions explore:
- Creating category growth through innovation
- Commercialising technology at scale
- Building consumer trust over decades
- Ingredient branding as a competitive advantage
- Collaboration between brands, suppliers and retailers
Speakers include:
- Patrick Hackl
- Achim Loeffler
- Tony Reilly
Day Two
Scaling the next generation
Day two shifts focus to the future of ingredients and materials.
As the industry navigates shifting sustainability priorities, investment challenges and the so-called "Valley of Death" between innovation and commercialisation, the programme examines why promising technologies fail to scale - and what today's innovators must do differently.
Instead of predicting the next material trend, the forum explores the business models, partnerships and market strategies required to transform breakthrough ideas into commercially viable products. Discussions move beyond sustainability ambitions to explore what it actually takes to scale.
Key themes include:
- Textile-to-textile recycling
- Commercialising next-generation materials
- PFAS-free performance solutions
- Seaweed and bio-based materials
- Building resilient supply chains
- Retail demand versus sustainability expectations
The day concludes with retailers sharing what is genuinely driving purchasing decisions and how sustainable innovation translates into sales on the shop floor.
Speakers include:
- Marwa Zamaray
- Guilio Bonazzi
- Andreas Dorner
- Patrik Frisk
What makes this Forum unique?
Most industry events focus on technologies, materials or sustainability in isolation. This Forum focuses on the commercial value they create.
The Ingredients & Components Forum is the industry platform dedicated to the commercial side of innovation. Rather than focusing solely on material science, it explores how ingredients create measurable value for brands, retailers and consumers. Bringing together leading ingredient brands, next-generation material innovators and retail decision-makers, the programme is curated and moderated by Tomas Vucurevic, whose deep expertise ensures discussions that are candid, commercially relevant and focused on the questions the industry needs answered.
Who should attend?
The forum is designed for decision-makers across the sporting goods value chain, including:
- Product Managers
- Innovation & R&D teams
- Materials and Component Suppliers
- Ingredient Brands
- Sustainability Directors
- Buying & Sourcing Teams
- Brand Leaders
- Retail Buyers & Merchandisers
- Commercial Directors
Whether developing the next breakthrough material or bringing established technologies to market, attendees will gain practical insight into how ingredient innovation becomes commercial success.
Why attend?
The Ingredients & Components Forum answers the industry's biggest commercial questions:
- Which innovations are genuinely changing the market?
- How do ingredient brands create value beyond product performance?
- What does it take to scale new products successfully?
- How are retailers evaluating innovation today?
- What partnerships deliver measurable business growth?
Through real-world case studies, candid debate and proven success stories, the theatre connects innovation with commercial reality - showing how ingredients and components don't simply improve products; they help brands grow, retailers sell more effectively and entire categories evolve.
For the full programme and list of speakers – and to buy your tickets to attend - visit https://www.ispo.com/expo/exhibition-programme