The STRN New York Sports Innovation Exchange 2026 is a highly curated, invitation-only working session built on the foundation of the STRN international white paper, "The Current State of Innovation in Sports Tech: Pathways Toward Sustainable Ecosystems."

The research highlights a clear tension. While technology continues to advance, the systems required for validation, adoption, and real-world implementation remain fragmented. This creates a persistent "valley of death," where even strong innovations struggle to translate into practice.

The Exchange is designed as a direct response to that gap.

Rather than a traditional conference, it brings together a carefully selected group of leaders from professional sport, football, technology, research, and investment to work through the realities of implementation.

How do we move from innovation to implementation — in practice?

The participant group is intentionally limited to approximately 75 individuals to enable focused discussion, meaningful exchange, and practical outcomes. Leaders from organizations such as the NBA, New York Jets, New York Rangers, Stanford University, Rutgers University, University of Connecticut, Ghent University, and King's College London are already confirmed, alongside decision-makers from WHOOP, Therabody, KINEXON, Tonal, and PlayerData.

As the group continues to take shape, the discussions and working sessions are being refined around the priorities, challenges, and opportunities identified by those involved.

Access & Participation:

1. Request an Invitation: If your work connects to adoption, validation, governance, or implementation in sport, you may request an invitation.
2. Selection: Each request is reviewed by STRN and partners like VALD to ensure the right balance of expertise, perspective, and decision-making influence.
3. Registration: Upon approval, participants confirm their seat with a $150 registration fee, which contributes to the setting and curated materials.

This is an opportunity to contribute to how innovation is translated into practice across sport systems — not in theory, but in real environments.

If you believe you should be part of this conversation, we would be pleased to share further details.