International Contest: The Wearable Technologies (WT) Innovation World Cup has begun

The Wearable Technologies Innovation World Cup has begun

New ideas, products and prototypes can be submitted in the categories Sports & Fitness, Healthcare & Wellness, Gaming & Lifestyle and Security & Prevention.

Munich, July 24, 2012 ─ The outstanding Innovation World Cup is going into its 4th year as Wearable Technologies are taking off and becoming one of the biggest trends of 2012. The Innovation World Cup is embracing this evolution and will award the most innovative Wearable Technologies with the highest market potential. From 24 July to 30 November, innovators from all over the world are invited to submit their products and prototypes for consideration. The Innovation World Cup is also proud to announce the Title Sponsor, Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI), and the Preferred Technology Partner STMicroelectronics and Sponsor VARTA Microbattery. The Wearable Technologies Innovation World Cup is being launched today at the WTConference in San Francisco.
Wearable Technologies (WT) are technologies worn at or near the body. They measure data such as heart rate, lung capacity, blood glucose level or location based data, and transmit these directly to the doctor or selected recipients. “It is the goal of the WT Innovation World Cup to give innovators around the world a platform to present their latest solutions in the exciting world of Wearable Technologies,” says Christian Stammel, CEO of Wearable Technologies AG.
An enormous boom is expected for this market for high-tech solutions. Two-digit growth rates are predicted for the coming years. According to ABI Research, the market for sports and fitness devices worn at the body will grow by 90 million sold devices until 2017, which means a growth rate of 41 percent. The market for wearable, wireless medical devices is expected to grow even more. Until 2016, 100 million devices are estimated to be sold annually.
Whether it is about tackling an ailment such as obesity or cardiovascular disease, tracking a workout in order to share experiences and improve training, a more comfortable lifestyle, or to increase security in the workplace, wearable devices help make life easier in many ways.
For the first time, Innovation World Cup participants can submit solutions using any wireless data transfer technology, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth® technology, ZigBee® or cellular to connect their wearable devices. Successful participants will win exciting prizes and have the unique chance to communicate with potential partners and customers, increase their media exposure, and boost their business in the booming market of WT.
Title Sponsor Texas Instruments Incorporated
TI has joined as the title sponsor, underlining their commitment to the endless innovative technology solutions within wireless connectivity. As the title sponsor, TI is providing development kits at a 50 percent discount to the first 200 participants who sign up for the competition using a TI kit – a perfect foundation for designing the next big thing in the field of Wearable Technologies. Development kits can be acquired for applications based on ZigBee, Bluetooth, and Bluetooth low energy technologies. Additionally, there will be kits available for wireless audio (with TI’s PurePath™ Wireless audio technology) as well as cost-sensitive sub-1 GHz RF applications.
Furthermore, the WT Innovation World Cup is happy to welcome STMicroelectronics as Preferred Technology Partner and VARTA Microbattery as sponsor of this year’s competition. STMicroelectronics will also give participants the chance to use their RF development kits and ST sensor tools at a discounted rate.
Partners of the Innovation World Cup
The contest will be supported by an international network of innovative technology regions and alliances. Through Cluster 55 as the ICT association in the border region between Sweden and Denmark, the Continua Health Alliance, ICT Cloud & BuildInG Taiwan and the regional development agency Team Côte d’Azur, participants will be able to benefit from a large network of potential business partners and customers.
Benefit from taking part in the WT Innovation World Cup
An international panel of industry experts will evaluate the submitted solutions anonymously according to criteria such as level of innovation, marketability and usability. The overall winner, the WT Innovator of the Year, will receive a prize of USD 5,000. Furthermore, all finalists will have the opportunity to present their innovation at the Wearable Technologies Conference 2013 in Munich and at the awards ceremony in Munich on February 4, 2013. These activities will be accompanied by extensive media exposure through the marketing channels of Wearable Technologies, sponsors and partners. This will give finalists the chance to make valuable business contacts and increase media awareness.
Submit your solution now
The database for submissions is open until November 30, 2012 – for more information and to register go to www.innovation-worldcup.com.
About the WT Innovation World Cup
The competition Innovation World Cup was first launched in 2009. In the first three years the focus was on innovations based on Bluetooth® low energy technology, and its scope was enlarged in 2012. Participants from all over the world are now invited to submit solutions for Wearable Technologies in the fields of sports & fitness, healthcare & wellness, gaming & lifestyle and security & prevention. An international panel of experts will select the most innovative products according to criteria such as degree of innovation, marketability and usability. The online database for submissions is open from July 24 to November 30, 2012. Further information on the WT Innovation World Cup and registration at: www.innovation-worldcup.com. This international competition was initiated by Wearable Technologies AG.
About Wearable Technologies AG
The Wearable Technologies AG runs the internationally leading marketing platform for Wearable Technologies at www.wearable-technologies.com and has been supporting companies with business acceleration, technology marketing and the increase of sales. Wearable Technologies AG partners with international trade shows, organizes the worldwide unique WTconference and publishes various magazines such as WTnews.
Press contact and interview inquiries:
Navispace AG
Susanne Simon
Madeleine-Ruoff-Str. 26
82211 Herrsching
Tel.:+49/8152/98 222 50
E-Mail: s.simon@navispace.de