The podcast for sports tech founders, innovators and CEOs. Hear how to start and grow a business while avoiding the pitfalls - all within a unique and exciting industry. Join STA Group CEO Rebecca Hopkins and sports broadcaster Alex Dibble as they discover the answers to your startup's big questions.
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Adam Clarke has a world famous co-founder: Sir Mo Farah. But they were entering a very busy market when they launched URunn. In this episode Adam explains how they're creating a niche and avoiding getting squeezed out. Powered by Sports Tech HQ - sthq.org
9 Apr 2026
The Data Challenge - Stephen Schweickart
When Stephen Schweickart approached professional athletes with his bioceramic clothing they asked for supporting scientific studies. And so did the clubs. And they wanted them from different research labs. In this episode, Stephen discusses how to innovate and grow, whilst navigating unexpected costs. Powered by STHQ - sthq.org
7 Apr 2026
The Loss Leader - Benn Achilleas
Over twenty years Benn Achilleas has sold sports tech in markets across the world, where secret stumbling blocks lurk. In this episode the Total Kombat co-owner explains what to look out for and whether a loss leader can ever work. Powered by Sports Tech HQ - sthq.org
1 Apr 2026
The Pitch Mistake - Amber Dodson
The customer pitch feels make or break, particularly if your company balance sheet is bare. In this episode, Ekkobar co-founder and Chief Growth Officer, Amber Dodson outlines the big mistake startups often make. Powered by STHQ - sthq.org
30 Mar 2026
The Failed Business - Trev Keane
Trev Keane thought he had the deal done. But it fell through and his business failed. In this episode he looks at what he could have done differently and offers unusual advice on how to choose a business partner. Powered by STHQ - sthq.org
30 Mar 2026
The Early Troubles - Myles Grote
The first 1-2 years provides numerous challenges to a tech startup. In this episode co-founder of Upper Hand, Myles Grote speaks candidly about the financial mistakes he made and how he could have avoided them. Powered by STHQ - sthq.org
25 Mar 2026
Finances & Failure - what to expect
Is my sports tech company going to fail? Am I making big financial mistakes? These questions keep founders lying awake at night. STA Group CEO Rebecca Hopkins and sports broadcaster Alex Dibble explain how they will be answered in Tech Chairs Series 2. This series is powered by Sports Tech HQ. In this industry, proximity matters. Build where the sports industry actually lives. Learn more at sthq.org
9 May 2023
So Why Are Your Bikes’ Handlebars 42”?
No sport, competitively or recreationally, has changed more in the past 30 years than cycling. At the heart of this has been an Olympic champion, technical wizard, entrepreneur and campaigner. Chris Boardman is Rebecca and John’s guest on this episode of Tech Chairs and shares how much drive, imagination and ignorance (!) is vital to when looking to create a winning team. Once you’ve heard this episode, you’ll never look at cycling – or your bike - in the same way again. If you love winning ...
2 May 2023
When Did Sailing Become F1 On Sea?
Ben Ainslie, is more than Britain’s greatest ever competitive sailor. His trophy cabinet might be huge but his thirst for technology-driven success is boundless. Ben talks Rebecca and John through his career through the lens of technology, from his early days on the Solent to fighting for The Americas Cup. Some tech happens by design, some is by accident – Ben shares which shaped one of sailing’s greatest breakthroughs. Tune in to find out. To find out more about sports tech and tech-led inn...
25 Apr 2023
F1 – Driving to Survive The Technology?
Widely regarded as the most tech-forward of all popular sports, F1 has technology running through its DNA. This time, John and Rebecca are joined by Simon Taylor, a man who for 50 years has scrutinized every car, driver, race and designer in motorsport. Simon reveals the most pivotal points in how F1 has become the sport we know today – and what we might be seeing tomorrow. If you’ve ever wondered how much work the driver is really doing, this edition of Tech Chairs is for you. If you love ...
18 Apr 2023
Sports Broadcast – When Did One Screen Stop Being Enough?
Today there are countless ways and formats for watching sport – but how did this happen? Rebecca and John talk to two of the men directly responsible. Paul Davies is a leading figure from TV and determines Wimbledon’s annual broadcast, while Dave Roberts founded football’s very first club TV channel- but can you guess which one? The team talk everything about sports tech in sports broadcast, from how audiences watch sport in different countries, the advent of colour TV and …VAR! If you have ...
11 Apr 2023
From the Track to the High Street: How Sports Apparel Is Big Business
Say ‘sports technology’ to most people and they think ‘wearables’ but how did we get to this point – and what is that market worth? John and Rebecca talking through this multi-billion-dollar market with two experts with vastly different backgrounds. Phelen Hill is an Olympic rower turned market analyst with Nielsen Sports, and Sandra Halliday is a leading fashion industry commentator and UK Editor in Chief of The Fashion Network. Stop your fitness tracker, slip off your trainers, pop in...
4 Apr 2023TRANSCRIPT
Athlete Genetic Mapping with Andrew Steele
This episode of Tech Chairs takes us into the DNA of elite athletes – literally! Rebecca and John hear Andy Steele’s story. Andy was an Olympic athlete who wanted to know why he could run fast but kept getting injured. A random test took his career – and how elite stars train – in a whole new direction courtesy of DNA-fit. So, is being a world-beater all in the genes? This week’s Tech Chairs reveals all. Sports technology is the single biggest force shaping sport and if you want to kn...
3 Apr 2023
How Series One Sizzles…
Anyone who is a self-proclaimed ‘sports nut’ probably thinks they know how sports works. Think again. Tech Chairs is the podcast that lifts the lid on how elite sport is getting faster, stronger and better. From F1 to football, sailing to sprinting, tennis to test cricket; whatever your favourite sport, you can be sure that tech is shaping its future. Presented by veteran sports broadcaster, John Inverdale, and sports entrepreneur, Rebecca Hopkins, the conversation gets unashamedly geeky b...
30 Mar 2023
How Hawk-Eye Happened
For many, Hawk-Eye IS sports technology and this edition of Tech Chairs, John and Rebecca are joined by ‘The Godfather of Sports Technology’, Paul Hawkins. Paul shares his story, from how he developed and marketed Hawk-Eye, to how it has become the phenomenon that is now an integral part of how we watch sports today. Paul also nominates his sports tech GOAT (greatest of all time) – but which will he choose? We guarantee his choice will surprise you. Listen now and find out. To hear more ab...
30 Mar 2023
How Tech Snuck Up on Sport (Part Two)
This is part two of our brief history of the relationship between sport and technology. In this show we look at the tech-led revolution of the past two decades, as data, new realities and wearable tech shapes how we train, view and engage with the sports we love. Rebecca and John talk to experts Andy Harland, Naomi Stenhouse, Andy Miah and Ben Langdown, who guide us through these recent changes. And if you thought Mohammed Ali, Michael Jordan or Lionel Messi was sports’ GOAT (greatest of al...
30 Mar 2023
How Tech Snuck Up on Sport (Part One)
Tech Chairs is a new podcast exploring the many ways technology drives sport. In the first episode, sports presenter, John Inverdale and sports tech entrepreneur, Rebecca Hopkins take a sprint through sports tech’s history. Joining them are experts, Andy Harland, Naomi Stenhouse and Andy Miah, who explain how we arrived at many of the innovations we have today. From the evolution of trainers to why Lycra is the greatest sports tech invention of all time – sit down, tune in, find out. To fin...
27 Mar 2023
Tech Chairs - The Sports Technology Podcast
Technology is changing each aspect of every sport we all love … and Tech Chairs explains how. Tech Chairs is a new sports podcast which is presented by broadcaster, John Inverdale and sports tech entrepreneur, Rebecca Hopkins. Each week, John and Rebecca are given insider insights by tech experts, sports entrepreneurs, elite coaches, industry leaders and champion athletes. If you’ve ever wanted to know why the handlebars of bikes got so small? How Hawk-Eye was invented? Which football team ...
Inside a recent episode
Athlete Genetic Mapping with Andrew Steele
Published 4 Apr 2023 · Transcript excerpt
[…] We were just kind of consolidating the available, published, peer -reviewed research, and trying to figure out a way to package that together that might be useful for someone. There was a movement towards kind of quantified self, so wearable technology telling you more data about yourself, people suddenly having direct access to their own health as a result of that, and rather than just having your doctor tell you when you're unwell. And then we were capturing the sort of availability of the technology became achievable from a cost perspective at that point as well. So there's a famous graph of to do a genome sequence in only sort of 2005 or 2006, would have cost you almost a million dollars per sample. […]
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