Ilker Akansel
Sports & Technology Innovation Strategist - advising athletic governing bodies, tech ventures, and regional ecosystems. Founder of Sport x Tech Bridge Manchester and consultant to national sports tech innovation ecosystem efforts, connecting sports performance entities with high-growth technology pipelines.
I bridge the gap between global sports entities, technology ventures, and regional innovation hubs. With extensive experience in ecosystem architecture and venture deployment - spanning work with Google developer initiatives, London 2012 legacy projects, and regional innovation alliances - I build the commercial and strategic frameworks that turn sport into a driver for technological growth.
Core Focus Areas:
- Ecosystem Infrastructure: Architecting regional and national sports-tech alliances (SEITA Scotland, Sport x Tech Bridge).
- Venture Acceleration: Connecting sports technology startups with capital, living-lab validation, and market opportunities.
- Advisory & Strategy: Consulting for federations, corporate innovation arms, and regional economic development groups.
Bridging Sport with Innovation
Products and services
Strategic Partnerships & Cross-Sector Growth
Aligning universities, investment networks, and sports bodies into high-value economic growth engines.
Venture Pipeline & Acceleration Strategy
Linking athletic performance organisations with emerging deeptech and sportstech startups for live market deployment.
Sports & Tech Ecosystem Advisory
Designing high-impact innovation infrastructure, regional sports-tech alliances, and public-private growth frameworks.