ASICS has announced the official call for applications to its TENKAN-TEN Growth Catalyst – a start- up acceleration program for the sports and wellbeing segment with a focus on sustainable growth.
Applications will remain open until 30 June 2018, and ASICS is looking for initiatives that fit under the scope of the brand’s ‘Anima Sana In Corpore Sano’ philosophy (A Sound Mind in a Sound Body). The company notes that accelerated start-ups will encompass different fields – from digital platforms and wearables, through to sports & wellness and training & health, to new materials and new forms of consumer interaction.
The aim of the program is to find opportunities that can help ASICS to encourage the world to move in line with its ‘I MOVE ME’ brand campaign, to empower personal movement through sport and well-being.
The ASICS TENKAN-TEN Growth Catalyst offers the acceleration to start-ups that have already passed the MVP (Minimum Viable Product) phase, with market validation and having certain traction. Once accepted to the program, start-ups will kick off a four-month program in mid-September – finishing in January 2019 with a Demo Tour, which passes through some of Europe’s leading and innovative cities, Berlin, Paris, London and Barcelona.
C-suite support
ASICS notes that what differentiates the TENKAN-TEN initiative from other acceleration programs is that the selected start-ups will have direct access to C-level executives offering them intensive and insightful mentorship during, but also after the duration of the program.
Alistair Cameron (CEO of ASICS EMEA), Carsten Unbehaun (CEO of Haglöfs) and Dan Smith (President and GM of ASICS Digital and formerly CEO & COO of Runkeeper), along with a diverse list of high ranking executives, will work hand in hand with the program’s entrepreneurs with the aim to transform and redefine the sport & wellness industry.
Emilio Risques, VP of New Business and Innovation of ASICS EMEA, emphasized the importance of human resources during the growth acceleration process. “In the growth phase the team is very important; and therefore, we will put a lot of focus on helping the start-ups in this area where we have a great expertise.
“Our mission is to get the world moving by offering the highest quality products and services. Sport, well-being and health are very important pieces to achieve it.”
Daniel Dümig, New Business and Innovation Manager of ASICS EMEA and the person in charge of the TENKAN-TEN program, added “By uniting the speed, creativity and ambition of start-ups with the knowledge, resources and connections of ASICS, we can create a sustainable business for both sides in the long term. In this sense the TENKAN-TEN approach perfectly combines the creative spirit and drive of external innovators with the scale and expertise of ASICS.”
TENKAN-TEN program backing
The companies joining the program will receive €30,000 in financial support to benefit their project, access to a global network of retail distribution and a wide range of high level executives, industry experts, venture capitalists, successful founders and media contacts. Alongside this and as a commitment to ASICS’ ‘Sound Mind, Sound Body’ philosophy, all applicants will also have access to complementary wellbeing services including personal trainer sessions and nutrition plans.
As of January, the start-ups will join the ASICS Alumni Membership Program which then continues supporting their growth – thanks to ASICS’ partnerships with ACCIÓ, RCD, Barcelona Tech City and the Global Sports Innovation Centre powered by Microsoft.
ASICS Ventures, the global investment subsidiary which recently invested in the start-up Ai Silk Corporation, is working very closely with the project in order to pursue future innovations and business opportunities for ASICS.
New ASICS EMEA Business and Innovation HUB (Barcelona)
The TENKAN-TEN program is a key part of the New Business and Innovation Division and is seen as an important step for ASICS to continue leading the industry in technical innovation. The aim of the department is to drive growth and innovation across EMEA with the focus on new services, products, technologies, methodologies, business models and experiences for the consumer.
The division will see the team and the selected start-ups operating out of the newly opened ASICS HOUSE Barcelona, a building of 2500 m2 with four floors. According to ASICS, this stands out due to the integration of innovative concepts such as free-seating, multi-screens, ergonomic furniture, personalized and soundproof work areas and which also offers two 200 m2 healthy-corners, a brainstorming area, a 200m2 gym and a physiotherapy area.
