Priority Areas
The Game
Future of Officiating
Future of Officiating
There is an opportunity to improve the on-court product by using technology to automate objective calls, allowing officials to focus on the more challenging calls requiring expert judgment.
The NBA is seeking technologies that can improve call accuracy, streamline the viewing experience, and increase decision-making transparency with an emphasis on finding new sensing modalities (e.g., cameras, IMU, LiDAR, radar, depth sensors, ultrasonic sensors), AI/ML software tools to assist with model development, and 3D visualization engines to recreate plays from the data.
There is an opportunity to improve the on-court product by using technology to automate objective calls, allowing officials to focus on the more challenging calls requiring expert judgment.
The NBA is seeking technologies that can improve call accuracy, streamline the viewing experience, and increase decision-making transparency with an emphasis on finding new sensing modalities (e.g., cameras, IMU, LiDAR, radar, depth sensors, ultrasonic sensors), AI/ML software tools to assist with model development, and 3D visualization engines to recreate plays from the data.
Future of Youth Basketball
Future of Youth Basketball
In 2024, the NBA will reach over 60M youth and train over 45K coaches across more than 183 countries, with a focus on making the game of basketball more accessible and promoting a healthy and positive youth experience. In addition, the NBA continues to focus on the development pathways of potential future professional players by providing access to innovative resources and best-in-class development opportunities.
The NBA is searching for technology solutions that can advance our youth basketball priorities, such as coaching tools that enhance individual and team training and performance, scalable functional movement assessments, innovation in training facilities, and other player performance and health technologies.
In 2024, the NBA will reach over 60M youth and train over 45K coaches across more than 183 countries, with a focus on making the game of basketball more accessible and promoting a healthy and positive youth experience. In addition, the NBA continues to focus on the development pathways of potential future professional players by providing access to innovative resources and best-in-class development opportunities.
The NBA is searching for technology solutions that can advance our youth basketball priorities, such as coaching tools that enhance individual and team training and performance, scalable functional movement assessments, innovation in training facilities, and other player performance and health technologies.
Future of Player Health & Wellbeing
Future of Player Health & Wellbeing
The NBA is committed to the physical and mental health and wellbeing of basketball players across all levels through an approach that includes clinical care, policymaking, education, and related programs focused on innovation and research.
The NBA is seeking technologies that can advance our player health and wellbeing priorities by helping identify and mitigate injury risk, assisting in injury prevention and management, and aiding in injury diagnosis and treatment, all to reduce the frequency and impact of injuries at all levels of basketball. Possible solutions include tools to better quantify mechanical loading, sleep and recovery products to optimize athletes’ readiness, and technology leveraging AI to support health and performance initiatives.
The NBA is committed to the physical and mental health and wellbeing of basketball players across all levels through an approach that includes clinical care, policymaking, education, and related programs focused on innovation and research.
The NBA is seeking technologies that can advance our player health and wellbeing priorities by helping identify and mitigate injury risk, assisting in injury prevention and management, and aiding in injury diagnosis and treatment, all to reduce the frequency and impact of injuries at all levels of basketball. Possible solutions include tools to better quantify mechanical loading, sleep and recovery products to optimize athletes’ readiness, and technology leveraging AI to support health and performance initiatives.
The Business
Future of Media
Future of Media
The media landscape is rapidly changing with our fans consuming more content on digital platforms than ever before. Our new media agreements are no different – every game will be available on a streaming service (with certain games simulcast on linear TV). The shift to digital consumption opens a wave of new opportunities for the NBA, and we are seeking companies to help us maximize that opportunity.
The NBA is interested in partnering with innovative companies that will help advance the future of digital media in areas such as immersive technology (including volumetric capture, metaverse, VR, AR and XR), new forms of digital advertising, solutions ensuring the authenticity of and protection against misuse of our IP/content, particularly given new content created by AI, and more. We are seeking partners on the forefront of the ever-evolving world of digital media who can enhance our efforts in maximizing the quality, reach, and effectiveness of our media business.
The media landscape is rapidly changing with our fans consuming more content on digital platforms than ever before. Our new media agreements are no different – every game will be available on a streaming service (with certain games simulcast on linear TV). The shift to digital consumption opens a wave of new opportunities for the NBA, and we are seeking companies to help us maximize that opportunity.
The NBA is interested in partnering with innovative companies that will help advance the future of digital media in areas such as immersive technology (including volumetric capture, metaverse, VR, AR and XR), new forms of digital advertising, solutions ensuring the authenticity of and protection against misuse of our IP/content, particularly given new content created by AI, and more. We are seeking partners on the forefront of the ever-evolving world of digital media who can enhance our efforts in maximizing the quality, reach, and effectiveness of our media business.
Future of Fan Connection
Future of Fan Connection
Over a billion people globally engage with the NBA and WNBA across a variety of platforms. Our reach allows us to deepen our understanding of our audience, enabling us to offer targeted engagement opportunities, directly and through our partners.
The NBA is seeking innovative technologies focused on capturing, enriching, and activating zero- and first-party data to enhance connections and facilitate more meaningful engagement for our fans and other stakeholders. We are looking for companies that can help us transform how we capture, enrich, value, and leverage data to improve our offerings to fans and business partners in a responsive and privacy-friendly way.
Over a billion people globally engage with the NBA and WNBA across a variety of platforms. Our reach allows us to deepen our understanding of our audience, enabling us to offer targeted engagement opportunities, directly and through our partners.
The NBA is seeking innovative technologies focused on capturing, enriching, and activating zero- and first-party data to enhance connections and facilitate more meaningful engagement for our fans and other stakeholders. We are looking for companies that can help us transform how we capture, enrich, value, and leverage data to improve our offerings to fans and business partners in a responsive and privacy-friendly way.
Future of NBA Impact
Future of NBA Impact
As climate change intensifies, the NBA is committed to promoting environmental sustainability in the communities we touch. To demonstrate that commitment, the NBA set aspirations to reduce our carbon footprint and achieve net zero by 2040 as part of the UN Sport for Climate Action Framework.
The NBA is seeking solutions that enhance our environmental sustainability efforts across all business and venue operations, transportation and logistics, fan education and engagement, renewable energy, and waste management.
As climate change intensifies, the NBA is committed to promoting environmental sustainability in the communities we touch. To demonstrate that commitment, the NBA set aspirations to reduce our carbon footprint and achieve net zero by 2040 as part of the UN Sport for Climate Action Framework.
The NBA is seeking solutions that enhance our environmental sustainability efforts across all business and venue operations, transportation and logistics, fan education and engagement, renewable energy, and waste management.
Open Category
For companies and entrepreneurs outside of the priority areas who want to be considered for this year’s NBA Launchpad program.
For companies and entrepreneurs outside of the priority areas who want to be considered for this year’s NBA Launchpad program.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about the application, selection day or the NBA pilot, please email launchpad@nba.com.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about the application, selection day or the NBA pilot, please email launchpad@nba.com.