Students among 6 teams will present final pitches on Jan. 22
NEW YORK – As announced in November, the NHL/NHLPA Industry Growth Fund’s (IGF) NHL Unites Sunshine State edition of the 2026 Hockey Innovation Competition presented by SAP has advanced to its final stage. Supported by League partners SAP and ESPN’s Take Back Sports initiative, powered by Disney, this competition was established to inspire university and college students to develop scalable and impactful solutions that foster the growth of hockey throughout the State of Florida.
Entering its second season and driven by a steadfast commitment to innovation, the competition is structured to capture the creativity and technological expertise of the next generation of entrepreneurs. Its purpose is to envision, shape, and advance concepts that will drive the future of hockey across NHL markets. Participants are encouraged to anchor their proposals in one of three core innovation pillars: supporting the people who power sport; expanding spaces for play; and putting fun back at the center of sport.
In December, the selection committee conducted an in‑depth evaluation of 28 submissions from students representing 12 colleges and universities across Florida, ultimately selecting six teams as finalists. Each finalist team has been paired with industry experts — including mentors from SAP and ESPN — to help refine their concepts through one-on-one business guidance leading up to and throughout the competition. On January 22, the teams will present their pitches to a distinguished panel of judges at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports.
THE PITCHES
**As listed by their team submission number
Team 2 – Beyond the Stripes
University of Florida (Lead: Matthew Cohen)
Team 4 – AI Hockey Hubs
Florida A&M University (Lead: Demetrius Walker)
Team 10 – Project Playmaker
Stetson University College of Law (Lead: Joey Taylor)
Team 11 – Gripz on Ice
University of Miami (Lead: Maurice Manswell)
Team 20 – The ICE Breakers
Florida A&M University (Lead: Jordyn Powell)
Team 21 – Hockey Unidos
University of South Florida (Lead: Claire Maloney)
The third edition of the Hockey Innovation Competition presented by SAP, open to all Ontario-based graduate and undergraduate students, is now open. The competition’s Final Pitch Day will take place on March 25 at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ont. With the theme centering around reimagining hockey infrastructure to be more sustainable, multi-functional, and technologically advanced — while enhancing the family and community experience. More information on the competition can be found, here.
The NHL/NHLPA Industry Growth Fund was established in 2013 by the National Hockey League and National Hockey League Players’ Association. Supported by the NHL’s 32 Clubs, the IGF was created to support and accelerate the development of NHL and Club business initiatives and projects that promote long-term fan development and increase participation at all levels of hockey with an emphasis on youth.
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