IBM: LivXP Wins Sports Tech Prize for AI-Powered Fan Commerce

IBM has selected LivXP as the winner of its Sports Tech Startup Prize Challenge at Web Summit Lisbon, recognising the startup's use of agentic AI in sports fan engagement. The result concludes a year-long initiative involving startup showcases and an invitation-only final, according to IBM's announcement.

LivXP develops what IBM describes as AI-powered impulse-commerce infrastructure for sports. Its white-label platform supports auctions, experiences and sponsor activations, connecting opportunities to engage or buy with moments of heightened fan interest.

IBM identifies the company as Swiss-American and says it was accelerated at Harvard Innovation Labs. The announcement names the Tour de Suisse and Boston College Athletics among the organisations associated with use of the platform. Those descriptions are IBM's account of LivXP's work, rather than independent findings about commercial performance.

What the Prize Includes

The grand prize includes up to $100,000 to support an eligible proof-of-concept project with IBM's Sports and Entertainment Partnership Team. That support is subject to separate review and agreement requirements. It should not be described as an unconditional cash award or a completed investment.

The package also includes up to $20,000 in IBM credits for services and technology, mentorship opportunities and evaluation opportunities described in the challenge's official rules. The distinction between project support and technology credits matters when assessing what the startup has actually won.

The immediate development is therefore selection for a prize package with specified conditions. LivXP's planned work with IBM's sports partnerships team is an opportunity for further development, not evidence that a new commercial deployment has already been completed.

From Startup Showcases to an Invitation-Only Final

The final featured seven startups. Alongside LivXP, IBM lists Fanory, Neuron Systems, PressBox, NTangible, Proximity Works and Noiz. Their described activities span fan intelligence, AI-generated commentary, personalised content, cognitive assessment and sports participation tools.

The wider initiative launched at Web Summit Lisbon in 2025. IBM subsequently engaged founders through events in Vancouver, Rio de Janeiro and Lisbon, activities during a16z Tech Weeks in New York and San Francisco, and virtual forums.

IBM explicitly distinguishes those showcases from the invitation-only prize competition. Participation in a showcase did not confer eligibility, ranking, priority or advancement in the final challenge. That qualification prevents visibility at an event from being mistaken for competitive selection.

This is a single-source report based on IBM's release. The award, platform descriptions and intended benefits are attributed to that announcement; the result is not presented as independent proof of increased fan spending or financial returns.