MOVE Congress 2021 presentation by Jean-Baptiste Alliot from Paris&Co and UEFA Innovation Hub in the masterclass 'Mastering the culture of innovation in sport and physical activity' on 19 November. https://www.movecongress.com/

1. Mastering the culture of innovation in sport and
physical activity
MOVE CONGRESS
19 November 2021

10. THE MOST DANGEROUS
THING UEFA COULD DO
IS REST ON ITS LAURELS.
ALEKSANDER ČEFERIN
43RD UEFA CONGRESS
7TH FEB 2019

14. FUTURE PROOFING UEFA
14
The Intelligence Centre
enables UEFA to adapt to these changes
INTELLIGENCE
CENTRE
DATA
ANALYTICS INNOVATION STRATEGY
( )

15. 15
UEFA has been innovating for years
Innovation is not strictly related to digital, new technologies or new business models.
It goes way beyond and is related to everything that drives value for the organisation.
Participation at amateur &
grassroot levels – Examples
below
Good Governance and
Financial Fair-Play
Competitive balance &
Competition format
Internal processes and social
good – Examples below
INNOVATION AT THE SERVICE OF UEFA
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

16. UEFA INNOVATION HUB OBJECTIVES
Driven by UEFA Strategy 2019-2024, the UEFA Innovation Hub will:
16
Support UEFA in becoming
a more agile and resilient
organisation
CULTIVATE
FOSTER CULTURE OF
INNOVATION
1
Identify opportunities for UEFA
to access new technologies and
new ideas
CONNECT
LEVERAGE UEFA
ECOSYSTEM
2
Catch global trends in the
Sports industry and beyond to
better anticipate the future
CURATE
FUTURE PROOF
UEFA
3

18. CULTIVATE:
FOSTER A CULTURE OF INNOVATION
18
Activity:
Intrapreneurship
Activity:
UEFA and IMD
Innovation Bootcamp
Activity:
UEFA Innovation Lab
services
• Purpose: Internal platform for
staff/departments to propose new
ideas that tackle current business
challenges or explore new
opportunities for UEFA
• Methodology: Ideas will undergo
a strategic assessment and be
validated by staff through a ‘UEFA
coin’ process; participants support
the most impactful ideas, upon
which the top ones will be
developed further during an
incubation phase by a cross-
divisional teams.
• Purpose: A week long program
which partners staff with cross-
industry professionals to gain
experience using innovation
methodologies around the future
of football
• Methodology: Staff will receive
expert coaching from IMD
Business School to develop their
innovation skills and solve a
challenge set by UEFA's top
management.
• Purpose: A range of services and
methodologies offered by the UIH
to all staff, supporting ideation
around a business opportunity,
that can be tested in HQ or during
competitions.
• Methodology: Sprint sessions,
workshops, and developers
execute on ideas hosted in the
Innovation Funnel

19. UEFA INTRAPRENEURSHIP
TELL ME AND I FORGET.
TEACH ME AND I REMEMBER.
INVOLVE ME AND I LEARN.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

21. UEFA STAFF DEVELOPMENT
21
• A weeklong programme partnering UEFA staff
with cross-industry professionals to gain hands
on experience using innovation methodologies to
tackle real business problems
• It is hoped that by partnering UEFA experts with
industry professionals, new and exciting ideas
will be developed that will help to shape the future
of football
• The range of services that UEFA can offer staff to
be included in the UEFA Academy, including
Intrapreneurship, Bootcamp, Sprint Sessions
and more
• Participation will be recognised both as part of the
AAA objectives (for promotions and bonuses) and
through official academic certificates to prove the
lifelong learning journey of UEFA staff
UEFA & IMD Innovation Bootcamp UEFA Academy

22. A creative space at the disposal of all UEFA staff,
equipped with different innovative tools and
methodologies to help facilitate innovation
related projects.
22
UEFA
INNOVATION
LAB

27. 27
CEO & SENIOR
MANAGEMENT
BUY-IN – A MUST
HAVE
➢ CEO MUST COME IN AT THE LAUNCH OF
THE JOURNEY (OR AT SOME STAGE) AND
EXPLAIN THE VISION FOR THE
ORGANISATION
➢ Paris&Co
➢ UEFA
➢ SENIOR MANAGEMENT MUST COMMIT
AND ENGAGE AS THEY ARE THE ONES
ALLOWING RESOURCES (TIME/MONEY)
DEDICATION

28. 28
INNOVATION IS
NOTHING WITHOUT
A STRATEGY & AN
AUDIT
➢ INNOVATION MUST BE UNDERSTOOD AS A
VEHICLE TO DELIVER STRATEGIC
OBJECTIVES
➢ SENIOR MANAGEMENT MUST BE INVOLVED
TO GUARANTEE THIS & ALLOW FOR THE
NECESSARY FLEXIBILITY/PAIN POINTS
➢ THE ARTICULATION BETWEEN QUICK WINS
AND MEDIUM/LONG-TERM MUST BE
MANAGED. YOU NEED TO ADDRESS ALL THE
POINTS ON THE GRAPH FROM THE VISION
TO THE SET-UP AND EXPECTED RESULTS

29. 29
INNOVATION DOES
NOT HAPPEN BY
CHANCE – IT
REQUIRES
RESOURCES
➢ YOU NEED A RESSOURCE FULLY
DEDICATED TO IT & WITH A LITTLE
BUDGET IF YOU WANT IT TO BE
SUCCESSFUL
➢ YOU NEED A GAME PLAN AND YOU ALSO
NEED TO ORCHESTRATE IT BECAUSE IT IS
ULTIMATELY 99% ABOUT PROCESSES

30. 30
INNOVATION DOES
NOT HAPPEN BY
CHANCE – IT
REQUIRES A CLEAR
PROCESS & METRICS
➢ YOU NEED CLEAR METRICS, PROCESSES
AND HR POLICIES IN PLACE
➢ IT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY BECAUSE IT CAN
BE LESS TANGIBLE THAN PURELY
BUSINESS & QUANTITATIVE STATS BUT
METRICS DO EXIST (QUALITATIVE
SURVEYS, ETC.)
➢ IT IS KEY TO ENSURE WHAT IS DECIDED
WITHIN THE INNOVATION INITIATIVE
DRIVES VALUE AND BRING BACK THE
TRUST FROM CEO/SENIOR
MANAGEMENT

31. 31
INNOVATION DOES
NOT HAPPEN BY
CHANCE – IT
REQUIRES TOOLS &
METHODOLOGIES
➢ AN INNOVATION INITIATIVE NEEDS TO BE
ABLE TO ACCOMPANY ITS STAFF AND
PARTNERS WITH TOOLS AND
METHODOLOGIES IT USES
➢ IT NEEDS TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO
HELP THE ACCULTURATION OF THE STAFF
TO NEW WAYS OF WORKING OR
TACKLING BUSINESS NEEDS

32. 32
INNOVATION DOES
NOT HAPPEN BY
CHANCE – IT
REQUIRES A
PHYSICAL SPACE
➢ VERY PERSONAL STANDPOINT
➢ A MORE HYBRID MODEL CAN EXIST AND
WE HAVE SEEN IT WITH THE PANDEMIC
➢ BUT YOU NEED A LAB/A SPACE TO
EMBODY YOUR INITIATIVE AND ALLOW
PEOPLE TO COME TO YOU AND BE
KNOWN
➢ THIS SPACE IS ALSO KEY FOR TESTS AND
BUILDING ASSETS TO LEVERAGE
INNOVATION ON THE LONG RUN

34. 34
TAKE CARE OF
YOUR STAFF –
INCENTIVISE AND
REWARD THEM
➢ YOU DON’T WANT TO END UP WITH
EXHAUSTING THE STAFF THAT WILL
DEDICATE TIME AND EFFORT INTO THIS
WITH NO RESULTS ULTIMATELY.
“IN THE END, NOTHING REALLY CHANGED”
“THIS WAS JUST A ONE-OFF/PR INITIATIVE”
➢ PART OF THE STAFF WILL BE HAPPY AT THE
BEGINNING AND WILL JUMP INTO IT.
FOCUS ON THEM & CREATE THE
EMULATION.
➢ HR IS KEY FOR THIS TO HELP YOU SUSTAIN
CHANGE.

35. 35
IDEA INCUBATION
DOES NOT START
WITH IDEATION –
PROBLEM
IDENTIFICATION IS KEY
➢ IT STARTS WITH PROBLEM
IDENTIFICATION AND CONFIRMATION OF
NEEDS
➢ YOU CAN HAVE THE BEST PROGRAMME
AND PROCESS IN PLACE – IF YOU SPEND
TIME ON WRONG ASSUMPTIONS, YOU
ARE LOSING YOUR RESOURCES
➢ A NEW PLATFORM OR IDEA GENERATION
SOFTWARE WILL NOT MAKE YOUR STAFF
INNOVATIVE