Juventus have marked the second year of Forward Squad by selecting 11 start-ups for projects across sporting performance, supporter experience and club operations. The initiative is part of a broader attempt to build long-term value through innovation rather than treat technology as a separate exercise from the daily life of the club.
The decision
Giorgio Chiellini opened the presentation of the new group, reflecting on the first season of the programme and the standards Juventus want to carry into its next phase. The club’s Chief Club Affairs Officer said it had been rewarding to see an idea become operational, while stressing the attitude shown by the companies involved.
“The first season made a real impression on me,” Chiellini said. “Forward was a project we had imagined, and seeing it take shape was extremely satisfying. What stood out most was the start-ups’ determination to keep improving, their enthusiasm in working with us and their ability to turn each challenge into a chance to develop. That is the spirit we want to continue with this new Forward Squad.”
Four of the selected companies will work within the sport performance category. ForceTeck will assist Juventus in assessing and defining player profiles through slow-motion footage captured solely on a smartphone. Nuhpro is set to create an individualised pre-training product based on whey protein.
Vitelle will work with Juventus Women, translating UEFA guidance on hormonal health and personalised athlete monitoring into practical applications. Vokalo, meanwhile, brings together wearable devices that can record communication between players on the pitch and software capable of matching those exchanges to match video.
The other seven start-ups have been placed in the corporate innovation stream, with a focus extending from stadium audiences to resource use, data, media work and facilities management.
- CrowdIQ will use high-resolution images and computer-vision technology to study stadium attendance and supporter behaviour, including demographic patterns, movement, attention, engagement and potential interest in merchandise.
- Kanoa Solutions will target water consumption across Juventus facilities through high-efficiency tap filters, with the club aiming for savings of up to 35%.
- SuperQuickQuestion will test whether its format can deepen international supporter participation while creating possibilities around sponsorship rights and data value.
- Talkalytics will conduct voice-based fan surveys on subjects including the matchday experience, membership programmes and partner initiatives.
- Vivilo will automatically connect photos and videos to the people appearing in them, allowing organisers to offer each participant a personalised content gallery in a brand-led digital environment.
- WisyPlan will bring real-estate and facilities-management activity into one shared information system, intended to reduce the time needed for information requests, design changes and decisions from days to hours.
- Zaro will provide the press office with an intelligent Media Desk, gathering club mentions in one accessible and continuously updated workspace for the wider team.
For Juventus, the programme places the training ground, women’s team, stadium, offices and supporter community within the same innovation discussion. It is a club-level project rather than a footballing shortcut: a way of examining how performance information is collected, how supporters are heard and how the organisation can operate with greater speed and efficiency over a season and beyond.
