SSRI held a specialized session titled "Innovation and Entrepreneurship of Women in the Sports Industry:

From Idea to Technology Creation and Added Value" during the 24th international exhibition of sports and sports equipment (Sportex 2025).

The session aimed to examine the challenges and opportunities for women's innovation in the sports industry, strengthen connections between policymakers, technologists, and female sports entrepreneurs, promote successful models, and develop the ecosystem for women's sports entrepreneurship.

With the growing role of technology in sports development, the capacities of women in innovation and entrepreneurship have gained special importance. Women, with deep understanding of real needs in the fields of sports, health, and active lifestyle, have the potential to drive transformation in designing sports equipment, producing innovative products, and developing new services. However, their participation in the sports industry's value chain still faces challenges like limited access to capital, weak networking with industries, and lack of structural supports.

Participants included Dr. Fatemeh Hoshdar, CEO of the Amir Kabir University Research and Technology Fund, who emphasized that support is based on technology and commercializability regardless of gender, and noted the need for closer collaboration between academia and funds. Dr. Leila Zaki-Zadeh, vice president of the Wushu Federation, stressed the necessity of establishing technology departments in federations and equal female presence in these committees, and viewed education development as key to increasing women's participation in innovation and entrepreneurship.

Engineer Reyhaneh Alimoghadam, a successful female entrepreneur in the sports industry, shared her experience in transforming ideas into businesses and emphasized persistence as vital.

Dr. Neda Boroushak, the session director, summarized that from policy, finance, federations, and personal experience perspectives, women in sports industry are not just consumers but the future creators. She urged coordinated policymaking, financial support, and education to turn women's ideas into products and added value. She hopes this session marks the beginning of real collaborations among ministries, universities, industry, and innovative women.