The Premier League club has chosen Camb.ai, Mantis XR and Piing from more than 200 worldwide applicants

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Burnley Football Club has launched an Innovation Hub that has selected three tech companies the club will work with to deliver new digital experiences, enhance fan engagement and innovate.

The Innovation Hub invited tech companies to apply for an opportunity to pitch to Burnley FC at a virtual Pitch Day hosted from Turf Moor.

More than 200 companies worldwide applied and six finalists were shortlisted to present their solutions to a judging panel comprised of leadership from Burnley FC and ALK Capital, as well as industry expert advisors.

Camb.ai, Mantis XR, and Piing came out on top in the Innovation Hub pitch day, and over the next six-months, the companies will work alongside Burnley FC’s operations to deploy and test their technologies in real club environments.

  • Camb.ai uses AI to instantly translate content into 150+ languages while preserving each voice’s tone and personality. 
  • Mantis XR uses spatial technology to enable teams to build loyalty on relationship data rather than fragmented vendor systems.
  • Piing provides stadium-scale interactive games that engage tens of thousands of fans, turning matchday downtime into sponsorship-ready activations.

This first cohort marks the launch of a long-term strategy by Burnley FC to embed innovation across the club and establish a repeatable model for adopting and scaling emerging technology.

Alan Pace, chairman, Burnley Football Club, said: “I’m absolutely delighted to welcome our inaugural cohort of start-ups for year one of the club’s Innovation Hub. We received some excellent applicants, and the three we’ve chosen will add significant value across the business. We’re excited to get to work with them all over the next six months.”

Penelope Edmonds, vice president of corporate development & investments, added: “It’s been fantastic to launch this programme and see how world-class founders are applying technology to some of the biggest challenges in football and sport. As one of the early movers in this space, we’ve been especially grateful for the level of support from partners across the sports, investment, and technology ecosystems, which has helped make this first cohort possible. We’re thrilled to be working with such a strong group of companies and look forward to building, learning, and growing together.”