JuniStat named a Finalist in the Barça Innovation Hub
The project has been selected as one of the five finalists in the Barça Startup Challenge, part of the Sports Tomorrow Congress!
It’s no secret that FC Barcelona is one of the most renowned and successful football clubs in the world. Despite challenging times, the club’s management continues to do everything possible to ensure the team achieves the best results. Beyond their on-field performance, Barcelona is actively developing sports technologies, investing in research, analytics, and innovation.
Since 2017, Barça Innovation Hub (BIHUB) has been operating as the club’s dedicated center for uniting experts, tech companies, and research institutions to create cutting-edge solutions in football.
One of BIHUB’s key initiatives is the Barça Startup Challenge, an annual competition that selects the most promising sports technology projects. This year, JuniStat, a startup leveraging artificial intelligence and computer vision for youth scouting, was named a finalist.
Let’s take a closer look at Barça Innovation Hub and explore why JuniStat made it to the final selection.
A Comprehensive Tech Ecosystem
This project can be described as a fully integrated technological ecosystem. BIHUB’s primary goal is to implement innovations into the club’s operations, assisting players, coaches, and analysts in making data-driven decisions.
BIHUB’s areas of focus:
• Analytics & Big Data — Developing tools for collecting and analyzing match and training data to support tactical decision-making;
• Artificial Intelligence — Utilizing AI for personalized training, injury prediction, and optimizing fan engagement;
• Injury Prevention & Sports Medicine — Researching ways to prevent overtraining, accelerate recovery, and enhance athlete performance;
• Education Programs — Offering online courses for coaches, analysts, and specialists to facilitate the adoption of innovative solutions;
• Sports Facilities & Event Management — Creating technologies and strategies for efficient infrastructure management and event organization.
BIHUB actively collaborates with technology companies through the Barça Startup Challenge. This year, in partnership with NOBA Ventures, the organization conducted a rigorous selection process to identify startups capable of transforming the football industry.
What criteria do judges consider when selecting finalists?
A panel of experts evaluates projects based on several key parameters, including: innovation, impact on football, feasibility & scalability, team expertise.
These selection criteria formed the basis for choosing five finalists, including JuniStat. Let’s take a closer look at what set this startup apart.
What makes JuniStat unique?
The company utilizes skeleton tracking, an advanced algorithm that recognizes and analyzes a football player’s movements using a regular smartphone camera. This approach allows for:
• Accurate measurement of players’ physical and technical performance;
• Eliminating the need for expensive equipment or complex installations.
This method is gaining popularity in global football, as it enables objective and scalable player evaluations. AI-driven scouting allows coaches and analysts to identify talented players based on precise metrics.
A focus on youth football
One of the key reasons JuniStat was selected as a Barça Startup Challenge finalist is its strong focus on youth football. The platform’s approach offers several advantages:
• Scouting accessibility — Young players who are not part of academies or professional clubs can still attract scouts’ attention.
• Career mobility — Players can be invited from one club to another, with the system tracking their progress and helping them move from regional teams to top-tier clubs.
• Data-driven scouting — Federations and clubs gain access to a digital player database, simplifying the scouting process and allowing for more objective talent identification.
JuniStat is making scouting more accessible and efficient, giving thousands of young footballers around the world a real opportunity to showcase their potential.
Where is JuniStat already being used?
Since its launch in 2021, JuniStat has been implemented in several countries:
- Uzbekistan Football Federation — The system assists in national-level player testing;
- West Ham United Foundation — Used for remote scouting; one of the players discovered through the platform was named Nigeria’s Best Young Footballer of the Year;
- Chile National Team — The system is applied in youth football trials;
- Supernovas football academy network — Operating in Latin America, Africa, and Kazakhstan, using the platform for player evaluation.
What’s next?
At the Sports Tomorrow Congress 2025, JuniStat co-founder Gleb Shaportov will present the project and discuss the future of technology in youth football.
Exclusively attaching a few slides from the upcoming presentation:
We will continue covering this topic and prepare an exclusive report after the congress, sharing key insights, industry trends, and the ways football innovations could shape the future of player development worldwide. Stay tuned for updates!
