The U.S. Tennis Association is launching a new startup competition branded the “USTA Connect Innovation Challenge” this year. Intended as a forum for evaluating new technologies that can help grow the game of tennis, the competition will see one U.S.-based technology startup selected from a pool of applicants to receive a $10,000 prize — and potentially the opportunity to integrate with the USTA. USTA Connect is a data-sharing program created by the governing body with 39 partners, including equipment maker Wilson, racket sports club management platform Court Reserve and analytics app SwingVision.
Applications for the startup challenge opened on Wednesday and will remain so through July 3. From the initial applicants, 10-12 companies will be selected to receive USTA datasets (e.g., facility/court databases, anonymized player histories, U.S. Open tracking data) for use in their presentations. Three finalists will be selected from a round of virtual presentations in August, and the challenge will culminate with a pitch competition at the 2026 U.S. Open on Sept. 3. The presentations will be evaluated by a yet-undetermined panel of judges including representatives from USTA leadership, USTA Ventures, USTA sections, and IBM, a longtime technology sponsor of the U.S. Open.
