Sport has always been a mirror of society. It reflects community values, connecting people despite boundaries that might otherwise divide them. The most forward-thinking organizations in sport are no longer content to simply reflect the world as it is. They are actively working to shape the world as it should be.

The NHL/NHLPA Hockey Innovation Competition presented by SAP is one of the ways SAP, the NHL, and the NHLPA turn that ambition into action, inviting students to design practical, community-minded solutions that grow the game in more inclusive and sustainable ways.

Since its inception in Ontario, the program has expanded into multiple markets across North America, engaging students from diverse backgrounds and disciplines. Along the way, participants gain hands-on experience solving real-world sports business challenges while collaborating with mentors from the NHL, NHLPA, SAP, and other industry organizations.

A season of innovation

As presenting sponsor throughout the 2025-2026 season, SAP has helped evolve the competition into more than a student pitch event. It has become a platform where the next generation of innovators can apply design thinking, data literacy, and purpose-driven problem-solving to the future of sport.

Earlier this season, competitions in Florida and Ontario showcased how local communities bring unique perspectives to hockey’s growth, from reimagining youth participation and community engagement to exploring new technologies that can make the sport more inclusive and accessible. Across every market, students approached the challenge as an opportunity to solve real problems for real communities. These events set the stage for the Final Pitch Day in San Jose, where students were challenged to imagine how hockey can thrive within one of the world’s leading innovation hubs.

Inside the NHL/NHLPA Hockey Innovation Competition Presented by SAP new

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New ideas take center stage in San Jose

On June 1, the NHL, NHLPA, and SAP, with support from the Sharks Foundation, welcomed students to the SAP Center in San Jose, California, for the competition’s Bay Area edition. The event brought together more than 150 students representing 14 colleges and universities and 21 undergraduate and graduate programs. Twenty teams submitted concepts, with six finalists advancing to present their ideas before a panel of judges and industry leaders.

Participants were challenged to develop solutions addressing three key opportunities to grow the game:

1. Expanding hockey’s presence in educational spaces: Hockey continues to grow as a game for everyone, and there is an opportunity to expand its presence in educational spaces so more young people can experience it. This pillar challenged students to design credible, scalable pathways to bring hockey into learning environments and support that growth.
2. Utilizing hockey to support physical and mental wellness for children: The mental and physical health of young people has never been a more urgent priority. This pillar invited students to explore how hockey-based experiences can support physical activity, confidence, social connection, and mental wellness for children, with models that reduce performance pressure and prioritize joy and belonging.
3. Innovative ways to experience the game for underrepresented audiences: Growing the game requires lowering the barriers that have historically prevented entire communities from seeing themselves in hockey. This pillar challenged students to create more innovative, accessible, and engaging ways for underrepresented audiences to experience the game, often beyond the traditional rink, through new entry points, storytelling, and technology-enabled experiences.

Recognizing excellence

During the final showcase at SAP Center, six finalist teams pitched their ideas to a distinguished judging panel that included Oliver Vivell, head of Corporate Business Development at SAP; Rob Knesaurek, senior vice president of Community Development and Industry Growth at the NHL; Neda Tabatabaie; and Angel Rios Jr. from the City of San José.

Following deliberation by the judging panel, two teams were recognized for their innovative ideas and potential for real-world impact.

• The Innovator Award was presented to Puck Pulse, a team comprised of students from Santa Clara University. Team members Anna Mulderink, Liam Hadden, Alex de Ana Skinner, and Fletcher Craig. The team leveraged NHL EDGE puck and player tracking data to envision a more immersive haptic experience for fans who are blind or visually impaired, both inside the arena and at home.
• The Change Maker Award was presented to Cory La Roe from the University of California, Berkeley, for “Hockey Without Barriers,” a concept that creates more inclusive live hockey experiences for fans with disabilities through the integration of haptic technology, AI-powered narration, and real-time captioning.

Both winning teams received $5,000 scholarships provided by the NHL and NHLPA, as well as exclusive networking opportunities with leaders from the NHL, Sharks Foundation, and SAP. All finalists will also be recognized with a VIP NHL game experience and partner-provided prizing for their contributions.

Preparing the workforce of tomorrow

Students are not simply the workforce of the future. They are its future leaders, entrepreneurs, educators, and advocates. Through experiences like the NHL/NHLPA Hockey Innovation Competition presented by SAP, students are learning that the most durable innovations are built in partnership with communities, with empathy at their foundation and long-term impact as their measure of success.

For SAP, supporting the competition aligns closely with the mission of academic partnerships at SAP, which work with higher education institutions around the world to equip students with future-ready skills and provide experiential learning opportunities that connect classroom learning with real-world challenges. By exposing students to innovation methodologies, emerging technologies, and industry collaboration, academic partnerships help students develop the skills and experiences needed to solve complex challenges and become purpose-driven leaders.

The future of hockey will be shaped not only on the ice but also in classrooms, communities, and innovation hubs around the world. The ideas presented throughout this year’s competition offered a promising glimpse into that future, and SAP is proud to partner with the NHL and NHLPA to help inspire and empower the next generation of changemakers.