Innovation in Sport: The Future is Now
Tuesday 18 August 2026 | 9:15am – 3:30pm
UWS Hamilton
The future is now — a fitting theme that reflects the remarkable pace of change across the sporting sector. Join us once again at the impressive UWS Innovation Centre for our annual conference, where we will explore a range of innovations that are helping to advance opportunities and experiences for women in sport.
This year’s programme features a diverse line-up of presenters, each sharing insight into their own area of innovation. We begin the morning session with “A Bitesize Introduction to Innovation”, exploring how technology is being used to support teachers, clubs, and athletes in a variety of ways. Speakers include Hayley Donnelly from SportConnected and Erin Gillen from Scottish Athletics.
Our next speaker, Laura Louch, Digital Curriculum Project Leader at Dundee & Angus College, represents the first institution in Scotland to offer a degree-level qualification in esports.
The afternoon session begins with Jodie Sinclair, Founder and Chief Executive of Theo Health. Jodie will reflect on how a career-ending injury inspired the creation of Theo Health and their first product, the Alpha Shorts — high-performance compression wear embedded with inertial measurement units that track every repetition in real time.
Next, we will hear from Vicky Tolfrey, a sport scientist specialising in disability and Para sport, with more than three decades of experience across applied practice, research, and leadership. Vicky is Professor of Applied Disability and Para Sport, Director of Sporting Excellence and Opportunity (SSEHS), and Director of the Peter Harrison Centre for Disability Sport.
Our final speaker of the day is Leanne Norman, Professor of Women in Sport and Academic Lead for the Women in Sport Research and Innovation Hub. Internationally recognised as a leading scholar in women’s sport, Leanne joined the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences in January 2026. Her work focuses on advancing understanding of gender equity, diversity, and inclusion within sport workforces, and how these issues connect with organisational processes and cultures.
To conclude the conference, our three afternoon speakers will return to the stage for a final Q&A session with the audience.
A huge thank you to sportscotland for their support of this event, and to UWS for hosting us in their outstanding facility.
Register for tickets by scanning the QR code below or via the Event Pal link – https://weareeventpal.com/SWIS2026
