In May 2025, Dutch innovation in sports tech made its way deep into the heart of Texas. The Sports Tech Innovation Bridge (STIB-US) brought a powerhouse Dutch delegation from Dallas to Houston, just as both cities gear up to host the FIFA World Cup 2026™.
This multi-day mission was organized by NBSO Texas, together with the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the USA, KNVB, the Voetbal Innovatiehub #11, and Sportinnovator.
Dallas: Kicking off with innovation
We kicked things off in Frisco with the grand opening of Plug and Play’s brand-new Sports Tech vertical, led by David Steele and soon home to the Sports Tech Innovation program of Professor Bob Heere. The energy was high, and so was the ambition. That same afternoon, Dutch companies took the stage at the FC Dallas World Cup Innovation Summit, showcasing cutting-edge solutions in performance tracking, immersive fan experiences, athlete recovery, and more.
Day two took us to the University of North Texas in Frisco, where Professor Heere connects students to the industry through hackathons and innovation panels. We wrapped up the Dallas chapter with a behind-the-scenes tour of the iconic AT&T Stadium; an unforgettable experience.
Houston: Where opportunity meets global stage
From Dallas, the mission rolled into Houston, another proud World Cup 2026 host city and one of the fastest-growing innovation ecosystems in the U.S. We started with stadium visits to NRG Stadium and Shell Energy Stadium, but the real spotlight moment came at ION Houston, where our full-day program showcased the depth and diversity of Houston’s ambitions. Representatives from the Greater Houston Partnership, Houston First, and Downtown Houston gave compelling presentations on the city’s World Cup preparations, growth strategy, and the many opportunities for international collaboration, especially in infrastructure, sustainability, tourism, and innovation.
The panels throughout the day gave our Dutch companies a real platform to shine, presenting their tech to a large and engaged audience of Houston stakeholders. A highlight? The joint panel with Harris County – Houston Sports Authority, the Houston FIFA World Cup Host Committee, and the Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation. Their vision for the future was inspiring and clearly showed why Houston is a city to watch.
Big shoutout to TEAM HOUSTON and especially Jan-Luc Blakborn for curating an outstanding Houston program and rolling out the orange carpet for the Dutch delegation.
Bigger than football
The Sports Tech Innovation Bridge is about more than the game, it’s about building bridges between two ecosystems that believe in the power of sport to drive innovation. From smart stadiums to sustainable mobility and data-driven fan experiences, the Dutch delegation brought serious game and Texas was ready to play ball.
