- Tech startups invited to pitch bold ideas
- One-day summit to take place at York Racecourse in February 2026
- Follows landmark study revealing a disconnect between racing and young adults
海角大神 (BHA) and Flutter UKI are teaming up to launch a 鈥楧ragon鈥檚 Den鈥�-style horse racing summit, with the ambition to unearth solutions that attracts a new generation of racegoers.
for this startup scouting programme in advance of the 鈥楩uture of Racing鈥� summit, which takes place at York Racecourse in February 2026.
There, a shortlist of the most innovative tech startups will be offered the chance to pitch their ideas in front of a panel of industry leaders and experts from Flutter, the BHA, racecourses and equine welfare, to discuss and probe their concepts in greater detail.
The summit will take place in front of an audience of stakeholders and representatives from across the sport, with a range of venture capitalists also expected 鈥� giving startups an influential stage on which to present their ideas.
Those interested in attending are invited to registered their interest now via .
Concepts could include augmented reality race guides, wearable tech for horses, immersive VR experiences, novel ways to make horse racing ownership more accessible and engaging 鈥� or anything designed to modernise the sport and deepen fan engagement.
The initiative, also backed by RMG, York Racecourse, and ClimbUK, builds on insights from 鈥攖he most comprehensive study ever conducted into British racing audiences.
It found that there is a vast untapped market for horse racing and that despite its place as the second biggest sport in the UK, too many people feel little emotional connection to horse racing.
In a survey of 7,500 people, Project Beacon also identified 3 additional concerns among racegoers, including the wellbeing of racehorses, the high cost of attending race meetings, and difficulty understanding betting terminology and form 鈥攚ith many perceiving success as a matter of luck rather than skill. These challenges are particularly pronounced among the Instagram generation and the 18鈥�28 age group.
To address this directly, the Future of Racing summit at York will spotlight four key themes:
- Horse welfare –聽Technologies to enhance equine safety and welfare
- Education 鈥� Simplifying the sport for newcomers through accessible tools
- Raceday Experience 鈥� Elevating the social and entertainment value of attending live events
- Behind the Silks 鈥� Offering fans immersive, behind-the-scenes access to the racing world
An additional wildcard category will also welcome companies offering fresh, ground breaking ideas across any aspect of the sport.
Brant Dunshea, acting Chief Executive Officer of the BHA, said: 鈥淭here are so many great ideas out there and the aim of the Future of Racing summit is to ensure that racing has the opportunity to hear them and, where appropriate, tap into what they could bring to the sport. I鈥檇 encourage everyone in the sport to engage with this process and come to York in February with an open mind, for what I鈥檓 sure will be an exciting and intriguing event.
鈥淲e鈥檙e looking for bold ideas that can engage younger audiences and ensure the sport鈥檚 fan base remains strong for the generations to come. We鈥檙e eager to hear from as many startups as we can and very much hope as many as possible take up the chance to apply and make their mark on our sport.鈥�
Sebastian Butterworth, Racing Strategy Director at Flutter UKI, said: 鈥淔lutter embodies the energy of startups鈥攊nnovative, fast-growing businesses driven by entrepreneurs to create scalable products and services that disrupt markets.
鈥淛ust a few months ago we launched Timeform鈥檚 simplified QuickCard for newcomers to horseracing at York Racecourse, so we鈥檙e really proud to partner with the BHA and return for this potentially pivotal Future of Racing Summit in February.
鈥淧roject Beacon puts the customer at the heart of racing, and it鈥檚 vital that we come together to seek out solutions that directly address their concerns.鈥�
, with shortlisted candidates announced in January, ahead of the York event on February 12.
Travel costs will be covered for shortlisted candidates.
For more information, to submit an application, or register your interest in attending, check out
Notes to editors:
1. For further information, interviews or media access, please contact Mark Scully on [email protected].
