Key Takeaways
- The National Basketball Association (NBA) has announced the five companies that will make up the fifth cohort of NBA Launchpad, an initiative to source, evaluate, and pilot emerging technologies.
- The selected companies are Atlas, CRED, Diddo, Peripheral Labs, and Swish Basket, which focus on innovative technologies such as brain-sensing wearables, predictive intelligence, shoppable moments, spatial intelligence, and AI-powered basketball training.
- The NBA Launchpad program aims to advance the game, grow the league’s business, and enhance its impact on fans and communities.
- The cohort members will participate in a six-month pilot, receiving hands-on collaboration and support from the NBA and WNBA, and will present their solutions at Launchpad Demo Day at the 2026 NBA Summer League.
Introduction to NBA Launchpad
The National Basketball Association (NBA) has announced the five companies that will make up the fifth cohort of NBA Launchpad, the league’s initiative to source, evaluate, and pilot emerging technologies to further impact the future of basketball. After evaluating more than 200 companies worldwide, the NBA selected five participants that exemplify the program’s goals of advancing the game, growing the league’s business, and enhancing its impact on fans and communities. The group features companies that are focused on engaging players, fans, and other stakeholders through innovative new technologies, platforms, and products.
The Selection Process and Program Goals
The NBA Launchpad program is designed to identify and support innovative companies that can help shape the future of basketball. As Tom Ryan, NBA Senior Vice President and Head of Basketball Research and Development, stated, "As we enter the fifth year of Launchpad by welcoming the 2026 NBA cohort, we’re proud of the meaningful progress the platform has made toward shaping the future of the game." The program aims to drive innovation and elevate the sport and the experience of the NBA’s global fanbase. The selected companies will take part in a six-month pilot, which includes access to hands-on collaboration and support from the NBA and WNBA to further refine and scale their technologies.
The 2026 Cohort Companies
The five companies that comprise the 2026 cohort of the NBA Launchpad program are Atlas, CRED, Diddo, Peripheral Labs, and Swish Basket. Atlas is a multi-modal brain-sensing wearable technology company focused on quantifying and enhancing cognitive clarity. CRED is a predictive intelligence platform for sponsorship lead-generation, delivering personalized insights and recommendations. Diddo is an API for rights holders and publishers to integrate shoppable moments natively within media platforms. Peripheral Labs is a spatial intelligence platform focused on applying autonomous vehicle technology to reconstruct live sports into photorealistic 3D environments and high-fidelity player and ball tracking. Swish Basket is an AI-powered basketball training and gaming platform connecting real-world courts to a digital ecosystem.
Program Structure and Benefits
As members of the cohort, the companies will participate in a six-month pilot, which will culminate with Launchpad Demo Day at the 2026 NBA Summer League in July in Las Vegas. At this event, cohort members will present their solutions to NBA and WNBA executives, partners, and investors. The program provides the selected companies with access to hands-on collaboration and support from the NBA and WNBA, as well as the opportunity to refine and scale their technologies. This support will help the companies to further develop their innovative solutions and bring them to a wider audience.
Conclusion and Future Outlook
The NBA Launchpad program has made significant progress in shaping the future of basketball, and the selection of the 2026 cohort is a further step in this direction. The program’s focus on innovative technologies and its support for emerging companies will help to drive innovation and elevate the sport and the experience of the NBA’s global fanbase. As the program continues to evolve, it will be exciting to see the impact that the selected companies have on the future of basketball and the NBA. For more information on the NBA Launchpad program, please visit the NBA Launchpad website or email [email protected].
