Sport-tech diplomacy: exploring the intersections between the sport-tech ecosystem, innovation, and diplomacy in Israel

The purpose of this article is to explore and discuss the role of the growing sport-tech ecosystem and the branding of Israel as a start-up nation in the country’s sports diplomacy. When analysing Israel’s deteriorating image, scholars and practitioners recommended to focus the country’s branding and diplomatic efforts on micro-marketing and in creating bypassing messages to the Israeli–Arab dispute. While other countries manage to use sports for such purposes, international politics often limited Israel’s possibilities. Being the number one country in the world in start-ups per capita, and having a growing sport-tech ecosystem used by some of the biggest international sport-related organizations, embody new opportunities especially in the context of “sport-tech diplomacy”. The article is significant as it contributes to existing literature on the branding of Israel as a “start-up nation”, on Israel’s sports diplomacy, and on public diplomacy and soft power through exploring the intersections of technology, innovation, sports, and diplomacy, using the term “sport-tech diplomacy”.