Juan Luis Hortelano (Co-founder & COO of Blinkfire Analytics) “Valencia has become one of the most dynamic Spanish ecosystems over the last three years”

Juan Luis Hortelano is the Co-founder and COO of Blinkfire Analytics. He is also the President of Startup Valencia. Blinkfire Analytics, is the leading business intelligence and marketing analytics platform to evaluate sports, esports, media, and entertainment sponsorships across social media, digital, and Advanced TV. The Chicago and Valencia-based company works with some of the biggest teams and leagues around the world, including LaLiga, Valencia CF, Juventus, Major League Soccer, Liga MX, National Women’s Soccer League, Dallas Mavericks, and Chivas Guadalajara.

How did you and your Co-founder Steve Olechowski come up with the idea of Blinkfire Analytics? And how has the company evolved?

Steve Olechowski and I worked together at Feedburner Analytics, where he was co-founder. After Google bought the company in 2007, we stayed in touch and kept thinking about doing something around sports (we are both big football fans) and analytics.

In 2012, with the growth of social media and seeing how the teams and players were becoming their own media companies with booming audiences, we decided to explore the possibility of launching a company around social media analytics for sports entities.

After showing it to some potential customers, we discovered that a social media analytics platform was a nice tool for them to have but found that sponsorship tracking and valuation was much more important. So, we started working on that part of Blinkfire Analytics, and the rest is history.

How important is it for Blinkfire Analytics to be a part of the Innovation Hub?

The VCF Innovation Hub is very important to Blinkfire. We know how difficult it can be for big companies and entities to innovate, so being a part of an innovation program, together with other tech companies, is valuable. The ability to tell the Blinkfire story, learn from such a prolific team as Valencia CF, and work together with other innovative companies in our own city is a fantastic opportunity and experience.

What are you expecting to be key in the next three to four years?

I see three key areas of growth and innovation over the next three to four years:

1. Fan engagement - Sports teams’ relationships with fans and how they connect will continue to evolve. The big shift with the pandemic is “helping” accelerate that. We will discover new ways for teams to interact with fans and new sources of revenue: NFTs to sell merchandise and memorabilia, in-game advertising, new apps, gamification, and players communicating directly with fans.

2. Big data - This is an integral area, and I see a team using big data in all departments within an organization. From sponsorship (where Blinkfire expects to play a large part) to health, scouting, and coaching, data will be key. The teams who not only embrace data, but also take action and make decisions will be at a big advantage.

3. Stadium - Even after creating more innovative and technologically advanced stadiums, the fan experience remains somewhat similar to the way it’s always been. With new stadiums under construction and more than one year without fans in attendance, I hope teams start working on really improving the fan experience, creating more interactive opportunities. A few ideas that come to mind are: Paperless tickets, faster access, better multimedia inside the stadium, in-game activities, better connectivity and WiFi, and food and beverage apps for delivery to your seat to avoid long queues.

What excites you about the VCF innovation Hub and the startup community in Valencia?

Valencia has become one of the most dynamic Spanish ecosystems over the last three years. Having the best companies in the city, like VCF, is part of this success. The VCF Innovation Hub is helping to attract the best startups and talent from around the world.

Why is it beneficial to collaborate with sports teams like Valencia CF?

Sports teams are an engaging and exciting part of our society. They have international reach; a reach that most of the companies don’t have. Working with Valencia CF is a special opportunity for everyone.