A group of student footballers and computer scientists at the University of Bristol have secured funding for an AI-powered invention that could transform how grassroots sport is filmed and analysed. Pitchside AI, developed by a team of undergraduates who play for the university’s football club, uses artificial intelligence to automatically track play using a smartphone camera mounted on a tripod. The technology, designed to capture match footage without the need for a dedicated camera operator, won £10,000 at the University’s 2025 Innovation Showcase.
The startup’s pitch was one of seven student-led ventures awarded a share of £72,000 in funding, with AI emerging as a common thread across many of the entries. Other projects included systems for generating synthetic data to improve marketing decisions, return-to-work plans for cancer survivors, and teaching programmes to reskill workers displaced by automation.
Democratising sports analytics
Liam Jones, a Computer Science with Innovation student and co-founder of Pitchside AI, said the idea came from a desire to relive moments from university matches, without relying on shaky handheld videos. “Winning this funding is validation that other people believe in our idea,” said Jones. “We want to bring the excitement of professional football coverage to grassroots sport and this money is going to help us take the business to the next level.”
The system uses AI to identify and follow the ball across the pitch, swivelling the phone’s position in real-time. The resulting footage can be used not just for entertainment, but for tactical analysis by coaches and players. As AI tools continue to make inroads into sport, from player tracking and injury prediction in elite leagues to algorithmic scouting, the students’ solution reflects a wider movement to make advanced technologies accessible beyond the professional game.
AI for inclusion and reinvention
Also among the Showcase’s winners was Taught by Humans, a venture founded by Dr Laura Gemmell, which focuses on helping people navigate the challenges of an AI-driven economy. The startup received £15,000 to expand its programmes teaching AI and data skills to individuals whose roles have been displaced by automation.
Gemmell, who holds a PhD in Robotics and Autonomous Systems from the University of Bristol, said the event marked a turning point in her entrepreneurial journey. “Last year’s event was one of the first times I’d pitched the business. I was very nervous and I was a one-woman team,” she said. “Now we are a team of three (soon to be seven), we have a really clear purpose and we’ve received more funding, including a £70,000 grant from Innovate UK. Winning this funding is amazing and it will have a really big impact.”
Gemmell’s company is part of a growing trend in AI-related ventures aiming to close the digital divide and ensure a more equitable future of work. As AI increasingly influences recruitment, productivity, and strategic decision-making, the need for broader digital literacy is becoming urgent, not just for technical specialists, but for entire workforces facing new expectations.
Innovation meets application
The University’s Innovation Showcase, run by its student start-up incubator Runway, is designed to bridge academic research with practical entrepreneurship. Projects are evaluated not just on technical promise but also on the societal or commercial value they could unlock.
Other AI-enabled ideas receiving support included Decima2, which uses generative synthetic data to improve marketing decision-making, and MBC Return-to-Work Plans, a tool to create personalised, AI-generated adjustments for cancer survivors re-entering employment. In the construction sector, Salvedge was awarded £8,000 for its marketplace aimed at reducing landfill waste by salvaging reusable materials from demolition sites.
Mark Neild, Associate Professor in Innovation and Director of Runway, said: “The fresh thinking from our finalists is inspiring, especially when backed up by rigorous research that explains why their innovative ideas really will deliver the intended change. The small grants we award really lay the foundations for the growth and impact previous winners are now enjoying.”
Funded by alumni and university supporters including the Wilkinson Trust, the competition reflects a wider shift in higher education toward applied innovation with measurable societal benefit. As AI continues to reshape multiple industries, the Showcase demonstrated the importance of investing not just in technology, but in the imagination and insight of those shaping its future.
