Community Innovator: Minnesota Twins
Wednesday, April 13, 2022 at 9:30AMArticle by Becky Fillinger
Chris IlesThink you know what’s happening with the Minnesota Twins? Yes, there is Spring baseball, but beyond that check out the surprising innovation happening with the Twins! We talked to Chris Iles, Senior Director, Brand Experience and Innovation to learn about this initiative, which is unique for a major league baseball club.
Q: You're overseeing the Minnesota Twins Accelerator by Techstars – the intersection of technology, sports & entertainment. Tell us more about the program and why this intersection is called the fastest evolving on the planet?
A: The Minnesota Twins Accelerator by Techstars is a 3-year program that will see the Minnesota Twins invest in more than 30 startups operating at the intersection of tech, sports and entertainment. Each year, we select a cohort of startups, giving them access to mentorship, funding and other resources that help them drastically accelerate their rate of growth. Given the highly public nature of our business, we are uniquely positioned to place emerging innovations in front of our broad network of fans, allowing startup founders unprecedented access to a wide audience. At the same time, we’re able to deliver never before seen experiences; giving our fans access to ideas and technology that will ultimately impact the future of sports.
The 2022 cohort of the Minnesota Twins Accelerator by Techstars
AWSM Sauce founders Carl Starkey and Paul Lehman. AWSM Sauce is piloting their patented powder to pour technology in the Delta SKY360 Club at Target Field in April.
Q: How did you become interested in innovation? Were you involved in innovation efforts at your prior places of employment, Padilla and HealthPartners?
A: I’ve always been fascinated by those who are poking at the edges of human possibility and what’s “next.” I’ve been in the fortunate position to work with technology and technologists throughout my career in communications and marketing, and am thrilled that innovation is now a greater focus of my role with the Minnesota Twins.
EDGE Sound Research founders Valtteri Saltomaki and Ethan Castro test their ResonX Sound Lounge in advance of the 2022 season.
Q: How is technology revolutionizing baseball? Entertainment? How will the Twins branding be expressed in the new partnerships?
A: Technology plays a crucial role in all aspects of sports and entertainment, from human performance on the field, to all aspects of the fan journey, to the in-stadium experience, to how we consume the game/brand outside of the stadium. Tech touches everything we see whether we realize it or not. Ultimately, we want the Minnesota Twins to be seen as an innovative brand,and that doesn’t happen without actively experimenting in the tech space.
Q: Why is this a space of interest to the Minnesota Twins?
A: There are three reasons. 1. Brand – We believe this is an opportunity to push the Minnesota Twins brand beyond baseball. 2. Culture – We want to infuse innovation across all levels of our organization and believe there is no better way to do that than to expose our culture to the entrepreneurial spirit and innovative nature of startup founders. 3. Revenue – As teams seek to diversify revenue streams, we see early-stage investing as a long-term strategy with many ancillary benefits.
Q: How will you inform fans – business and sports – of the program’s progress? How may we participate?
A: People can follow our progress on any of the channels below or by visiting our program page. If you know of any great startups that could be a fit for our program, please let us know! Otherwise, we hope to see you at Target Field, where you can try out our latest innovations in person.
Q: How may we follow your news?
A: There are many ways:
...and come to the park!
