FC Shakhtar has launched the Sports Innovation (SPIN) Accelerator project together with HYPE Sports Innovation, a platform that invests in the search for sports start-ups around the world.

The Ukrainian club became one of 10 global partners of the project at the kick-off meeting at London's Stamford Bridge stadium on September 5, the club's press service said.

Along with FC Shakhtar Donetsk, the SPIN Accelerator partners are FC Koln, 1907 Fenerbahce, Maccabi Haifa FC and National Chiao Tung University in Taiwan.

"Innovative technologies in the sports area are the key driver of changes in the market. Our goal is to identify new opportunities, to support Ukrainian sports start-ups and take them to a new level," Yuriy Sviridov, the FC Shakhtar Communications Director, has said.

The four-month program is tailored for the unique needs of sports-technology start-ups.

HYPE Sports Innovation aims to establish at least 25 accelerator host partners by 2021. The first SPIN Accelerator ran simultaneously with three partners: University of Loughborough in London, Australia's University of Queensland and Italian Trentino Sviluppo. Out of 33 participating startups, 12 received investments totalling $3.5 million throughout the program.