Samsung and IOC celebrate new Solve for Tomorrow Ambassadors at Milano Cortina 2026
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Samsung have announced the selection of 10 global ambassador teams, who are using the power of sport and technology to drive social change, as part of the Worldwide Olympic Partner’s Solve for Tomorrow initiative.
Key facts
- Worldwide Olympic Partner Samsung announces 10 global ambassador teams for Solve for Tomorrow initiative
- The Sport & Tech theme was developed jointly with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to empower young people to combine sport and technology to develop solutions to real-life social challenges
- Sport & Tech team ambassadors will receive funding and up to two years of support from Samsung and the IOC to help transform their ideas into viable products
The announcement took place during an inspiring ceremony at Samsung House in Milan during the Olympic Winter Games in the presence of some 80 guests, including IOC President Kirsty Coventry, Samsung Electronics President and Head of Global Marketing Won-Jin Lee, and IOC Member Auvita Rapilla, the Chair of the IOC’s Olympism365 Commission.
Among the winners was Danielle Yang, a member of the USA Storm Shield team that designed a headband to shield hearing aids from damage during physical activity, making sport safer and more accessible for those living with hearing impairments.
“I joined Samsung Solve for Tomorrow to address the challenges I experienced in my daily life,” explained Yang, who has a hearing disability herself.
With the support of Samsung Electronics and the IOC, I am truly honoured and delighted to have the opportunity to share my idea with the world, even on the Olympic stage.
President Coventry paid tribute to the ambassadors, saying: “It’s really wonderful to be able to celebrate the Solve for Tomorrow ambassadors here at the Olympic Games. As well as being inspired by watching athletes from all over the world, we also get to honour these inspirational young people who are doing incredible things in their communities and driving forward sustainable change.”
The Solve for Tomorrow global programme empowers young people to develop solutions to real-life challenges through science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and features a dedicated Sport & Tech theme developed jointly with the IOC.
The Sport & Tech pillar aims to promote youth-led projects that combine sport and technology to address social issues in communities, complementing the IOC’s Olympism365 strategy for sustainable development through sport.
“Through Solve for Tomorrow and our collaboration with the IOC, we are creating environments where young people can discover their strengths, express their ideas, and contribute meaningfully to society,” said Samsung’s Lee. “We are not only supporting innovation but also nurturing future leaders who will carry forward the values of excellence, respect, friendship – and creativity.”
The global ambassadors were selected from winning teams of regional Solve for Tomorrow competitions around the world, with the final selection being made through a joint evaluation by Samsung and the IOC based on the innovation, scalability and social impact of each solution. The Sport & Tech winners included projects that try to increase participation in recreational sports and improve accessibility to sport for those living with disabilities.
We’re honoured and proud that our partnership with Samsung enables us to create a platform for these ambassadors to come together and share their ideas. I hope being here at the Games inspires them to keep dreaming big and pushing boundaries.
As part of the ambassador programme, each team will receive funding and up to two years of support from Samsung to help transform their ideas into viable products. The five Sport & Tech teams will be jointly supported by Samsung and the IOC.
“To support the next steps of the young Solve for Tomorrow ambassadors, the International Olympic Committee and Samsung will jointly co-invest USD 100,000 in 2026 to support the development of five Sport & Tech projects led by our global ambassadors,” said IOC Member Auvita Rapilla.
We are proud to stand alongside Samsung in this journey, and to support the next generation as they turn ambition into action.
On 9 February, the ambassador teams will showcase their solutions at Milan’s Smart City Lab and take part in an innovation workshop led by the IOC’s Olympism365 Innovation Hub. They will also participate in a series of on-site activities and a visit to the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Village, offering the ambassadors a deeper insight into how athletes experience the Olympic Games and inspiring further ideation on their projects.