Pipple and PSV aim to set a new standard in football. Together, we explore the boundaries of AI innovation in the Brainport region. PSV had a need to extract more insights from its existing data, and they found the necessary expertise “just around the corner” at Pipple.
At PSV, employees are constantly looking for collaborations within the Brainport region to help achieve their ambitions. They discovered Pipple after visiting Pipple Podium earlier this year. We are more than happy to leverage our knowledge and creativity to help PSV reach even greater heights. Just like PSV plays at Champions League level on the pitch, we play at Champions League level in data and AI. While PSV aims to be number 1 on the field, we aim to be number 1 in our field. We connect through our shared focus on innovation and family-oriented culture.
Unlocking technological potential
As a football club, you need to seek partnerships with companies that can help you chart the course you envision in order to achieve success together. In our Vision 2030, we explicitly state our aim to work in a more data-driven manner. When we saw what Pipple had to offer, the ball started rolling,” says Commercial Director Frans Janssen. Pipple founder Jeroen de Haas adds: “We act as an accelerator for PSV, helping them unlock the technological potential of data in AI. Our first step is to develop a strong AI strategy for PSV. We recently completed a similar project for Bol.”
Predictions on and off the field
In this initial strategic phase, which lasts several months, our team will engage with all departments at PSV to identify areas where AI can optimize results. From there, we will jointly define concrete goals, priorities, and projects. These can range from on-field strategies to operational and commercial improvements.
Making supporters happy
Our forecasting models predict demand for specific products. These systems have already been successfully deployed in 473 IKEA stores worldwide. At Coolblue, we use data models to visualize processes. PSV can also benefit from this technology.
Janssen notes: “Pipple can help us improve the efficiency of our merchandise purchasing, ensuring that, during a successful football season, all supporters can get the items they want. We already collect a lot of data, but Pipple can help us extract the right insights, enabling better segmentation and even more personalized communication with supporters.”
Being performance-driven is one of our core values. We aim to win trophies and achieve maximum performance. Pipple shares this ambition. -Frans Janssen
Winning trophies
We share more than just a regional connection. Many of our core values also align. Janssen explains: “Being performance-driven is one of our core values. We aim to win trophies and achieve maximum performance. Pipple shares this ambition. Recently, they even received a Golden Rating as one of the best data & AI consultants in the Netherlands. Another shared value is innovation, which is clearly visible at Pipple. Additionally, the Brabantian hospitality is something we both embrace. It’s evident in how smoothly our conversations flow. The fact that many people at Pipple are also PSV fans is a bonus. They could not possibly be more enthusiastic.”
Passion for PSV
De Haas says: “My passion for PSV was instilled in me from a young age. My grandfather lived next to the stadium, and when I was seven, he gave me a vinyl record of the PSV club anthem, which I still have. Nowadays, I attend games with my father, sister, and children. If PSV wins the championship, we are at the front of the crowd at Stadhuisplein. We aim to be the number 1 in data and AI, so being able to associate ourselves with the number 1 in football is a dream come true.” Thanks to this deal, Pipple joins as an Official Sponsor within PSV’s sponsor pyramid. The partnership also allows us to build greater brand recognition in our home region.
Rooted in the region
“One of the beautiful things about PSV is how deeply rooted they are in this region. They are an integral part of a dynamic network where companies collaborate to improve one another. It’s a regional partnership of organizations striving for top-quality and aiming to compete at a European level without making compromises. PSV may no longer win the Champions League, but they still compete among the top clubs. We share that same ambition,” says De Haas.
He continues: “Even though we operate internationally, we are a truly Dutch company with roots in Eindhoven. Our family-oriented culture fits well with the familial atmosphere at De Herdgang (PSV’s training facility). We are not a company backed by private equity, nor are we being prepped for a sale. You can see us as the first generation of a family business. My daughter has worked here, and my son will soon start studying econometrics — the same field I studied.”
We don’t strive to be the biggest, but we do aim to be the best. The same goes for PSV, which makes this partnership such a perfect match. – Jeroen de Haas
The smartest, not the biggest
“We are not the biggest or wealthiest club in football, but we can be the smartest — especially if we tap into the knowledge and expertise of this Brainport region. Our collaboration with Pipple is a prime example of this,” says Janssen.
Our founder Jeroen de Haas can now check something off his bucket list: working with data and AI at PSV was at the very top. “We don’t aim to be the biggest, but we do aim to be the best. For us, it’s all about star quality. We love working with organizations that share that ambition, and that includes PSV. This shared drive makes the collaboration such a great match. Our partnership runs until 2028, which reflects the strong mutual trust between us.”
Janssen concludes: “I am convinced that this will be a valuable journey for both of us. It fits perfectly with the path we want to follow. We both believe that we can achieve success by making PSV more data-driven, and we are eager to get started.”
With this partnership, we are taking innovation in sports to a higher level, with data and AI as the key to success.
