Startup businesses in social media, data and wearable technology are being encouraged to develop products and services aimed at promoting physical activity as part of a business mentor initiative launched by ukactive.

The not-for-profit health body will match the fledgling organisations with large organisations in the physical activity sector throughout its 12-week ActiveLab programme.

Investors in health and fitness, as well as other experienced industry individuals, will support businesses which have developed innovations which can benefit the private, public or third sectors.

Former David Lloyd Leisure chief executive Scott Lloyd, David Giampaolo and Pacific Direct founder Lara Morgan are among the mentors taking part.

Entries for the programme are now open. Teams which have raised the necessary capital to develop an idea will be eligible for the programme.

Twenty of the best ideas will make it through to the 23 November final. Over the course of the programme the teams will receive a number of networking opportunities with investors and physical activity firms.

The programme will conclude on 15 March 2017 when the finalists will showcase their innovation and take part in a series of live pitches. The winner will win a “premium accelerator toolkit”, which is made up of products and expertise to “fast-track their concepts”.

ActiveLab is being backed by AXA PPP and Tech City UK.

Steven Ward, chief executive of ukactive, said the aim of the initiative was to “help scale innovation through access and expertise from ukactive’s 4,000 members”.

“The programme brings together the most highly networked collection of private investors in health and fitness ever, as well as an unprecedented amount of talent and experience,” he added.

“Our goal is to unearth the UK’s first health and fitness unicorn and become the global launchpad for innovation and scalable physical activity businesses.”