ASTN Member News

The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) has released new National Science and Research Priorities for High Performance Sport to help guide science, research and innovation initiatives ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games. The document highlights the importance of technology in relation to performance optimization, competitive equipment, and strategic insight.

The Government of South Australia's Department for State Development in collaboration with the Australian Sports Technologies Network (ASTN) and Helix Group will host a 2025 South Australian Sports Technology Showcase on 10th April. The Sports Technology Showcase will be held during SA’s bustling 2025 Gather Round Festival, celebrating the creativity, innovation and leadership of South Australian companies already servicing the sports sector, or those that are keen to explore.

The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) has awarded Queensland University of Technology (QUT) the country’s first gold tier status under the Elite Sport Education Network (ESEN). The ESEN is comprised of AIS-endorsed universities, TAFEs and other education providers who have committed to supporting elite athletes, coaches and officials for the duration of their course of study. The gold, silver and bronze ratings have been introduced to the ESEN to help athletes, coaches and staff balance a career in sport while pursuing higher education.

Embraced by skiers and snowboarders since launching in 2020, Nobody’s Princess has enjoyed fast track global growth by addressing a once neglected market of females wanting both form and function in a size that fits their body. Today the brand announced its first professional athlete sponsorship and bespoke design. Nobody's Princess will be designing the Vanuatu Winter Olympic uniform for Jeanne Crane-Mauzy who is a freestyle athlete competing originally for the USA and now for Vanuatu as a dual citizen.

CAPE has two studies in work with NASA and SpaceX. NASA plans to use CAPE's 3D scanning technology in space so astronauts can accurately and easily identify how they change shape in microgravity. Further NASA work, and the SpaceX study, are looking into compression garments to protect against orthostatic intolerance (fainting) when returning to Earth, and management of blood flow when entering microgravity.

Queensland University of Technology have announced a number of upcoming initiatives to drive sports technology and innovation in Queensland. This includes the Sport Innovation ProtoComp with QUT Sport students starting 28th March and AusCycling Esports National Championships to be held on 11th April. QUT will also host a Sports Innovation Community of Influence roundtable which will explore key challenges and unlock opportunities to accelerate technology adoption in sport.

World Athletics has partnered with ECAL, the leading provider of calendar marketing solutions, to ensure fans don’t miss a single moment of the World Athletics Indoor Championships held in Nanjing from 21-23 March. This collaboration brings convenience and personalisation to the fan experience, allowing attendees to sync the entire championship schedule or favourite events into their digital calendars.

Sportradar, a leading global sports technology company focused on creating immersive experiences for sports fans and bettors, announced that it has agreed to acquire IMG ARENA and its global sports betting rights portfolio. IMG ARENA’s portfolio will enhance Sportradar’s content and product offering and further strengthen its strategic position as a leading content provider in the most bet upon global sports, including tennis, soccer and basketball.

PlaySpark has announced the launch of a new gaming platform specifically for athletes. The platform brings a unique gaming experience that connects fans directly with the athlete, allowing for interactive engagement and exclusive content. With NIL (name, image, likeness) opening up endless commercial opportunities for athletes, PlaySpark gives them an avenue to create their own games and leverage their IP allows for deeper connections to their fans and also powerful sponsorship opportunities. 

PlayHQ has announced a landmark partnership with Basketball England, marking its first major collaboration in the UK. This strategic move will see PlayHQ provide a single, unified technology platform to support grassroots basketball across the country, streamlining operations and enhancing the experience for players, coaches, clubs, administrators, and volunteers. The solution will feature seamless registrations and membership management and simplified payments, competition scheduling, and real-time scoring.

United Sports, a company focused on improving sport globally through elevating standards for coaching, performance, and wellbeing has announced a partnership with Squash Queensland. All Squash Queensland Coaches have access to 3 new Squash specific modules focused on i. injury risk reduction, ii. load monitoring and management and iii. coaching fundamentals.

Most gyms rely on entry control systems to understand member usage, but those systems only tell you when members visit – not how they use your facilities. Newport Live, a leading charitable trust in Wales, wanted to move beyond guesswork and anecdotal evidence to truly understand how their members were using their flagship Station gym. By implementing the TwinLabs Gym Twin, Newport Live gained real-time insights into equipment and space utilisation. The data uncovered surprising trends - like the popularity of certain treadmills just because of their view of the TV, and how the free weights area was busiest on weekends despite assumptions otherwise. With hard data in hand, NewportLive is now making informed decisions on equipment upgrades, space allocation, and staffing - ensuring they invest where it matters most to their members.

Champion Data, a pioneering sports data company based in Melbourne, has acquired UK-based specialist sports brand agency WORKS, a global leader in high-end sports event dressing and broadcast design packages. This move marks a significant milestone for both companies, bringing together industry-leading expertise in data analytics, broadcast graphics, and creative design to deliver enhanced next-generation solutions for sport globally. WORKS creates solutions that engage global audiences through brand identity development, event branding rollout, broadcast and motion design and has worked on more than 420 global events, including 57 World Cups and 35 European finals.

Twenty-five teams of innovators from around the world, all using emerging technologies to accelerate sport’s contribution to sustainable development, have been selected by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to join its new Tech365 Explore think tank. In the second phase of the project, Tech365 Incubate, think tank members will have the opportunity to apply for grants up to $US 40,000 to develop and scale their innovations. Australian start-up, Invictus Sport, a platform that connects grassroots athletes with elite athletes and coaches to receive personalised feedback to improve their skills, has been selected as one of the 25 startups in Tech365 Explore.

The first rugby league video game since 2017 is set to be released later this year. The NBA, NFL, and football release their games annually with NRL bosses hoping fan interest can drive growth in the space. The main concern about such a venture for the game and video game developers is the small market rugby league holds internationally. Despite the potential drawbacks, NRL CEO Andrew Abdo confirmed a new game is on the way, with reports stating its release to be in early October in conjunction with developer Big Ant Studios.

The Australian Sports Technologies Network (ASTN) has partnered with the International Sports Technology Association (ISTA) and Sports, Entertainment and Innovation Conference (SEICon) to expand collaboration between the two clusters of innovation to maximise opportunities in the sports, entertainment and innovation sectors. By joining forces, ASTN, ISTA, and SEICon look to unlock new opportunities with a focus cross-sector collaboration. The partnership aims to foster strong connections between Australia and the US, driving economic growth in both countries, with the goal to strengthen ties between these two clusters of innovation.

ASTN has opened applications for 9th cohort of ASTN-GSIC (powered by Microsoft) Pre-Accelerator program. The Program, which has been completed by nearly 200 startups over 4 years, is designed to fast-track education for early-stage sportstech startups. This pre-accelerator program is open to startup founders, entrepreneurs with an athlete, practitoners or research background or intrapreneurs of sports organisations or businesses who have a technology-based idea, consider establishing a business or develop a minimal viable product (MVP). Applications are open until 4th April.

Local innovators are capitalising on the nation’s $AUD 4.69 billion sports tech industry while helping drive team performance, make sports safer for women and girls, and bring people closer to the games they love. Melbourne is the sports tech capital of Australia. The city hosts many of the country’s major sporting events, alongside leading sports federations and professional clubs. More than 40 per cent of the nation’s sports tech businesses are headquartered in Victoria. The City of Melbourne hosts some of the leading Victorian sportstech companies including iReel, Rosterfy and Boob Armour. In the feature article these orgnisations explain why the City of Melbourne is a great destination for locating and growing a sportstech business.

The National Rugby League used Komo Technologies to power interactive digital experiences across the Rugby League Fan Hub, Fan Fest, and Game Day at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, keeping fans engaged while giving sponsors new ways to connect. With live trivia, instant-win games, an event-wide cumulative leaderboard, and more, the activation brought fans closer to the action while making every interaction count.

BetMakers Technology Group and Podium have announced a partnership with Sportradar, agreeing to integrate the AdVantage Platform, a cutting-edge racing wagering solution, into the sports technology company’s multi-award-winning ORAKO sportsbook offering. The AdVantage Platform, powered by BetMakers’ advanced trading and Apollo platform technology and Podium’s market-leading data content and FLEXHUB race engagement tools, provides Sportradar’s ORAKO clients with access to a full suite of horse and greyhound racing events from around the world.

This week MyVenue, a leader in next-gen POS solutions for stadium and venue, opened it's new Global Headquarters and Software Development Centre in Adelaide. This is a major milestone in the company's rapid global expansion, with the facility designed to fuel further growth, creativity, and collaboration. The new building was officially opened by Her Excellency the Honourable Frances Adamson AC (Governor of South Australia) and the Honourable Joe Szakacs (Minister for Trade & Investment Minister, Local Government, and Veterans Affairs).

EngageRM has been selected for LaunchVic’s 30x30 program, an initiative that supports Victoria’s top scaleups as they take on the world. Over the next four months, EngageRM will join 11 companies to connect with mentors from unicorn companies like Atlassian, Canva and SEEK, tackling key scaling challenges in HR, Operations, and Finance. EngageRM is changing the game in sports and entertainment, helping teams, leagues, and venues run smarter, connect with fans, and boost revenue. EngageRM is making an impact across APAC, North America, and the UK, working with major leagues like the AFL, NRL, NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, MLS, and the Premier League. 

In 2006, Vizrt and Melbourne-based Champion Data first joined forces to transform graphics-based broadcast capabilities, adopting one of the earliest versions of Viz Artist. Almost 20 years later, Champion Data is still using Vizrt tools to create stellar sports storytelling moments for the likes of the Australian Football League and beyond. But it’s not all just about sports. The Champion Data team have pushed the boundaries of Vizrt technology, utilizing their existing AFL Match Day set up to render Katy Perry’s show stopping virtual reality-enabled performance at the AFL Final needing to rebuild the infrastructure from the ground up.

Hockey Australia, the national governing body for hockey, has partnered with impact and engagement platform Everclime to implement a comprehensive sustainability program across its operations. Through Everclime's Sustainability-as-a-Service model, this partnership will implement key emission reduction strategies and introduce innovative ways for fans to engage with sustainability initiatives, allowing them to connect with and contribute to positive social & environmental action through their support of the sport. The collaboration also creates a new Impact Sponsorship category, providing brands with a meaningful way to align their marketing efforts with tangible sustainability outcomes while deepening fan engagement.

TwinLabs.ai is a leader in digital twin technology for venues & events. By integrating real-time intelligence, TwinLabs.ai is transforming the way venue owners and managers optimise their operations and improve user experiences. TwinLabs.ai was looking to integrate real time usage data into their GymTwin product to provide gym operators with deeper movement and usage insights. To need this need TiwnLabs.ai has partnered Nola’s Video Intelligence as a Service (VIaaS) which is a cost-effective, scalable platform that can extract actionable insights from existing CCTV systems. 

Tradable Bits, a leading provider of fan marketing technology, has been selected by 17 Australian Football League (AFL) clubs to drive fan engagement, data collection, and activation strategies for the upcoming season. With over six years of collaboration with the AFL, Tradable Bits continues to expand its role in the league, enhancing data intelligence across in-venue, broadcast, email, and mobile SMS platforms. Tradable Bits solutions for sports organisations including seamless fan engagement tools, a purpose-built CRM for teams, and integrations with ticketing, merchandise, and marketing automation systems.

Major League Baseball (MLB) and Sportradar have announced a long-term extension and expansion of their decade-long partnership, set to begin with the 2025 season. The partnership aims to unlock the full potential of MLB’s data and audiovisual (AV) content while growing the MLB worldwide. As part of the agreement, MLB has acquired an equity stake in Sportradar. Under the new terms, Sportradar, in partnership with MLB, will exclusively distribute MLB’s ultra-low latency official data, media content, including MLB Statcast Data, and AV content across its global client network, which spans 800 sportsbook clients and 900 media companies. 

STWS has announced that the 2025 Sports Tech Conference and Content Live Technology Show will be co-located at the MCG Melbourne over Wednesday and Thursday 29th - 30th October and sit as the centrepiece of the 2025 Australia Sports Innovation Week. Content Live is the leading technology show for the sports broadcasting industry, featuring the latest products and innovations for professionals across sportscasting, newscasting and live event production. 

Eight Queensland business have been selected for the NRL Magic Round Tech Sprint, delivered by Advance Queensland and in partnership with ASTN - Australian Sports Technologies Network. The companies selected include Crowd Canvas, Myriad Studios, Talk All Sport, WearOptimo, Imagine Realities, Cool Beans Underwear, FemPro Armour and Cérge. The businesses will take part in a 10-week NRL Magic Round Tech Sprint, which includes five core 1-hour workshops and weekly meetings with the NRL subject matter experts to help to pivot and tailor their innovative products to the NRL’s needs.

Sports Cloud Australia and NSC Events have announced the inaugural Digital Sport Business Summit to be held at Marvel Stadium on Tuesday 29 April 2025. The Summit will bring together executives and experts from sport governing bodies, government, consulting giants, and iconic venues to pro sports, esports, tech innovators, sponsors, and leading sport apparel and equipment brands.

Five Australian sportstech companies have been shortlisted for the prestigious 2025 Sports Technology Awards. This includes Catapult, Layercake, MyVenue, Box Altitude and Chicks Who Ride Bikes. Catapult has been shortlisted for the Coaching and Tactics and Sports Performance categories, Layercake for the Digital and SaaS platform category, MyVenue for the Match Day Technology category, Box Altitude for the Sports Performance category and Chicks Who Ride Bikes for the Women's Sports Innovation of the Year. The winners will be announced in London on 23rd April 2025.

Basketball Queensland (BQ) has partnered with etrainu, a leading provider of online training solutions, to enhance official development and accreditation processes across the state. The move to etrainu has been made to align with Basketball Australia and provide our referees and referee coaches with an easy-to-use, automated accreditation system. The etrainu platform provides Queensland officials with an engaging set of courses from beginner through to intermediate grades.

With support from Sport and Recreation Victoria, Lander & Rogers, Commission for Children and Young People Victoria and powered by etrainu, Vicsport have created a free and interactive program designed to guide sport administrators, volunteers, coaches and/or officials through 11 Victorian Child Safe Standards.

EngageRM, a global leader in sports and entertainment technology, has announced a long-term strategic partnership with Toronto Tempo, Canada’s first WNBA team. The strategic partnership marks a significant step forward for both organizations and is EngageRM’s official entry into the Canadian market. The Tempo, who will enter the league in 2026, will leverage EngageRM’s full suite of technology solutions across ticketing, premium seating, partnerships, marketing, and data analytics to engage fans and partners, build their brand, and deliver a best-in-class experience for their community and stakeholders.

Rely, an incident management platform, has joined the Australian Sports Technologies Network (ASTN) as a Premium Member. Rely helps employers prevent, mitigate, respond to and report on workplace issues, and meet WHS laws. The solution promotes integrity, compliance, and safe cultures. ASTN is Australia’s leading network driving innovation and growth in sports technology, bringing together industry leaders, startups, and organisations passionate about advancing the sports ecosystem.

Expressions of interest are now open for companies from Australia's sports ecosystem seeking to export to, form partnerships, and make in-market connections in Japan to participate in the Game Plan Japan: Sports Business Delegation. Co-hosted by the AJBCC and the Australian Sports Technologies Network (ASTN), the visit is planned between Monday 21 April to Friday 25 April 2025, to Tokyo and Osaka. Expressions-of-interest close 31st January.

EngageRM, a global leader in sports technology solutions, has announced a strategic partnership with etrainu to develop and launch a bespoke Learning Management System (LMS) designed to support sports organizations, entertainment businesses, and internal teams across the globe. By integrating an LMS, EngageRM will provide its customers with unparalleled access to world-class learning and development tools tailored to the needs of the sports and entertainment industries. EngageRM’s innovative new LMS will support elite sports venues and organizations across leagues such as the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, and MLS, providing robust learning opportunities for teams, partners, volunteers, and staff. 

Advance Queensland, in partnership with the National Rugby League (NRL) and Australian Sports Technologies Network (ASTN) is launching a 10-week NRL Magic Round Tech Sprint. The program will support up to eight Queensland-based innovative businesses as they collaborate with NRL subject matter experts to refine and adapt their tech to meet the needs of the NRL and its clubs. Each successful business will receive $25,000 in funding to participate. The program kicks off from February to May 2025 with a showcase event hosted during the 2025 NRL Magic Round week.

EngageRM, a global leader in CRM automation and data analytics for the sport and entertainment industry, is excited to announce a three-year partnership with Southside Racing, a new entity born from the amalgamation of Cranbourne Turf Club and Pakenham Racing Club in Victoria, Australia. Starting in May 2025, this partnership will see Southside Racing utilising EngageRM’s comprehensive suite of cutting-edge products, including CRM automation, premium ticketing and corporate sales tools, portals, and audience engagement technologies. This collaboration aims to enhance Southside Racing’s operational efficiency, deepen fan engagement, and elevate the customer experience across its venues.

PMY Group (PMY) has announced a new partnership with Digital Mortar, a US-based crowd intelligence company. Over an eight-year journey, the team has developed a best-in-class software platform that leverages LiDAR and camera data to visualize, analyze, and report on people movement and flow. Their technology has been deployed at major venues, including Vancouver Airport, Pittsburgh International Airport, SoFi Stadium, Meta, USPS, and New Jersey Transit. The technology will be integrated into PMY’s intelligence platform – Optic. Optic provides clients with powerful venue and crowd intelligence.