ASTN Member News

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.

Athletes have been handed a golden start to their preparations for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, with the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) unveiling record investment allocations for sports. The announcement has resulted in 95% of Olympic and Paralympic summer sports receiving increased funding with an average investment increase of 64% per year, compared to the period leading up to the Paris Games. Some $AUD 385m has been invested in 70 sports over the next 18 months, ensuring Australians have world class pathways and support at all levels of sport, from participation to high performance.

One of the busiest and most iconic sports venues in the world, Dodgers Stadium, has selected MyVenue as a key stadium service provider. Following a successful bid process and pilot, MyVenue has signed a 5-year agreement to install 719 fixed & portable point-of-sale terminals and its native back office with real-time reports, dashboards, and inventory management.

The AFLW season concluded last week which marked the successful debut and integration of the Sportable x Sherrin Smart Ball. The Smart Ball played a pivotal role in enhancing the game through the Score Assist officiating review system. The Smart Ball was used in a total of 108 games, across  29 stadiums and impacted 30 score reviews. The Smart Ball traveled an impressive 813,806 meters, recorded over 28,000 kicks and 21,000 handballs across all 108 games.

 ECAL has announced its expansion into Saudi Arabia and the Middle East with the signing of a partnership MoU with exciting local digital agency Xplere, at the World Football Summit Asia in Riyadh. Xplere will provide on-the-ground services and support for ECAL clients across the booming sports and events ecosystem in Saudi Arabia to help realise their Vision 2030 mission. 

SportWest and revolutioniseSPORT have agreed to a three-year extension of their partnership to remain as SportWest’s Official Technology Partner and retain naming rights to the Community Club of the Year Award. Staff from revolutioniseSPORT are also set to ramp up their commitment to WA sport, with their team to collaborate with SportWest staff and the membership to deliver a range of workshops, seminars and events that aim to deliver to the SportWest strategic goal of enhancing the capability of the industry.

Clubs and parents across NSW will have a lot less work to do this week at the State Swimming Championships. Swimming NSW has hired Olly Timing to provide backup times for the championship. This eliminates over 6 person months of volunteer effort via an estimated 700 timekeeping shifts. Touchpads at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre will be the primary timing, and Olly Timing’s world first artificial intelligence technology will provide the backup, instead of volunteer timekeepers.

Advance Queensland, in partnership with the NRL and the ASTN (Australian Sports Technologies Network) 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 $AUD 25,000 in funding to participate. The program kicks off from February to May 2025, with the showcase event held during the 2025 NRL Magic Round week.

Teamworks, a leading enterprise SaaS company serving 99% of Division 1 NCAA institutions, has announced the acquisition of Basepath, a leading NIL Operations Software that automates tasks, contracts, communication and finances for NIL stakeholders and student-athletes. Teamworks provides a consolidated tech stack to power every function within the Athletic Department. Specifically for NIL, 240+ D1 Universities and 100,000+ student-athletes have adopted Teamworks 'Influencer' to manage content, deals, and transactions. Basepath is used by more than 75 campuses and delivering over $100M payments to student-athletes.

Rookie Me has announced a new partnership with the Melbourne Central Basketball Association (MCBA), serving as the naming rights sponsor of the Melbourne Tigers representative program. As the Official High Performance Partner, Rookie Me will support the Tigers’ commitment to investing in athlete development through innovative technology and expert guidance in high performance, and strength and conditioning. 

Australia's leading 200m runner, Gout Gout, is rewriting with record-breaking sprints that have shaken up the athletics world. This 16-year-old prodigy has not only set new standards but has a secret weapon that's amplifying his performance - VueMotion. Vuemotion, an AI-powered video assessment tool, is used by Gout's coach Dianne Sheppard and allows her to identify and address specific areas for improvement in real-time. VueMotion enables coaches and athletes to refine technique, correct imbalances and better understand movement.

Hockey Australia has extended its partnership with SportsLink Travel, continuing its commitment as the non-exclusive Travel and Tour partner of Hockey Australia. SportsLink Travel’s all-inclusive, world-class travel package experiences saw hockey fans enjoy a stellar, action-packed 2024, with the opportunity to witness the Hockeyroos and Kookaburras at the peak of their game at international tournaments, including the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. 

Traits Insights is barely two years old, but already the analytics startup is helping world-class sporting clubs gain a competitive edge and has attracted the attention of elite athletes globally. The company’s software platform helps professional sports teams translate complex performance data so they can identify players’ strengths, develop talent and make informed strategic decisions. Traits’ momentum has earned it backing from well-known investors, including venture capital fund Artesian and APEX Capital, a group comprised of professional athletes who invest in sports ventures. The APEX fund is backed by a group of 100 elite athletes from across the UK and Europe.

The Al Ain Chess and Mind Games Club, powered by Checkmate Live, has launched the E-chess Championship a global, multi-stage chess tournament with a $US 60,000 prize pool and a Grand Final in Al Ain, UAE, on December 22, 2024. Players can register for free, and compete across four regions of the world. Online Qualifiers start November 23-24 & November 30 - December 1.

The Australian Sports Technologies Network (ASTN) today announces its collaboration with the City of Perth to shine the spotlight on local sportstech leaders and highlight global trends in the industry during West Tech Fest 2024. With the support of a City of Perth , ASTN will host several industry events on 3rd December in Perth, focused on advancing the sportstech ecosystem. Activities will include an industry roundtable to explore growth strategies for Perth's sportstech sector, an investment pitching masterclass connecting startups with investors, and a networking event showcasing local sportstech companies while offering insights into global trends.

The Victorian Government is currently hosting its first in-person Sports Economy Trade Mission to the Gulf - Saudi Arabia and UAE. Comprising 22 Victorian organisations, the delegation includes state sport bodies and leading providers in; sports technology, stadium & venue design, event & facilities management, broadcast, high performance, data analytics & research, and esports & mobile gaming. Victorian organisations on the Mission include CloudMix / 5stream, Australian Sports Technologies Network, Basketball Victoria, Belgravia Leisure, Catapult, Cox Architecture, Deakin University, ECAL, Fortress, Hospitality Solution Group, Incognitus, The Kinetica Group, Kronos, MX3 Diagnostics, Netball Victoria, PMY Group, Rosterfy, Savy Soda, smartform architecture SportNXT Sport and Recreation Victoria.

Australians are choosing to exercise alone or with friends or family instead of through an organisation according to new data from the Australian Sports Commission (ASC). The results, from the ASC’s national AusPlay survey, also show that volunteers contribute more than 145 million hours to sport each year. The latest results show 84 per cent of Australian adults are active and two thirds choose to do some of their activity alone. Walking, fitness/gym and running/jogging remain the most popular activities. Introduced in October 2015, the national AusPlay survey now collects data on over 600 different participation sports and activities and is the largest and most comprehensive survey of its kind in Australia.

Sydney tech firm VueMotion has been voted the People’s Choice winner at the InnovationAus 2024 Awards for Excellence for its platform that brings the tech used by elite athletes to a smartphone. The People’s Choice award was sponsored by the Australian Computer Society. VueMotion has created an artificial intelligence-driven movement analysis tool that can aid coaches, athletes and staff to optimise movement and improve injury outcomes from anywhere, not just from a specialist lab.

Alignment Growth Management (Alignment Growth), an investment firm focused on growth-stage, privately-held media and entertainment companies, announced an investment in PMY Group (PMY), a premier international venue, events, and infrastructure technology solutions firm. PMY is a full-service technology solutions company that supports venues and major events to enhance their infrastructure, experience, and intelligence. Founded in 2009 with a focus on stadiums, the company has diversified to service more than 1,000 clients across 15 countries. The investment in PMY marks Alignment Growth’s eighth investment out of its inaugural fund. 

etrainu has announced a new partnership with Sir Graham Lowe, marking the launch of "Kick for the Seagulls - Community Coaching", a comprehensive library of 12 online courses aimed at inspiring and developing the next generation of community coaches. The course series focuses on fostering essential skills, promoting teamwork and empowering volunteer community coaches to create a positive impact. The Kick for the Seagulls program is set to roll out later this year through Auckland Rugby League, providing accessible training resources for coaches.

TwinLabs.ai a leader in sports digital twin applications has launched a digital twin for the gym and fitness centre management industry. TwinLabs.ai has been working with the Tour De France to assist them manage the event through TwinLabs event management solution. TwinLabs has now expanded its market application to include gyms and fitness centres. The Gym Twin provides gym owners and managers with 'spacial intelligence'. Gym Twin uses all the tech that gyms already have including CCVT cameras and membership systems, and turn it into a 3D digital version of the gym complete with real-time data. Pilots are already running and have helped identify when the gym is busiest, spotted patterns in member usage, equipment configuration and help fine-tune everything from marketing and staff rosters to the playlist.