ASTN partners with WA Government to accelerate the WA Sportstech Ecosystem

ASTN, the peak body of Australia’s sportstech sector, has been announced as a recipient of an X-TEND WA Program grant under the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation’s New Industries Fund. The grant will go towards ASTN’s Entrepreneurship Education Program which is designed to build capability and capacity of Western Australia’s innovation community by supporting entrepreneurs and stimulating private investment in innovative projects in WA.

The new partnership under the co-funded X-TEND grant will enable ASTN to implement several activities and programs over an initial 12-month period. Activities will include events, mentoring support for sports technology startups, online masterclasses and mapping of the WA sports tech ecosystem. “We are excited to be working with the Government of Western Australia to accelerate new and emerging sportstech businesses. This partnership mirrors the existing relationship we have with the Victorian and Queensland governments, further strengthening Australia’s overall ability to compete with sportstech businesses on a global scale,” said Dr Martin Schlegel, Executive Chair of the ASTN.

“ASTN will work closely with the local sportstech sector in Western Australia and the broader sports industry to build its capability and capacity through our proven programs and activities. This partnership will better enable connections between WA-based entrepreneurs and the established ecosystem on the eastern seaboard as well as to global markets,” added Martin.

The grant funding will support at least seven Western Australian sports technology startups to participate in ASTN’s Pre-Accelerator Program which is delivered in partnership with the Global Sports Innovation Center (GSIC) powered by Microsoft. The program fast-tracks knowledge and insights and more than 130 aspiring sports entrepreneurs from various backgrounds, including athletes, researchers, practitioners and sport administrators, have participated over the past two and a half years.

ASTN will kick-off its schedule of activities under the X-TEND Program with an inaugural event at 5pm Tuesday 25 July at Town Hall at Riff, powered by Spacecubed, 45 St Georges Terrace, Perth. For more information on the event and to RSVP visit: Accelerating the Australian Sportstech Ecosystem - Perth Cocktail Event.

For more details on the WA Government’s X-TEND WA program visit: https://www.wa.gov.au/

About Australian Sports Technologies Network (ASTN)

Australian Sports Technologies Network (ASTN) provides leadership in the commercialisation, development, and promotion of Australian-inspired Sports Technologies. Established in 2012, ASTN is today a world-leading pioneer with over 500 organisations in its national network across the landscape of Sports Digital, Sports Research, Stadium/Venues, Media, Entertainment, eSports, Human Performance, Fan Engagement, Sports Data, Artificial Intelligence in Sports, Sports Equipment, Sports Smart Apparel and Sports Universities. In September 2021 it was announced that Australian Sports Technologies Network (ASTN) would establish, operate and manage the first Australian Sports Innovation Centre of Excellence (ASICE) located adjacent to Melbourne Olympic Park in the Victorian flagship Digital Hub of Cremorne from 2022-2026. ASTN with the support of the Victorian Government bundles its accelerator, masterclass, and sports tech operations into a physical hub location for 21st century.

For media enquiries contact:
Marketing and Communications Manager for ASTN
Tara Ballard tara.ballard@astn.com.au or 0436 330 267