Paving the way: ASTN-WiST power 100+ list of leading women in sports innovation
The list of 100+ leaders was compiled by a combination of ASTN workshops, interviews, desktop research and conversations with executive leaders over the past 12 months. ASTN and WiST have focused on the intersection of mostly Australian-domiciled females working at the intersection of data, digital and technology in Australian Sports Performance, Digitisation and Sports Business.
Gender participation and executive representation of sport in Australia has been a focus of policy makers and industry; however, the representation of female founders and female executives within the fast-growth area of “Sports Innovation” (the intersection of data, digital and technology within Sports, Entertainment, Esports and Digital Health) needs attention with research showing that less than five per cent of sports startups in Australia are led by women1.
“The ASTN-WiST Power 100+ list recognises women that are at the heart of Australia’s billion-dollar sportstech industry. We are building one of the world’s most advanced and integrated sports innovations ecosystems and women in sports innovation must be a top strategic priority over the next decade as we move towards the Brisbane 2032 Summer Olympic Games,” said Cam Vale, General Manager, ASTN.
"Research2 tells us that inclusivity drives innovation and that gender-diverse teams are 25% more likely to generate above-average revenue and profits. Also, nearly all job seekers today consider DEI focus to be a requirement, not just a preference. Leadership sets the tone, and we are delighted to support ASTN's efforts with specific programs that have proven to provide tangible results over the last six years with over 30 corporate partners, including Nike, the NBA, Comcast NBC Sports, IBM Sports, Titleist, the USOPC and more,” said Marilou McFarlane, CEO/Founder of WiST, experienced leader in the sportstech industry for over 12 years.
“We are proud to partner with WiST to shift the culture of sportstech in Australia. Women are still highly unrepresented across the local sportstech sector, and the industry must work together to do more to inspire our next generation of female entrepreneurs and remove barriers. We have a long way to go but by working closely with WiST we hope to help change the ratio and drive real industry change,” added Vale.
The full report ‘Paving the way for Sports Innovation in Australia (Power 100+ List)’ can be downloaded from here: www.astn.com.au/download-paving-the-way
This is the first edition of the ‘ASTN-WiST list of leading women in sportstech’. ASTN and WiST invite anyone in the ecosystem to contribute to this report. If you believe someone should be added to this list – please reach out to ASTN’s Communications Manager, Tara Ballard (tara.ballard@astn.com.au).
ASTN and WiST are working together to build specialised programs and activities for 2023 – including the launch of ‘Fireside Chats’ with the first webinar ‘Culture Matters’ being held on 22 March, 2023. Register here to join the conversation.
Let’s create the world's most innovative sportstech environment eager to #ChangeTheRatio.
1 Startup Victoria (2017). Mapping Victoria’s Startup Ecosystem, page 20
2 McKinsey&Company (2020), Diversity wins – How inclusion Matters, page 6 (online)
MEDIA ENQUIRIES
For more information, or to arrange an interview with ASTN, please contact Tara Ballard on 0436 330 267 or Tara.ballard@astn.com.au
For WiST, please contact Emma Henzes emma@womeninsportstech.org
ABOUT 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.
For more information, please visit www.astn.com.au.
ABOUT WiST
Women in Sports Tech (WiST) is a nonprofit organization that drives transformative growth opportunities for women in sports tech and innovation, at all stages of their career, from the classroom to the boardroom. WiST develops and delivers innovative programs, original content and a global community that provide tangible value for women and employers alike.
Its flagship initiative, the WiST Fellowship program, provides grants for highly motivated college and graduate school students to pursue summer projects in sports technology. Additional WiST programs include the WiST Next Gen Resource Hub for high school students, the original content series WiST Presents, and the WiST NETWORK career hub, the single source for diverse hiring in the sports tech industry.