Sportstech & Member News

TwinLabs.ai, a leader in creating next-generation digital twin plaforms for venues, live events and beyond, today won the Confluent Data Streaming Startup Challenge. Back in September 2023, Confluent, leaders in data streaming technology, launched the Data Streaming Startup Challenge to identify innovative early stage startups that are using data streaming to solve real world challenges. They backed this up with a $1M prize pool for the finalists!  In January TwinLabs.ai reached the top 10 semi-finalists, in February the final 3, and today TwinLabs.ai were announced as the winners of the Confluent Data StreamingStartup Challenge along with a $500,000 investment from Confluent. Over the past few weeks, each of the 3 finalists presented pitches to a judging panel including senior executives from Confluent, but also some of the industries leading venture capital firms such as Sequioa Capital, BenchmarkCapital, and Index Ventures.

Startups from the climate, food, and energy sectors came together at London's House of Sport for the Champions Innovate programme, entering an exciting second phase to enhance the social and environmental impact of the UEFA Champions League final. The workshop was the second of three taking place in the build-up to the UEFA Champions League Final in London on 1 June. It gave the startups the opportunity to ask questions to experts from UEFA and sponsors, run their plans past staff from the UEFA Innovation Hub and the Greater London Authority, and exchange insights with the other organisations.

Melbourne-based cycling apparel brand MAAP has opened its first retail concept store in Europe – MAAP Lab Amsterdam. Following the success of the brand’s flagship store in Melbourne, the new Amsterdam Lab will bring MAAP’s luxury cycling and streetwear clothes to the city’s vibrant creative culture and community. The Lab concept – which symbolises the spirit of living a ‘Life Around Bikes’ – is one that MAAP intends to implement in major regions worldwide. 

THE AFL has launched an all-new set of free resources designed to help coaches of youth-aged Australian rules footballers. There are around 10,000 registered coaches of youth football teams with players in the 13-18 age range across Australia and the new Youth Coaching Curriculum will help to provide comprehensive support for these coaches who will in turn be able to give their young footballers the best-possible experience. It aligns the digital coaching platform, Rookie Me Coach, to the AFL coaching curriculum, and help coaches save time and improve their training sessions through an easy-to-use digital platform,

Ireland’s reputation as a world leader in sports analytics and performance data got a significant boost yesterday with the launch of the country’s first-ever postgraduate course designed for industry professionals seeking cutting-edge knowledge in the business of sports. The new Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Analytics, Technology and Innovation, is the result of a strategic collaboration between Technology Ireland Digital Skillnet, SportsTech Ireland, and Technological University Dublin’s Enterprise Academy.

The Gold Coast Titans have today announced their new online platform, sharing their ground breaking Leagueability program with junior rugby league clubs across the nation. The online educational program will efficiently address the educational and resource needs, paving the way for thousands of Australians to participate in inclusive Rugby League initiatives. An initiative with Playbk Sports, the Gold Coast Titans will share their Leagueability program through an online platform, assisting community clubs in creating their own sustainable and inclusive rugby league programs.

Sports data and technology company IMG ARENA has scored an early legal victory against competitor Stats Perform in a closely watched legal dispute in the UK. A British court denied Stats Perform's petition for summary judgment (one party argues there is no real dispute involving material facts and that moving party is entitled to win the case as a matter of law) effectively moving the case forward. The ruling comes one year after IMG in March 2023 filed a legal claim for inducing or procuring breaches of contract and unlawful means conspiracy against rival Stats Perform at the UK's High Court of Justice. More specifically, IMG alleges that Stats Perform hired scouts to collect live betting data across several European football/soccer leagues exclusively contracted with IMG.

Thousands of esports fans are set to flock to Melbourne when global digital gaming festival DreamHack takes over Melbourne this April. Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos today announced DreamHack Melbourne 2024 will transform Melbourne Park from Friday, 26 April to Sunday, 28 April – backing local jobs, boosting businesses and attracting thousands of gaming enthusiasts from interstate and overseas to Australia’s digital games capital.

Myzone has announced the launch of MZ-Open, an access function that enables Myzone gym users to experience all the benefits of Myzone’s world renowned heart rate training ecosystem through their Android or Apple smart watch. By integrating with Apple and Android smart watches Myzone reduce barriers to entry, helping gym operators encourage even more members to join the Myzone community.

ZONE3 has launched what is being billed as the world’s first biodegradable performance-focused wetsuit, the latest iteration of the ZONE3 Vision. With an RRP of £399, the new model Vision wetsuit uses biodegradable rubber – Terraprene, from neoprene specialist, Yamamoto. According to ZONE3, the Terraprene material preserves high quality and performance, while being able to biodegrade entirely in landfill conditions.

Cape Bionics has launched the new Cape custom-fit Therapy range, with specific garments for rehabilitation, joint stability, exercise recovery and activity for different muscle groups.  New programs of multiple garments and regimes have been developed for optimum Grade 2 and 3 rehabilitation, such as ACL surgery. Using an iPad and our own Cape app, health professionals can 3D scan their clients and offer medical-grade compression.

With younger generations of fans wanting to consume sports through short-form content operators leading each of the major leagues are actively experimenting with new formats and initiatives that reflect younger fans' distinct priorities and media consumption habits. This includes experimenting with platforms like Roblox and TikTok and partnering with the likes of Nickelodeon.

Football fans are in for a game-changing viewing experience this AFL Premiership Season with the launch of Sports Entertainment Network's (SEN) latest product offering, SEN Sync, in collaboration with DrinkWise – an innovative new feature set to redefine how fans experience the game at home. SEN Sync seamlessly synchronises the SEN commentary team's live call with the unfolding on-screen action. This new technology enhances the at-home viewing experience by giving fans unprecedented control over how they immerse themselves in the game.

Tiparra will be working with the Basketball ACT team to deliver an exciting new fan engagement app for Canberra Gunners and Nationals fans for the 2024 NBL1 East season! Fans will enjoy a new digital game day experience that covers both teams, with game day information, voting, polls, and interactive elements available for both home and away fixtures.  The Basketball ACT app will become a central hub for fans, linking game day with news, ticketing, playing squads, player stats and much more.

Australian corporate digital health startup PUML has been accepted into the Google for Startup Program. This opportunity sets the stage for PUML to accelerate growth, expand offerings, and deliver even greater value to users. PUML will leverage the resources and support provided by the Google for Startups Cloud Program to enhance our platform, strengthen our community, and continue our mission of promoting health and wellness through technology.

Technogym is advancing prescription exercise. The Italian connected fitness equipment maker released Checkup, an AI-powered mental and physical health assessment station for gyms, hotels and clinics. Measuring body composition, strength, balance, mobility and cognition, the smart kiosk delivers a Wellness Age and “prescription” training programme designed to lower it.

Last year, Centr unveiled a new lineup of fitness accessories, strength equipment and home gyms. Products from the new lineup will be on display at IHRSA, including Centr’s new Smart Stack 50, an elevated 5-50lb adjustable dumbbell. Additionally,  Inspire Fitness, part of the Centr family and exclusive line of strength products, will debut brand new innovations for the commercial space, including the Smith QuickSelect Commercial Smith Machine.

According to Drake Star's "Sports Tech Market 2023 Report" the sports tech industry saw another record deal making year in 2023, including $US 37 billion in deal value across 1,171 deals, surpassing the 2022 announced deals value of $US 21 billion by a huge margin. With $US 26.7 billion in total disclosed value through 328 deals, M&A activity increased almost 3x over 2022 (excluding the $68.7B Activision/Microsoft deal). While Media & Broadcasting segment saw the largest deal activity, Wearables & Performance Enhancement reported significant increase of over 2x in deal activity over 2022.

Barcelona, the Spanish soccer giants, have launched a new streaming service that will be rolled out for free globally. The Barca One OTT platform will start broadcasting in “the next few weeks” and offer content based on the heavyweight LaLiga club. Barça One will feature over 1,500 hours of material from the Barca TV archives (games, shows, reports, historic content) as well as a new selection of programs with the latest Barca info, including live broadcasts, press conferences, and original content.

Following a rigorous testing process, SkillCorner’s single-camera tracking technology has achieved a place on the FIFA Quality Programme for Electronic Performance and Tracking Systems (EPTS), achieving the 'FIFA Basic’ mark associated with broadcast tracking. The FIFA Quality Programme, run by football’s world governing body, is an internationally recognised standard for quality and reliability in the areas where it matters most: the equipment, surface, technology and services used for the game. The FIFA Quality Programme for EPTS specifically aims to ensure and improve the quality of tracking systems used in Official Matches and tournaments throughout the world.

 UEFA unveiled a new carbon footprint calculator, tailor-made for football organisations. It will help them understand and reduce their carbon emissions in areas such as mobility, purchased goods and services, facilities and logistics. In addition to the calculator, UEFA have also produced a user guide, tutorial videos and a full methodology to support users at every step of their sustainability journey.

The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) today announced a multi-year venture through which Second Spectrum, a Genius Sports technology solution, will become the optical tracking provider to the league. With this investment, the WNBA becomes the first women’s professional sports league in the U.S. with leaguewide 3D tracking data.

ABC Fitness, one of the world's leading tech provider for fitness businesses has announced the launch of TZ Storefront, a new partnership between ABC Trainerize and WRKOUT that empowers coaches and fitness professionals to support their clients’ wellness goals, while launching a passive income stream through product recommendations. 

Over the weekend, we launched the first stand-alone adidas store on ROBLOX. The expanded presence on the platform providers more than 200 million monthly players with the opportunity to buy adidas virtual product. The store features more than 800 individual articles, including bringing adidas footwear and apparel to the platform for the first time.

The integration between ‘USATF Connect’, powered by Sport:80, and etrainu’s e-learning platform provides the USATF's members with direct access to online learning materials and certifications. The seamless integration uses the power of Single Sign-On (SSO) to allow USATF members to easily access both systems. The systems then share user credentials to create personalised experiences based on the information stored within USATF Connect, and serve up relevant education opportunities.

Sportradar Integrity Services, a unit of Sportradar, today published its annual report, ‘Betting Corruption and Match-fixing in 2023’ , detailing the company’s findings into suspicious betting on global sport. Based on the monitoring of approximately 850,000 events and matches across 70 sports, the report highlights a total of 1,329 suspicious matches in 2023, occurring in 11 sports in 105 countries. Artificial Intelligence (AI) assisted in detecting almost three quarters (73% or 977 instances) of all suspicious matches in 2023, representing a 123% increase when compared to 2022. 

Artificial intelligence [AI] has the potential to transform sport, yet as technology continues to advance so too does the need for guidelines on how to implement it safely and responsibly. Addressing these concerns was the focus of a recent workshop held at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in Canberra. Hosted alongside CSIRO’s Data61 specialists, the event brought together leading minds in research and innovation from the Australian Sports Commission (ASC), Sport Integrity Australia and the National Sports Tribunal, with the aim of developing a unified stance on the ethical and responsible use of AI in the sport sector.

CricViz, one of the world’s leading cricket data and analytics provider, has been appointed as data analysis and insights partner by Disney Star for the upcoming 2024 IPL and ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.CricViz will partner with the leading Indian broadcaster for the first time, and as part of the agreement. CricViz analysts will work closely with Disney Star’s production and commentary teams across live broadcasts and provide insights to power on-screen graphics and analysis for pre- and post-match shows.

In what it describes as a first in the industry, fitness software provider Hapana has today announced the launch of an in-app group challenge capability. Developed in partnership with Strong Pilates, the innovation is enabling the launch of their inaugural challenge, ‘Feel Strong’, running from 26th February to 26th March before being rolled out globally on a to-be-announced date.The Hapana challenge capability empowers fitness brands and franchises with two options for initiating challenges: a fixed start date perfect for group settings, and a purchase-based start ideal for individual enrolments.

The Australian Trade & Investment Commission, in collaboration with State Government Trade & Investment partners and the Australian Sports Technologies Network are hosting a half-day invite-only program in New York on 4th March. Some of the Australian sportstech companies in participating in the program include EngageRM, Playbk Sports, PlaySpark, Smart Entry Technologies, VueMotion, MyVenue, Rosterfy, Vailo, Fivecast and neo eX. 

ESPN announced Meta as the fourth member of the ESPN Edge Innovation Center. The collaboration is focused on bringing an ESPN-branded virtual reality (VR) sports experience to Meta Quest. Immersive VR sports highlights will be available in the free Xtadium app on Meta Quest, and coming later this summer, ESPN will launch an immersive, ESPN-branded experience in Meta Horizon Worlds.

n matchday 23 of the current season, a RefCam was used in a Bundesliga match for the first time. The small special camera was attached to the referee’s headset during the match between Eintracht Frankfurt and VfL Wolfsburg and filmed the match from his perspective. A sound link was also used to reproduce the referee’s perspective authentically and up close. 

The Centre for Data Science (CDS), the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) and Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS) are leading a consortium of government and industry organisations in sports, sports and biomedical technology, CSIRO and 4 universities to develop pioneering sports data science capability in the ‘green & gold’ lead-up to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The consortium have announced that CSIRO has awarded two grants to our Centre under its Next Generation Graduates Program (NGGP) for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Emerging Technologies (ET) for the program, Sports Data Science & AI Consortium: Growing the Skillsets, Toolsets & Mindsets for Transformation & Innovation in Trajectory 2032.

Reliance Industries said its unit Viacom 18 will absorb Star India, one of India's earliest private sector broadcasters, originally owned by Rupert Murdoch and currently owned by The Walt Disney Company of the US. Viacom18 is, in turn, a joint venture controlled by Reliance. Reliance Industries will have control over the merged entity, said Reliance. Digital assets, such as Hotstar and JioCinema, are part of the transaction. The merger will create the biggest media entity in India, with ownership by Reliance Industries, Disney (direct holding) and others.

QUT will host Australia’s first national championships for cycling esports during the Brisbane Cycling Festival in March, as part of a partnership with AusCycling. The 2024 AusCycling Esports National Championships will be held at The Cube on the QUT Gardens Point campus on March 22. The final, which will be contested on Zwift and broadcast by SBS, will be an omnium-style multi-round event, taking cues from the latest UCI Cycling Esports World Championships.

Australian sneaker company ATHLETIKAN has partnered with the AFL to launch a team-based shoe range. The 2024 edition of the shoes will drop just before the start of the AFL season on 6th March. 

Australian Sports Technologies Network (ASTN) has teamed up with etrainu, the leaders in community education solutions, to announce that enrolments are officially opened for the first program in its new ‘SportsTech Startup Series’. The on-demand ASTN pre-accelerator eLearning modules are open to Australia’s emerging sportstech entrepreneurs – allowing them to tap into a rich ecosystem of world-class industry backed and endorsed content, from anywhere at any time. The first course ‘Early-Stage Commercialisation’ offers pre-accelerator eLearning modules for early-stage startups in the idea/concept phase, initial testing phase, or first MVP phase.

As gamers eagerly await the release of EA Sports College Football 25, the straightforward process by which EA is negotiating for the use of players’ names, images and likenesses is a problematic development for the NCAA as it defends against antitrust claims of unlawfully suppressing economic opportunities for college athletes. Last Thursday, EA Sports shared details about the game, which is expected to release this summer. The game, the first EA Sports college video game in 11 years, will feature more than 11,000 players from 134 FBS teams. Players who agree to appear will be paid $600 and receive a complimentary copy. 

The Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) has launched SAFF+, an exclusive digital platform to help take Saudi football to the next level. Utilising cloud broadcasting technology alongside high-quality multi-angle cameras fitted within 62 stadiums nationwide, as an AI-assisted multi-purpose digital platform, SAFF+ will begin broadcasting men’s and women’s matches from 15 local competitions that don’t have exclusive television rights, providing fans with unprecedented access to matches held across the Kingdom.

The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Australian Artificial Intelligence Institute (AAII), Checkmate.live and Abu Dhabi-based VADR Media have joined forces on a new research and development initiative aimed at combatting cheating in online chess. This collaboration follows VADR Media’s recent acquisition of Szuperchess, a company known for developing disruptive computer vision anti-cheat technology that’s used by Checkmate.live, a next-gen chess and broadcast and tournament platform. Checkmate, a member of the Esports Integrity Commission, has also secured an exclusive partnership with the Asian Chess Federation and Arab Esports Federation, which have designated Checkmate as their exclusive tournament platform, data and broadcast partner.

Epicore Biosystems, a digital health solutions company developing advanced sweat-sensing wearables to provide real-time personalized hydration insights for performance and safety, and the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) have partnered to bring Epicore’s novel biosensing capabilities to the anti-doping world as a new drug detection method to complement existing urine and blood collections.

The integrated fitness platform acquired Assault Fitness and RPM Training, elevating its equipment offering. Utilized in CrossFit, pro sports, and the US military, Assault is a leading manufacturer of self-powered bikes, treadmills, and rowers, while RPM’s gear and apparel are popular in the functional training space. After raising $US 15m in 2022, they closed a Series B investment last year. Then, FitLab partnered with Nike to launch the apparel giant’s fitness studios. Next, the company will debut the first XPT studio — a performance wellness center offering ice baths, sauna, and breathwork.

GameDay, powered by Stack Sports, are delighted to announce that we have extended our working relationship with Basketball New Zealand for a further three years. Basketball NZ use GameDay’s market-leading product suite at a national level, providing it to all of their 35 affiliated associations. They are also able to adopt GameDay technology for a number of processes, including database registration, competition and event management.

Next week, LiveHeats competition and results platform will be powering the very first freeski / snowboard competition to run in Saudi Arabia - the Snowblast Cup at Al Malqa, Riyadh. The event will feature a range of distinctive winter experiences for visitors, aiming to promote the sport and create local and international skiing competitions. The global event features skiing and snowboarding performances, along with the participation of 30 world and Olympic champions in skiing sports.

Samsung’s Galaxy Ring, its latest wearable, is launching with health-tracking features including heart rate and sleep monitoring while also giving users a score of their readiness for the day. The ring, which is fitted with sensors, will be able to give readings on heart rate, respiratory rate, the amount of movement made during sleep and the time it takes a person to fall asleep once in bed. All of that will be accessible through the Samsung Health app.

Five months ago, Confluent announced the Data Streaming Startup Challenge. This exciting new initiative aims to recognize and reward early-stage startups that are building innovative applications and redefining industries with data streaming and Confluent. ASTN member, TwinLabs.ai has been announced as one of three finalists in this inaugural challenge. TwinLabs.ai is a real-time SaaS digital twin platform that makes digital twins easy using AI. The TwinLabs.ai platform is initially focused on the sports and entertainment industry and can be used to monitor events and venues in real time, from venue asset utilization, festival crowds and race vehicle management to environmental impact.

Apple recently filed a patent for a “wearable device with perspiration measuring capabilities” for its Apple Watches. The solution would be non-invasive and could measure perspiration, skin temperature and more to help consumers optimize hydration. The hydration-tracking feature could continue to improve on the already-beloved Apple Watch, and a potential new smart ring could disrupt that growing space currently dominated by Oura.

French soccer giant Paris Saint-Germain said it will become a network validator for the Chiliz Chain blockchain that hosts its PSG fan tokens, and use the money it generates to buy them back on a regular basis. Sports clubs have dipped their toes in crypto over the years through the creation of fan tokens, which can be used for sports memorabilia and experiences. However this is the first time a club is getting involved as a blockchain validator. Validators are entities that manage blockchain nodes, securing the network through functions including transaction verification and smart-contract authorization. In exchange, validators generate revenue from running a node.

Today, 10 companies were accepted into the fourth class of the Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech Accelerator, powered by Boomtown. The immersive six-month program will kick off in March. Since the first class in 2021, SportsTech alumni have achieved 132 pilots, partnerships, and commercial deals with consortium partners. This year's cohort includes Aquimo, Dizplai, Fobi, KYMIRA, Mantis-AI, Mobii Systems, StellarAlgo, Plantiga, ZATAP and Zoomph.

Utilised at the recently completed Australia Open, Stats Perform have built a model that uses millions of granular tracking data points to provide insight into how “predictable” a player is in any given situation and anticipate the zone their next shot may land in. The shot model is also tied to other predictions within a match like Stats Perform's point-win probability model, tournament predictor and player rankings.