Sportstech & Member News

The NRL held its Magic Round in Brisbane - a full weekend of rugby matches with teams from across Australia and New Zealand. As part of the weekend, Department of Environment, Science and Innovation organised a tech showcase, highlighting 20 leading companies with applications for stadiums, fan egagement, human performance, health, inclusiveness, and other application for sport. Companies showcased included the likes of WearOptimo, Chronosoft, tagSpace, Axiom Holographics, iNSPIRETEK and GravityFit.

The Melbourne & Olympic Parks precinct (M&OP) has confirmed its place as a powerhouse of Victoria’s sports, entertainment, and live events culture, contributing hundreds of millions of dollars to the Victorian economy and supporting over 5,800 jobs in 2022–23. An inaugural ‘Precinct-wide Social and Economic Value Study,’ has revealed the precinct’s pivotal role in shaping Melbourne’s status as one of the world’s most liveable cities, delivering widespread economic benefits and supporting a dynamic ecosystem of business and sporting excellence.

Indian sports-tech firm Stupa Sports Analytics has raised ₹28 crore in a Pre-Series A funding round led by Centre Court Capital and Peer Capital. The funding happened at a post-money valuation of ₹98 crore. The firm has raised ₹7.5 crore so far in three separate rounds. The latest fund pool will be deployed to attract top AI/ML and engineering talent to build advanced solutions in the rapidly growing sports-tech industry. The fund will also power Stupa’s ambitions to expand globally into markets like the US, UK, Australia, and West Asia while deepening its existing presence in regions like Europe and Asia.

AO Adventure was the number 1 visited sporting experience on Roblox in April, 3 months after the Australian Open finished. The Emirates-sponsored obstacle course and ESPN-branded tennis game had 672k visits in April and 17.7 million over its lifetime. AO Adventure continues to grow and lead Tennis Australia's strategy to make the AO the world's most accessible sports and entertainment event. 

Netflix is no longer simply in the “sports-adjacent” business. On Wednesday, the streaming giant announced a three-season deal with the National Football League that will include showing two Christmas Day games on its service this year. It’s the first time Netflix has become partners with a major sports league.

Sharp Alpha Advisors has successfully closed its second venture capital fund, Sharp Alpha Fund II, surpassing its target with a $US 25 million raise to invest in early-stage companies within the sports, gaming, and entertainment sectors. Sharp Alpha Fund II focuses on seed investments between $1 million and $2 million. 

Neo-Bionica, a joint venture between the Bionics Institute and the University of Melbourne, has secured $5 million from Breakthrough Victoria. Neo-Bionica’s expertise includes developing and commercialising AI-powered implantable and wearable medical devices designed to restore human function and smart sensors capable of intelligently monitoring human physiology.

A fear of illicit drug test results and psychologist session notes being leaked onto the dark web is helping drive a call from AFL players to improve data collection and storage in the sport. The leaking of Port Adelaide players’ personal information following a data breach late last year has awoken the industry to the risk of hackers, and the AFL Players Association (AFLPA) issued an urgent plea on Tuesday for an improvement in collection and storage practices.

Garmin has reported a 40% revenue increase to $343 million in its fitness category during Q1 of 2024, setting a new first-quarter record that the tech company says was led by strong demand for advanced wearables. Notably, revenue from Garmin’s outdoor segment trended upwards. Earlier this year, Garmin released its 2023 Fitness Report, showing that users logged 19% more activities using fitness equipment in the year, with double-digit growth in strength training, stair climbing and elliptical activities. Although strength training has dominated fitness industry discourse, Garmin’s report showed that HIIT activities soared in 2023, with a 112% year-over-year increase. Outdoor activities, such as walking, trail running and cycling, also ramped up.

Checkmate Live has successfully conducted another test tournament to assess the efficacy of its ongoing anti-cheat efforts, in partnership with the Artificial Intelligence Institute (AAII) at the University of Sydney. AAII's groundbreaking research is establishing a robust real-time chain of evidence for all players, anytime, anywhere, on any device, to safeguard the integrity of online chess and ensure fair play. This work extends Checkmate's in-platform computer vision and multi-model anti-cheat technology, for FIDE-level Hybrid Games and high-stakes skill-based competitions on Checkmate Live.

In the wake of the WNBA's monumental growth and anticipation surrounding the upcoming 2024 season, Cipher Sports Technology Group has announced the launch of its groundbreaking WNBA picks, props, trends, and parlay products on Dimers.com.

Club Ducks has announced a partnership with Sport SA, supporting their mission, and supporting clubs and state sporting organisations with sponsorship and member management solutions. Through this partnership, Club Ducks aims to help Sport SA and its affiliated organisations streamline their operations, strengthen their sponsorship efforts, and enhance member engagement.

Alta Global Group (NYSE American:MMA) an Australian pioneering technology company dedicated to transforming the landscape of martial arts and combat sports training has announced its strategic acquisition of Hype. Hype's software platform strengthens Alta's vision to convert 640 million MMA fans to participants by providing tools to the gym owner, coach, and athlete partners to not only grow their revenues, but also operate more efficiently, save costs and enhance the offerings to their members and community. This acquisition is expected to accelerate Alta's technology roadmap, bringing forward new subscription revenue opportunities to Alta.

COX, a leading Australian architectural firm, has been chosen as the Lead Design Consultant for the Macquarie Point Multipurpose Stadium in Tasmania. The new stadium in Hobart would be home to the Tasmania Football Club of the Australia Football League (AFL). COX has designed sports venues including Optus Stadium, Sydney Football Stadium, Dunedin Stadium and the redesign of the Adelaide Oval.

QUT will invest $4.5 million into sports data science over the next five years as part of a new national research hub that will help build better athletes in the lead-up to the 2032 Games and beyond. The Australian Sports Tech Analytics & AI Research (AusiSTAR) Hub was launched today (May 14) at its QUT headquarters in Brisbane – the host city of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The hub is a consortium of universities, sports associations, government agencies and private companies. It will train a new generation of sports data analysts to help address a national shortage of these experts, who provide vital insights into areas including performance and injury prevention.

DraftKings has agreed a deal to acquire Sports IQ Analytics, a business that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to provide software solutions to the online sports betting market. Sports IQ supports companies with software for online sports betting. Solutions cover more than 12,000 events every year, offering access to hundreds of in-play markets.

Sports Tech HQ Inc., an initiative launched by the Indiana Economic Development Corp. in June 2022, has secured $US 4.5 million from the IEDC to fund its operations for the next two years. That amount is double the $2.25 million that the IEDC initially invested two years ago. The goal of Sports Tech HQ is to build Indiana’s sports technology sector, in part by luring startups here and helping them connect with the state’s existing sports ecosystem.

WHOOP, the human performance company, announced Cristiano Ronaldo, the legendary football icon, as an official global ambassador and investor. This represents one of Ronaldo's most significant investments to date. Ronaldo joins the company’s growing roster of global ambassador investors, including Patrick Mahomes, Michael Phelps, Eli Manning, Rory McIlroy, and more. This partnership signifies the company’s global growth trajectory and commitment to revolutionizing the world of human performance.

Australian sportstech company Komo Tech has partnered with Fanatics Events - the live and special event division of Fanatics - to provide Komo’s next-generation customer engagement platform at Fanatics’ events in the US this year. Komo, which offers a complete Customer Engagement Platform that helps brands and properties connect with their customers through gamified experiences and interactions, will work with Fanatics Events to unlock new levels of fan engagement at each stage of the fan journey through interactive and immersive experiences at several of their events. The partnership will kick off at the newly announced Fanatics Fest in NYC. Sitting at the nexus of sports fandom, culture, and collecting, Fanatics Fest NYC will bring fans across all sports to celebrate their passions under one roof at New York City’s Javits Center from 16th to 18th August.

Alta Global Group, a pioneering technology company dedicated to revolutionizing the martial arts and combat sports industry, has announced its partnership with five-time MMA world champion Conor McGregor in support of Trainalta.com. McGregor, along with his long-standing coach and Alta Co-Founder John Kavanagh, has become a shareholder of Alta Global Group as it aims to convert 640 million MMA fans into active combat sports participants globally.

The State Government of Queensland has announced a new $3.3m round of their ActiveKIT program. ActiveKIT will support the active industry, startups or small to medium businesses to develop, trial or implement new and innovative solutions that respond to the challenge; “Personalising the experience for all”; enable inclusive, social, flexible and/or commitment-free physical activity opportunities for all that helps to create a positive mindset and encourages physical activity involvement for life. Expressions of interest close 22nd May.

The NBA Basketball Tech Expo is a private, invite-only event designed for basketball technology companies to meet with NBA team and league executives, partners, and investors. The Expo occurs during NBA Summer League in Las Vegas and consists of ~40 best-in-class companies showcasing their products and services via interactive booths. Applications are open until 30th May, with the Expo on in Las Vegas on 15th July.

Prime Minister The Hon Anthony Albanese visited the AIS campus to announce the $249.7 million investment to upgrade AIS facilities to ensure they are modern and world-leading. The funding follows the recently completed Independent Review of AIS Infrastructure which recommended that the AIS Campus remains in Canberra. The funding will be focused on three facilities:

- a 192 bed multi-story and fully para-accessible accommodation building
- a large indoor Sport Dome that will provide 24/7 all-weather training facilities for track and field sports
- a new Testing and Training Centre to provide state-of-the-art equipment and support for our athletes’ development.

The connected rowing company Hydrow acquired a majority stake in SPEEDE, makers of smart strength equipment. Speede uses AI, sensors, and motors to deliver up to 2,000 pounds of resistance, without physical weights. Already delivering a full-body workout, Hydrow is leaning into demand for weight training, with plans to release a consumer strength product next year.

The Hungry Jack’s National Basketball League (NBL) will be accessible to more sports fans after the League extended its partnership with ESPN, secured a new free-to-air broadcast deal with Network 10, with games to be played on its main channel, in High Definition (HD) and renewed its deal with News Corp Australia (NCA) to deliver deeper basketball coverage throughout the 2024/25 season. The League’s broadcast audience has increased by 26 per cent this season, off the back of a similar rise last season. 

Recognized as the leading, international mark of excellence, The Sports Technology Awards celebrates tech-led innovation in sports, globally. The Winners of the 2024 Sports Technology Awards were announced on 9th May.

Winners of the various categories included; ai.io, Apple, Beyond Sports (Sony’s Sports Businesses), Dizplai, The Ryder Cup, Fifty, FootBalance System Ltd, FORM, DAIMANI, Halfspace Group, International Cricket Council, Major League Baseball (MLB), Pavegen, PERSONAR, PGA TOUR, Predictive Fitness, SimWin Sports, Sky, turfcoach, UEFA and Vizrt, Veo Technologies, Visual Vertigo and WSC Sports.

Disney+ will debut in the live sports space next Tuesday by airing Caitlin Clark's WNBA regular season debut. The Indiana Fever are slated to open their season against the Connecticut Sun, one of four games scheduled for the league's first day. A second matchup between the Phoenix Mercury and Las Vegas Aces will also air on Disney+. These two games will be the first traditional live sporting events to air on Disney+, barring a pair of themed animated telecasts of NFL and NHL games.

New Zealand Football have partnered with sports video production company Sportway to broadcast more domestic football from the National League and cup competitions than ever before. The partnership will see New Zealand Football broadcast over 200 games in 2024, live and free for fans on FIFA+. Utilising a fixed AI-automated filming solution, 4K Sportway cameras have been installed at grounds around Aotearoa New Zealand allowing National League games to be broadcast live with match commentary added by club commentators. 

Olly Timing has been selected to provide their swimming timing solution to the Sydney Open Unisport Nationals this weekend. Olly Timing has developed the world's first AI-powered swimming timing solution, and is available for permanent installation or temporary events. 

Football Australia has partnered with etrainu to develop the Football Australia Learning Centre. The new Learning Centre will consolidate the previous Learning Management System (LMS) and Qualification Management System (QMS) into a single platform, providing Football Australia with greater flexibility and control over their education pathways.

Stack Sports, a leading provider of youth sports software has launched a new rewards program delivering significant savings to youth sports families in the United States and North America. With Stack Rewards, families can earn cashback on everyday shopping and access special offers and deals to help pay for sports, resulting in projected savings of $100 million annually. Stack Rewards has launched through a ‘Shop & Earn’ tab within Stack Team App and later will appear in products like Sports Connect and CaptainU. In the first week of the program, over 10 thousand families have already signed up for Stack Rewards.

United Sports and Hockey Queensland have embarked on an exciting new partnership aiming to improve player development and wellbeing within the hockey community. Working together Hockey QLD's mission is to improve participation and injury rates in sport, improve access to appropriate injury management options, raise standards for coaching and performance, and elevate our collective conscience for health and wellbeing in sport.

Magnifi by VideoVerse announce a partnership with Linius Technologies Limited to revolutionize personalized video streaming experiences by integrating AI-driven video technology with innovative video virtualization capabilities. This collaboration introduces solutions that merge live and historical archive content, delivering automated, personalized highlights and highly tailored video streams. The joint solution was demonstrated at the recent NAB Show in Las Vegas in April 2024. 

The NFL announced on Friday that players will be permitted to wear Guardian Caps during regular-season games in an effort to increase player health and safety and prevent head injuries. The league said when the Guardian Caps debuted in 2022 that they can reduce the force from head contact by 10% if one player is wearing it, and 20% if all players involved are wearing them. The NFL instituted Guardian Caps during training camps ahead of the 2022 season, and then they were mandated during the 2023 season at every preseason practice, as well as every regular-season and postseason practice with contact. 

2K has re-launched TopSpin® 2K25, a revival of the beloved tennis simulation video game series. Featuring competitive single-player and multiplayer modes, all four historic Grand Slam® Tournaments, 25 playable pros, TopSpin 2K25 is a re-launch after more than a decade since its last iteration. Since the launch on 26 April, the game has already amassed 10 million plus matches played.

APEX have opened applications for the 2nd session of their Impact Program (AIP). The AIP aims to empower passionate founders building innovative early-stage technologies, whose goal is to positively influence the future of Sports, Media, & Entertainment. The program provides knowledge, networks and capital to selected startups. Australian-founded Traits Insights was one of three startups selected in season 1 of the Program. APEX invests €250,000 in each startup selected. Applications close at the start of July 2024.

The team at Infront Sports recently released their 2024 Employment and Salary Report. The market report delves into the future of sports recruitment, job seekers' expectations and company culture alongside labour market trends, and includes remuneration data to support hiring decisions with the latest salary trends.

Cipher Sports Technology Group is in the running for multiple awards at the esteemed SBC Awards North America 2024, set to be held next week at Hilton Midtown, New York City, on May 9, 2024. Cipher have been shortlisted for the 'Industry Innovation of the Year', 'Sports Affiliate of the Year' and 'Sports Data Product' for their 'Dimers' and 'Convertr' sports data, prediction and betting solutions.

News Corp Australia's sport streaming service, KommunityTV, today announced new streaming deals with Tennis Australia and the Australian Secondary Schools Rugby League. KommunityTV will exclusively stream matches from Tennis Australia’s five remaining Australian junior championship events in 2024, while rugby league fans will be able to stream every game of the Australian Secondary Schools Rugby League National Championships.

Playing video games can help boost children’s wellbeing in ways including making them feel competent, empowered and socially connected to others, according to a QUT study featured in a new UNICEF report on the impact of gaming. The UNICEF report was released today, with the Australian component based on a QUT study led by Professor Daniel Johnson from the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child, QUT School of Computer Science and the QUT Games Research and Interaction Design Lab.

Cape Bionics have been recently requested to demonstrate its body scanning units to the European Space Agency, and trial two of scanning technologies at NASA in Houston. NASA plans to deploy the Cape Bionics technology on orbit to understand how the body changes shape in microgravity, and how that impacts the fit and performance of compression garments worn during space missions. Cape Bionics are also helping NASA with customised compression garments for missions as well!

Sportable, a London-based sports technology business that specialises in game insights and analytics and advanced ball and player tracking technology across a number of sports, including football, Australian rules football, American football and rugby, proudly announces a £3 million investment from Guinness Ventures.

Applications are now open for the mid-year intake of AO StartUps – Tennis Australia’s pioneering program that enables startup companies to pilot their cutting-edge technology during the Australian summer of tennis and within Tennis Australia’s business. More than 20 companies have joined AO StartUps since its inception, providing Tennis Australia with a range of innovative new technology to pilot across verticals including participation, performance, broadcast, digital, event operations and the fan experience. AO Startups ongoing mission is to uncover the best ideas across early-stage sport tech companies and provide an incredible opportunity for them to be part of the biggest global sports and entertainment event in January. The sport and entertainment verticals of most interest in this intake include health and wellness, sustainability, Padel Tennis and fan experience. Early-stage tech companies have until 24 May 2024 to apply. 

From soccer to the NFL, natural grass playing fields are increasingly becoming a point of contention between players and owners. With that backdrop, sports-focused private equity firm Bruin Capital is buying the majority of leading grass technology developer PlayGreen in a bet that high-level sports will continue the move toward grass surfaces. The deal values the company at more than $100 million. PlayGreen BV is a Dutch holding company better known for its two subsidiaries: Stadium Grow Lighting (SGL) and ALVA Technology. Altogether, the businesses are responsible for the development and maintenance of natural grass playing fields for some 600 teams worldwide including the Boston Red Sox, Dallas Cowboys and Tottenham Hotspur. 

Celtic Soccer Academy, the International department of Celtic FC have partnered with etrainu, a specialist eLearning platform and training solution, to help transform how they interact and develop coaches and clubs globally. With well over 1,500 coaches and volunteers across these partner clubs it presents a unique challenge when it comes to regular engagement and standardising the coach education content delivered by the club both at home and abroad. The first course available on the etrainu platform is ‘Coaching Fundamentals’ which has been designed for parent volunteers and grassroots coaches who are starting out in their coaching journey. The courses are designed to be educational yet simple to understand utilising video and other interactive content to engage the learner. 

‍

LIGR Live leads its growth into Europe and North America through partnership with the Crionet Group. CEO and Co-Founder of LIGR Live announced his relocation to Europe to grow the business activities in the Northern Hemisphere.

The Australian Composites Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre has begun a new project with investment company Gowing Bros to develop a travel surfboard (that requires minimal storage space, whilst not compromising performance) through Gowing’s brands Gowings Pacific Trader, FCS and Softech. Through this partnership, ACM CRC will identify and develop advanced manufacturing techniques for increased board laminating quality, and will adapt automated processes for core shaping, composite material deposition (glassing) and finishing, retaining the board’s high quality while reducing manufacturing costs.

After the inauguration of an Artificial Intelligence Olympic Agenda that seeks to empower athletes, the competition and the public, the IOC’s Director of Marketing and Digital Engagement, Leandro Larrosa, explains how the links between AI and networks will transform the imminent Olympic experience.

SEN have launched Stadium 2.0, their zero-latency live sports commentary app which is available anywhere fans happen to be, on WiFi or 5G. SEN Stadium complements SEN 'Sync' for major live sport calls in the SEN app to provide listeners with the ultimate variety of choice. SEN and RIOT Enterprises have been working together to launch SEN Stadium 2.0 and SEN Sync. These new technologies are world leading and home grown in Australia.

Barcelona Sports Hub have announced thei 6 finalist startups Sports Hub Competition. The final, where the winning startup will take home a prize valued at €50,000, will be held at the PRO Sportstech Congress on May 8th at the Antiga Fàbrica Estrella Damm in Barcelona. Each of these startups will deliver a 5-minute pitch presenting their innovative projects, demonstrating how their technology can transform sports, health, event organization, among other related fields. The finalists include Aktivity, Athlose Sports Travel, Beyond You, Bstadium, Lizcore and Lueira.