Australian Sportstech News

Wicket, a leading facial authentication platform provider, announced that the Geelong Cats are offering expedited entry into GMHBA Stadium through dedicated Express Members Lanes using Wicket facial authentication. This is made possible through Wicket’s integration with Ticketmaster, which allows Geelong Cats Members to easily pair their tickets with a selfie photo – streamlining the ticket redemption process to less than 5 seconds per group.

The National Basketball League (NBL) and ESPN today announced a significant multi-year extension of its media rights deal in Australia and New Zealand.  fans will now be able to stream every NBL game live on Disney+ via the ESPN tile. With Disney+ available in millions of Australian and New Zealand homes, the NBL will be exposed to a broader mainstream audience than ever before. In addition to ESPN on Disney+, ESPN's NBL programming will continue to be included on the ESPN networks available through Foxtel, Kayo Sports, and Fetch TV in Australia, and Sky in New Zealand, with Free-to-Air games continuing on Sunday via a renewed deal with Network 10.

Australian video capture startup Flowstate is barreling into new markets and finding fresh customers for its AI-powered technology, after securing $AUD 600k in fresh debt funding from Tractor Ventures. Flowstate’s video technology allows manmade wave parks to track and film riders, with the resulting footage providing new opportunities for coaching — and impressive social media posts. The startup claims its system has captured and analysed more than 12 million rides since launching in 2022, across wave parks in Australia, the USA, Germany, England, Scotland, and the UAE.

Kayo Sports has extended its two-decades long relationship with ESPN through a new multi-year agreement. The renewed arrangement, which also includes Foxtel, will see subscribers continue to enjoy live sports and programming on ESPN and ESPN2, including the best of US sports such as the NBA, NFL, MLB, UFC, WNBA and NHL.

vivenu, an advanced ticketing platform trusted by more than 800 leading organizers worldwide, has partnered with STWS Conference as part of its strategic expansion into global markets. The partnership supports vivenu's mission to enable event creators to build 360° fan experiences and maximize revenue potential.

A former AFL player has raised $AUD 400k for a new startup making it easier for athletes and everyday travellers to find single-day gym passes on the road. GymGoer, founded by ex-Sydney Swans and North Melbourne player Ryan Clarke, lets users search for nearby gyms and workout facilities offering short-term access. GymGoer allows users to pay for temporary passes, instead of signing long-term contracts they might not need, and sign gym waivers within the app itself.

Femmi CEO and co-founder Lydia O’ Donnell is empowering women to learn about their bodies and move with confidence. As a national level runner for New Zealand O’Donnell was told that in order to be a successful athlete, she had to be skinny, small and lean, which is an unfortunately prevalent narrative. O’Donnell says she’s gutted that she lost so many years to underfueling and overtraining. However, it’s for this reason she decided to create Femmi, a running app that supports people to train in line with their menstrual cycles. Hormones and energy change during a woman’s menstrual cycle. Femmi offers personalised run training, expert women’s health support and access to women-led run communities.

One of the world’s most respected minds in high performance sport is set to join the Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS), with Dr David Martin appointed to lead the organisation’s revamped Research and Innovation Unit (formerly the SPIKE research area). Dr Martin’s arrival will be a joint appointment with The University of Queensland, where he will also take up the role of Professorial Research Fellow in Sports Technology and Performance.

For decades, sportstech hovered on the fringes, an experimental space where early adopters tinkered with data tracking, AI-driven analysis, and rudimentary wearables. In the early 2000s, the sector resembled a fledgling startup, fueled by youthful energy, innovation, and determination. Fast forward to 2025, and it is clear - sportstech has at last matured beyond its introductory phase and is now squarely in its growth phase.

Originally founded as a software solution for personal trainers, Hapana pivoted to bricks-and-mortar fitness studios in 2017 and took on a more global outlook, but its hard-earned victories in the US were unravelled by COVID-19 and the ensuing gym closures. This could have been a death knell for the Sydney-based tech startup if not for the eagerness of burgeoning Australian fitness brands to embrace innovation. In a post-COVID period the company has gone from strength to strength. Hapana has grown rapidly since raising $AUD 17 million last year, and now has its sights set on an AI-first re-platforming to add further value to the fitness sector.

The Institute for Sports Technology Standards (ISTS) has been established to improve quality assessment and decision-making in sportstech. ISTS will conduct three main streams of activity. Firstly, spearhead the development of public, accredited test standards for the quality assessment of sports technology. Secondly, develop and conduct tech quality assessment programs for federations, governing bodies and leagues. And thirdly, conduct sports tech quality assessment and R&D testing, according to test standards.

The federal government is backing three medtech incubators with nearly $AUD 100 million in grant funding, in the hopes of helping Australia’s next great healthcare innovators bring their products to market. Brandon BioCatalyst, Biointelect, and ANDHealth have each secured funding for new incubator programs, supporting startups as they commercialise proof-of-concept projects. The funding comes as part of the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) and its $AUD 450 million Medical Research Commercialisation Initiative.

Optus has accepted an offer from Nine Entertainment Co and Stan to obtain the rights to Optus Sport football content, including the Premier League, Emirates FA Cup and more. From 1 August 2025 Optus Sport will close, and the Premier League, Emirates FA Cup, J.League and National Women’s Soccer League will move to Stan Sport. This means that the Premier League and UEFA Champions League will now be reunited, in one place, Stan.

The Female Founders Co-Investment Fund provides grants that are pre-approved and are subject to an investment raise by women-founded and led innovation driven enterprises that are approaching new investors as part of their early-stage capital raise. The Fund provides grants from $AUD 50,000 to $AUD 200,000 (excluding GST) matched at a 1:3 ratio for a funding round led by an eligible investment entity. To be eligible businesses must be headquartered in Queensland and be majority female owned (51%+).

The GLP-1 boom is still sending ripples and waves throughout the fitness industry they also have fitness professionals asking users to only take them once well-informed.  Evolt 360, the brand’s body composition scanner which measures lean muscle mass and fat via bioimpedance technology, is an ideal tool for anyone looking to use GLP-1 medications safely and effectively. By tracking skeletal muscle mass, fat composition and body fat distribution, and creating individual macronutrient profiles to better understand proper protein, carb and fat intake, the device is the guide all GLP-1 users need right now.

International Rugby League is further professionalising its technical education by providing IRL members with a comprehensive online education management system. IRL has partnered with leading education solutions provider etrainu to maximise the way coach and match officials learn. All IRL technical courses and the progress of practitioners through each program will be logged on a customised IRL education portal. 

Hockey NSW has announced a new 3-year agreement with Veo Technologies to become its Official Video and Analysis Partner. The partnership gives Hockey NSW access to AI-powered Veo Cam 3 5G units and video analysis software. Hockey NSW will be using the cameras to aid in officials development as well as athlete development initially. Veo’s solution includes the AI-powered Veo Cam 3 5G, which automatically tracks the ball and players during matches, allowing coaches and athletes to record games, analyse performance, and create highlight videos effortlessly, all without the need for a camera operator.

Leading GPS racing technology provider tripleSdata has announced a partnership with TAB NZ and Entain to roll out next-gen SMART 4G GPS technology across 27 racecourses (90% of New Zealand's race courses). The partnership will reshape data commercialisation, powering real-time tracking, timing, and data for clubs, syndicates, operators and punters.

Melbourne healthtech startup Everlab has raised $AUD 15 million in a seed funding round led by global growth equity firm Left Lane Capital. The funding will be used to expand its AI-driven preventive health platform and grow its clinical network across Australia and beyond. Everlab is a digital health platform focused on proactive and personalised prevention. It works on a membership system where members receive year-round access to a suite of diagnostic tests. These include whole-body MRIs, blood testing, DEXA scans, VO2 max, ECG, glucose monitoring, CT coronary angiograms, and food journal analysis. 

USA Pickleball, the national governing body for pickleball in the United States, has teamed up with leading education provider etrainu to launch a centralized, federated training platform designed to upskill ambassadors and other membership stakeholders sport. The first phase will target training and education for over 2,000 ambassadors and other membership stakeholders. With etrainu’s learning management system (LMS) and integration with the Sport:80 membership platform, USA Pickleball will now deliver and track training across areas including employee onboarding, volunteer training, and referee / official certification. 

Sciana has partnered with NeuroFlux to provide AI-powered concussion screening to communities across Australia. Sciana's platform is equipping GPs, pharmacies, and allied health providers with a powerful tool for early, objective screening. NeuroFlex uses virtual reality to test oculomotor reflexes, cognitive and vestibular reaction times.

Sports streaming platform FrogBox has announced a new partnership with Gray-Nicolls, an iconic name in world cricket. Now, through FrogBox’s livestreaming platform, Gray-Nicolls is connecting more directly with the millions who play and follow grassroots cricket each week. This collaboration combines heritage and innovation, equipping clubs with the tools to stream matches, and share their stories with passionate communities.

The 2025 Sports Tech Startup and Investor Day will give founders the opportunity to pitch their company via a short two-and-a-half-minute video as part of the Sportstech World Series in late October in Melbourne. Australia Sports Tech Startup and Investor Day (on 30th October) is designed to give innovative grassroots businesses an opportunity to showcase their product to the broader sports tech industry. Submissions close 3pm Friday 24th October.

DMC Sport has announced that it signed on to continue working with England Golf to support two fantastic grassroots programs – Girls Golf Rocks and Get into Golf Rookies. From innovative product design and manufacture to seamless delivery to participants, DMC Sport is helping grow participation in golf across the UK by making golf fun, accessible, and inclusive for young players.

Australian wagering technology company, BetMakers Technology, has raised $AUD 13.7 million in an oversubscribed retail share purchase plan as well as an institutional placement. The money raised will be used to fund strategic acquisitions, repay debt, and support its growing presence in the US racing and wagering market.

Advance Queensland is a support partner with Follow Me AI (FOME.ai) and The University of Queensland to undertake a project to develop an AI-powered system for Paralympic classification. The Industry Research Projects program will provide more than $AUD 1.5 million in funding, and UQ’s Queensland Centre for Olympic and Paralympic Studies will also contribute $ADU 210,000 to this innovative project which has the potential to revolutionise Para sport by ensuring fair and objective classification for athletes around the world.

HITIQ, a pioneer in concussion management, has announced an exclusive global agreement with Shock Doctor, the world’s leading mouthguard innovator. This landmark agreement marks Shock Doctor’s two-year effort to design a mouthguard that will integrate HITIQ’s PROTEQT technology. The result is a fully developed, market-ready solution that merges HITIQ’s smart sensor technology with Shock Doctor’s unmatched global production partner capabilities.

Basketball Victoria (BV) has launched Australia's first comprehensive basketball facilities guide, a pioneering resource designed to address the state's critical court shortage whilst supporting local governments and sporting associations in infrastructure planning and development. The sport's rapid growth however has placed enormous pressure on existing infrastructure, threatening participation and equal access to this great game across communities. 

Tennessee Titans have engaged smart navigation platform on a 2 year pilot as it manages fan flows and occasional traffic reroutes associated with the construction of its new $US 2.2 billion stadium next to its current Nissan Stadium. As the new Nissan Stadium continues to progress through construction phases, fans’ capability to get around and into events will shift. That created a need to find a solution that can evolve with the construction. PAM’s solution offers fans a web-based platform that shows an interactive map with real-time adjustments for the directions. PAM also earned a spot in the most recent class of 10 startups in this year’s Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech program.

News Corp Australia has acquired the technology platform powering SuperCoach, marking a strategic shift in how the publisher approaches fantasy sports and positioning the franchise for broader audience growth and new commercial opportunities. The acquisition from Melbourne-based Vapormedia is expected to unlock expansion into new sporting codes and formats, with the company already signalling interest in launching fantasy games for the NBA, NFL, and Formula 1.

Next Level Racing has announced a new license for the Cessna® brand, one of the most iconic names in aviation. Next Level Racing will be launching an official licensed flight simulator product, designed specifically for the flight simulation gaming community. Next Level Racing® is developing this product to meet the increasing global demand for authentic, high-quality simulation experiences. A sneak peek of the Cessna® Flight Simulator Gaming Cockpit will be offered at upcoming aviation events, where Next Level Racing will showcase the potential of this exciting new product.

Nine has attained exclusive Australian television rights to the Premier League and the FA Cup. Following a transaction with Optus Sport, all matches in the 2025-26 Premier League and FA Cup seasons will be streamed live on Stan Sport. And for the first time ever in Australia, some Premier League matches will be available to stream in 4K ultra-high definition. Also included in the broadcast deal are the UEFA Women's Euro, Japan's J.League and the United States' National Women's Soccer League.

Zhik and Australian Sailing are extending their partnership of more than a decade, one built on innovation, elite performance and podium success.  Since 2013, the collaboration has helped deliver four Olympic gold medals and four silver medals across three Games, and it continues to elevate the standard of technical sailing gear for the next generation of Australian athletes. Zhik’s commitment to the development of high-performing apparel for female athletes, with an industry leading range of female wetsuits launched last year, and its core focus on sustainability with the launch of ReZHIKle, a recycling program that gives old wetsuits a second life, is a cornerstone of the partnership.

The accessibility and impact of Basketball Australia's grassroots introductory program are being accelerated thanks to the power of Courts of the World. As an official FIBA-approved global venue finder, Courts of the World is expanding its footprint across the globe through its ongoing partnership with the FIBA Equipment & Venue Centre. Families throughout Australia can now benefit from this digital platform, which showcases the core values of Basketball Australia's development program while promoting healthy and active lifestyles. By making it easy to locate the nearest and best venues in their local areas and regions, this plug-and-play solution is set to provide a boost to the development initiative, helping more kids pick up a ball and play.

DMC Sport has signed on to continue working with England Golf to support two grassroots programs – Girls Golf Rocks and Get into Golf Rookies. From innovative product design and manufacture to seamless delivery, DMC Sport plays an important part in helping grow participation in golf across the UK. These initiatives are all about making golf fun, accessible, and inclusive for young players.

A women’s health initiative led by Metluma is using Garmin watches to help women experiencing menopause better manage their health. 
Garmin sensor data and integration offers highly accurate and reliable quality, enabling Metluma to provide users with customized, data-driven insights through their app. Backed by science and research, Metluma aligns medical care with alternative therapies, coaching and technological support to help women live life to the fullest at a time when their bodies are changing.

Netball Australia has entered a groundbreaking global broadcast partnership with the newly launched All Women’s Sports Network (AWSN), founded by entertainment icon Whoopi Goldberg. The multi-year agreement will bring Suncorp Super Netball to over 65 new countries across the next three years. AWSN is a global sports television network dedicated exclusively to women’s sports. With the addition of its newest channel on Pluto TV, AWSN now reaches over 900 million households worldwide.

BetMakers Technology Group is pleased to announce its appointment as one of five authorised wholesalers of Australian Thoroughbred Racing Materials under Racing Australia’s new national distribution framework, commencing 1 July 2025. This appointment reinforces BetMakers’ leadership in racing technology and content distribution, and ensures our partners have access to official, compliant data under a more transparent and standardised model. Operators, media businesses and content providers can access official Racing Australia data across nominations, acceptances, trials, results and form via BetMakers CoreAPI and managed trading APIs.

HIT IQ has announced an exclusive global partnership with leading mouthguard brand Shock Doctor to bring its PROTEQT concussion management system to athletes around the world, starting with grassroots sport in Australia. This world-first agreement combines HIT IQ’s proven smart sensor technology with Shock Doctor's world-class manufacturing to deliver an easy-fit, instrumented mouthguard that’s ready for everyday athletes.

Rosterfy and been recently working with Golf Australia and the PGA of Australia to change their volunteer management operations for golf's major events across the country. The implementation of Rosterfy's volunteer workforce management platform has significantly enhanced the volunteer experience both for volunteers and administrators. Some of the ROI Golf Australia and the PGA of Australia have seen since implementing Rosterfy include, a 75% reduction in administrative time, double the amount of expressions-of-interest required for the Australian Open in just two weeks and an 82.3% annual retention rates across 5,851 volunteers.