Previous Open Innovation Programs

ASTN has developed and delivered a number of successful Open Innovation programs.

Quicklinks

• NRL Magic Round Sportstech Innovation Program
• Challenge to support wheelchair athletes

NRL Magic Round Sportstech Innovation Program

In partnership with the National Rugby League (NRL) and Queensland’s Innovation Division, Advance Queensland, ASTN is delivering the NRL Magic Round Tech Sprint – a first-of-its-kind sportstech industry access program designed to unlock innovation across the game.

The NRL Sportstech Innovation Program is a collaboration aimed at solving real-world challenges in professional rugby league by leveraging the creativity and capability of Queensland’s innovative small business community. This program is part of the broader NRL Magic Round agreement with Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ) from 2025–2027.

Program Objectives

The program is designed to help the NRL:

• Discover innovative products that solve real operational, performance, or fan engagement challenges
• Support companies in aligning to one or more of the NRL’s seven priority areas (e.g. in-stadium experience, athlete health, CALD audience engagement, etc.)
• Build a pipeline of Queensland-led sportstech solutions with national and global potential

Program Overview

Eight QLD businesses were selected to take part in the 10-week NRL Magic Round Tech Sprint, which includes five core workshops, weekly meetings with the NRL subject matter experts and mentoring from the ASTN to help to pivot and tailor their innovative products to the NRL’s needs.

The eight selected businesses are:

• Australian Armour Company Pty Ltd (Fempro Armour) - Shock Absorbing Memory Foam for Injury Prevention
• Cerge Pty Ltd - Cérge – Your Digital Concierge
• Cool Beans Underwear Pty Ltd - Cool Beans Men's Health Underwear
• Forty Ground Floor Pty Ltd (Crowd Canvas) - CrowdCanvas
• Imagine Realities Pty Ltd - AR|VR|Games Outsourcing Studio | Imagine Realities
• Myriad Studios Pty Ltd – Myriad Studios – Delivering VFX Solutions for Film & Games – lidar scanning, photogrammetry, cyberscan, texturing, location surveying
• Talk All Sport Pty Ltd - talkallsport
• WearOptimo Pty Ltd – WearOptimo | Wearable Biometrics | Hydration Monitoring Device | Brisbane Australia

Program Delivery

As the official delivery partner of the 10-week Tech Sprint, ASTN plays a pivotal role as the innovation intermediary in guiding participating companies through a structured process of refinement, validation, and commercialisation. ASTN provides:

• Sportstech Gap & Needs Analysis
• Masterclasses and 1:1 Mentoring
• Industry Engagement & Investor Pitch Coaching
• Additional Support, including access to a 12-month ASTN membership, commercialisation support, industry events, and networking opportunities

Also see ASTN Press Release: ASTN kicks off 2025 NRL Magic Round Tech Sprint

Challenge to support wheelchair athletes

The Australian Sports Technologies Network (ASTN) in collaboration with the Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS) seek sportstech startups to pitch their technology to help support wheelchair athletes.

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

The Challenge looks to uncover potential solutions that could help effectively and reliably monitor the day-to-day loads of wheelchair athletes, both in and out of training or competition. For many able body sports involving running, cycling, rowing or even strength training there are already technology solutions, tools and programs in the market to monitor the training, competition and day-to-day loads of athletes. However, for wheelchair athletes this is not necessarily the case.

Accordingly, the aim of this challenge is to:

• Define (and potentially standardise) what is considered and quantified as ‘load’ for wheelchair athletes and users;
• Effectively and reliably monitor loads of wheelchair athletes and users;
• Potentially separate and quantify training and competition loads vs day-to-day movement and activity loads of wheelchair athletes.

For further details, please download the VIS Challenge Guidelines.

AT WHAT STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT DOES THE STARTUP NEED TO BE?

The technology will most likely need to be a minimum viable product or in the piloting and testing stage of development. Based on the knowledge of the VIS team it is deemed unlikely that there is an existing commercial solution in the market to address the Challenge.

For further details, please download the VIS Challenge Guidelines.

WHAT IS THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR STARTUPS?

Applying start-ups will need to prepare a pitch document no more than 5 slides covering:

1. Opening slide including elevator pitch (vision: Problem-Solution-Impact)
2. Description of product / solution to address the business problem
3. Market Strategy and Traction (if any)
4. Founders / Team
5. Desired outcome from VIS partnership – and what’s needed to make it go live?

Pitches will need to be uploaded onto the Application Form provided.

WHAT ARE THE KEY DATES?

• Friday 16th February 2024 – Applications to the Challenge Close
• Friday 23rd February 2024 – Candidates Shortlisted
• Tuesday 12th, Wednesday 13th or Thursday 14th March 2024 – Pitch to the Project Team
• Friday 15th March 2024 – Top Candidate/s selected for discussions and potential pilot
• Monday 18th March– 20th March 2024 – Meetings with Top Candidate/s
• Wednesday 20th March 2024 – Finalise MoU with Top Candidate.
• March 2024 (ongoing) – VIS work with selected Candidate/s to validate / pilot solution.