ASTN unveils ‘Sportstech Gold Coast Growth Plan’ propelling industry growth in the region for Brisbane 2032 and beyond

The plan will be unveiled today at an ASTN event ‘Sportstech Uncovered’ at the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct with the City of Gold Coast, key industry stakeholders and local sportstech leaders.

ASTN and the City of Gold Coast are committed to paving the way for sustainable growth to position gold coast as a premier sportstech destination. This partnership aims to cultivate connection between key sportstech stakeholders, including from relevant industry adjacencies to drive further collaboration in research, development, testing, utilisation, and promotion of sportstech solutions.

“Sport is in our city’s DNA, so as we head towards 2032 this important new sportstech partnership will ensure the Gold Coast is on top of the innovation winners’ podium,” said Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate.

In consultation with the City of Gold Coast, this initiative will establish a comprehensive framework to connect key stakeholders in the Gold Coast region, facilitates local networking and partnership opportunities, as well as drives further sportstech innovation and investment.

ASTN’s Sports Innovation Report 2023 highlights a concentration of sportstech activity in South-East Queensland, with 19 per cent of startups based in Queensland. To-date, 20 early-stage QLD-based startups have participated in ASTN’s previous pre-accelerator cohorts and there are seven QLD-based startups that have been accepted into the current cohort as part of the QIC program delivery.

Dr Martin Schlegel, Executive Chair, ASTN says that Gold Coast’s passion for sport, commitment to fostering innovation, and eagerness to leverage digitisations continues to fuel the emergence of numerous new enterprises in anticipation of the Brisbane 2032 Olympics.

"The Gold Coast is emerging as a prime destination for sportstech, blending existing infrastructure, a thriving local innovation ecosystem, and popular tourist destination. We already have several leading sportstech businesses headquartered from the Gold Coast, and we look forward to working closely with emerging startups, supporting their journey to grow and scale internationally,” said Dr Martin Schlegel, Executive Chair, ASTN.

“ASTN’s partnership with the City of Gold Coast marks an important milestone in bolstering Queensland’s sportstech ecosystem. With the introduction of the Sportstech Gold Coast Growth Plan, we’re building a dedicated strategy to capitalise on the rapid expansion of the sportstech cluster along Australia’s Eastern Seaboard,” added Dr Schlegel.

ASTN Gold Coast will be headquartered from within the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct (GCHKP) at the Cohort Innovation Space.

ASTN, through its partnership with City of Gold Coast will host and facilitate several key events and programs over the next 12 months. These initiatives will showcase the sportstech industry and promote Gold Coast as a destination for sports innovation and like-minded collaborators, including from other related and influential industries, such as health and entertainment.

ASTN will work closely with sportstech companies, Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct, City of Gold Coast, Griffith University athletes and researchers, Gold Coast-based sporting clubs, SSOs, stadiums and facilities. This strategy aims to bring together the full suite of committed innovators to develop, utilise and promote sportstech solutions.

“We’re committed to facilitating meaningful engagement between sportstech companies, and those who can utilise and benefit from sportstech solutions. As part of this strategy, we will provide a platform to showcase practical examples of sportstech solutions,” said Nikita Vogel, Queensland Manager, ASTN.

“We’re looking forward to working closely with Gold Coast’s growing entrepreneurial talent and contributing to ASTN’s local programs, to help nurture the local sportstech ecosystem in the lead up to Brisbane 2032 and beyond,” added Vogel.

ENDS

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

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 750 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.