Sportstech & Member News

ASTN has opened expressions-of-interest for the 17th cohort of the Accelerator Program. Queensland and Western Australian-based startups will have priority access to the program, thanks to support from Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC) in Queensland and Meshpoints in Western Australia. Selected startups will receive approximately 20 hours guidance from a pool of experienced mentors, as well as dedicated workshops on themed topics including business story-telling, investment pitching, international markets and sports systems. Applications close 16th March. 

The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) and Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, have launched two pioneering guidelines to help everyone involved in sport – from grassroots to high performance – use artificial intelligence (AI) responsibly and effectively. The first is a world-leading Guide for Responsible AI in Sport which outlines how to use AI safely and ethically, drawing on international best practices. The second is a Roadmap for AI in Australian Sport which sets out a clear national strategy on how the sector can work together to harness AI’s potential. 

Novig, the fastest growing sports trading platform in America, has announced the close of a $US 75 million Series B round of funding. The investment follows a period of growth for the platform, which reported a 10x increase in trading volume during 2025. Novig's annualized trading volume currently exceeds $US 4 billion. Although sports account for the majority of activity on most prediction market platforms, those products are not built with sports traders in mind. Novig, by contrast, is built for sports fans, delivering a fair, transparent, and commission-free trading experience. 

ASTN Member companies Cellr, Myriad Studios, SportsAI, SWAARM and LSKD are amongst the many exhibitors in the leadup to the NRL Games at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Saturday, 28 February. In addition, NRL hosted player signing sessions as part of Ozfest, prize draws and ASTN and its member companies participated in the sports innovation and tech showcase.

World leaders in sport will again descend on Victoria this year as the nation’s pre-eminent sport business gathering SportNXT Melbourne returns. The three-day summit will be held 7-9 September in the build up to a blockbuster Australian first, the NFL regular season match at the MCG between the Los Angeles Rams and the San Franciso 49ers. The state’s packed calendar of events generates around $AUD 3.3 billion a year for the state’s economy thanks to events like the Australian Open, Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix, and AFL Grand Final.

Australian video-based swimming timing system Olly Timing, is embarking on international expansion including the UK. Olly Timing will be demonstrating at the Swim England Summit on 19th March. Olly supports organisers, officials and operators to strengthen operational resilience, manage volunteer workload and enhance the overall competition experience.

Tradable Bits, a leading provider of fan engagement, data, and marketing solutions, has announced the appointment of Mike Morris as General Manager, Asia-Pacific (APAC). Based in Melbourne, Morris will lead Tradable Bits' APAC operations and growth strategy. He will work closely with league, team, and entertainment partners to help them acquire, unify, and activate first-party and zero-party fan data to drive deeper engagement and measurable commercial outcomes.

Twinlabs.ai and myFitApp have announced a partnership that combines myFitApp’s digital member experience with TwinLabs’ AI capabilities. The collaboration is focused on helping fitness operators better understand their data, move faster, and make smarter decisions, all without adding complexity. The solution positively impacts class utilisation, staffing efficiency, and member satisfaction.

The Premier League is launching a Netflix-style direct-to-customer streaming platform from next season, chief executive Richard Masters. Premier League Plus will be launched initially in Singapore and, if successful, could be replicated all around the world. The new platform could eventually transform the way fans consume the most popular league in the world, which says it has a global audience of 1.87 billion people and is watched in 189 countries.

ASTN is strengthening sportstech ties between Australia and New Zealand through a new collaboration with the team behind the Grit Works Queenstown Cycling Hardware Accelerator. Designed for early-stage cycling and outdoor hardware founders, the programme supports innovators to move from concept and prototype through to manufacturing-ready, globally deployable products. Founders will also gain exposure to ASTN’s broader sportstech ecosystem across Australia - expanding networks, expertise and commercial pathways. The 11-week accelerator kicks off on 27 April and is now open for applications.

BatFast, the global sports simulation technology company, has announced the appointment of former Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. The appointment marks a pivotal moment for BatFast as it accelerates international expansion of its AI-powered sports simulation platform, which integrates advanced robotics, computer vision ball tracking, machine learning analytics, and immersive gamification to deliver world-class training, entertainment, and fan engagement experiences.

Transact + CBORD, an award-winning leader in innovative campus technology, have announced a new agreement with leading global sports and entertainment point-of-sale (POS) provider MyVenue, which will change the game for campus commerce across collegiate sporting and special events. The partnership allows students to use stored-value campus funds for concessions purchases inside stadiums, arenas, and hospitality venues.

The PGA TOUR and PAM, the world-leading smart navigation platform specializing in digital interactive mapping and signage, announced a new strategic investment and multi-year marketing partnership designating PAM as the Official Smart Map and the Official Smart Map Technology of the PGA TOUR. PAM will use multiple digital touch points, including maps, phones, websites and digital signage to elevate the onsite fan experience and increase efficiency with operational aspects including routing, ridesharing and security. It will also allow for a more effective on-site workforce management system with tournament vendors and volunteers.

The AFL and Telstra have announced a two-year partnership with Champion Data to trial cutting-edge Optical Tracking Technology at Marvel Stadium, representing a significant advancement in football technology and innovation. A program that is set to pioneer the way AFL stadiums could look in the future, the trial will see more than 40 cameras installed at Marvel Stadium, creating a sophisticated data capture system designed to transform multiple aspects of the game.

Emma Thomson, Founder of Pitch It up, has been announced as a recipient of a 2026 Brisbane Lord Mayor's Women in Business Grant. Pitch It up have developed a unique light-weight balls are safe for players and students of all ages, including All Abilities participants with neurodiverse and physical disabilities. The Pitch It Up training aid that can be adapted to suit every player's individual skill level, and can be safely used at home, in the park, at the cricket nets, in schools and in clubs. Pitch It Up are expanding their portfolio to include an audible ball allowing vision-impaired students and players to train safely at home.

The peak governing body of university sport in Australia, UniSport, has announced a new partnership with Assemble Sports, to introduce a smarter, more connected sports management platform designed to make event registrations faster and easier for students and member universities. The mobile-friendly system streamlines registrations across multiple sports and formats, improves access to real-time event information such as fixtures, schedules and results, and reduces administrative complexity.

Active Education Australia and the Sports Excellence Scholarship Fund (SESF) have announced a national collaboration, united by a shared commitment to supporting active, healthy lives for young people across Australia. This partnership champions access, opportunity, and equity in sport, health, and physical activity for young people. By sharing networks, platforms, and communication channels, the partnership aims to amplify impact and create clearer pathways for young people to stay engaged in sport and physical activity.

Zena Sport has announced an exclusive partnership with Rebel Sport, Australia’s leading sports retailer, with Zena Sport's female protection impact product now available nationwide. Zena Sport was founded to address an issue that for too long female athletes were told to ignore: direct chest and breast impacts. Rebel Sport’s decision to back Zena Sport nationwide as their exclusive female chest, breast, and rib protection brand signals meaningful progress.

LX Health is strengthening its SportsTech focus for 2026 through a partnership with the National Rugby League (NRL), reinforcing the LuminaX HealthTech Accelerator’s commitment to technologies operating at the intersection of health, performance, and elite sport. For the 2026 cohort, LuminaX will continue supporting startups across injury prevention, concussion and brain health, recovery and rehabilitation, performance analytics, wearable technology, digital health platforms, and athlete wellbeing. 

PlayHQ, a global leader in competition management platforms, and Rugby Canada have announced a strategic partnership set to modernize registration infrastructure and unlock player development insights across Canadian rugby. The partnership provides Rugby Canada and provincial organizations an integrated platform that will consolidate provincial operations into one unified view, giving administrators the tools to manage registrations, compliance, competitions, and communications from a single interface.

SportIQ, a company that develops smart basketballs and in-app shooting coaching technology, has raised a total of $US 6.2 million in a Series A funding. The company develops connected sports balls that combine sensors, analytics, and AI to support performance tracking. Its sensor system and analytics app, which are covered by multiple patents, are used in the Spalding TF DNA basketball. The system uses a sensor embedded in the ball’s valve to track shooting performance, collecting data such as shooting position, power, angle, and technique. 

Melbourne-based AI sports tracking platform Superstat has officially been announced as one of 19 startups in the Startmate Accelerator program (Summer 2026). Startmate has invested $AUD 2.28 million in the cohort, giving each startup $120,000 for a 7% stake. Superstat delivers automated stats and actionable insights, not just numbers, helping teams strengthen what works, fix what doesn’t and giving clubs an unfair, game winning advantage.

It has been announced that a “Standard for a Common Exchange Format for Match-Data in Football (Soccer)” will be developed through the IEEE Standards Association. This standard establishes a uniform and standardized format for providing digital data arising from football (soccer) matches. The standard includes data from the following sources: match sheet data, video data, event data, tracking data, match meta data, and player physical data. Usage of this data includes performance analysis, fan engagement, medical analysis, wagering, and coaching. The Working Group will be led by sports data and standards experts including Jesse Davis, Joris Bekkers and Sam Robertson.

The Groundbreakers Challenge is a global open‑innovation call designed to connect the most promising sport‑tech startups with real industry challenges from leading sports organizations. In this edition, through GSIC’s proven methodology and PEAK Conference’s world‑class stage, selected startups gain the opportunity to pitch live in Las Vegas, engage directly with decision‑makers, and unlock potential pilot collaborations that can accelerate their impact worldwide. Deployable products and solutions across fan engagement, media tech and sponsorship, venue management and athlete performance. Applications close 15 March.

Basketball Australia has unveiled its revolutionary Coach Development Framework this week, establishing flexible coaching pathways designed to support basketball mentors nationwide from grassroots to elite levels. The Framework blends online modules, face-to-face sessions, practical experience, and self-directed learning, providing coaching education to suit any location or schedule. Basketball Australia has partnered with etrainu and their online education platform as well as Coach Logic where coaches receive feedback and actionable advice on their development.

The Juventus Football Club has launched an open innovation program called Juventus Forward. The initiative represents the heart of Juventus’ open innovation, a strategic bridge between the club, start-ups, partners, talents and a community working on sport, technology and applied innovation. As part of the program CDP Venture Capital will relocate its Accelerator dedicated to the Sportech and Wellness vertical from Rome to Turin, making the Allianz Stadium a new national hub for sports start-ups and business acceleration. Whilst The Players Fund will support Juventus as a strategic partner of the Innovation team, bringing an international perspective, benchmarks and expertise through global scouting activities.

The Australian Sports Technologies Network (ASTN), announced new agreements with the Queensland Government’s Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) and the Department of Sport, Racing and Olympic and Paralympic Games (DSROPG), to deliver a program of work aimed at strengthening Queensland’s sportstech and sports innovation ecosystem. The initiative aligns with Queensland’s broader innovation, economic development and legacy objectives as the State continues to build momentum toward the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and reinforces Queensland’s position as a nationally and internationally relevant hub for sports innovation.

Sports intelligence leader Twenty First Group (TFG), a company revolutionising sports through AI-powered analytics and data expertise will open their Asia-Pacific headquarters in Melbourne, driving growth in one of the world’s most exciting sports ecosystems. Known for elevating performances at the The Ryder Cup, Major League Soccer (MLS), and clubs like Arsenal Football Club and AC Milan, TFG sees Victoria’s unique blend of sports passion and top technology talent as the perfect foundation for success.

As the Official Games Systems and Results Supplier, Kronos has delivered a digital ecosystem to the Local Organising Committee of the Open Masters Games (Abu Dhabi), enhancing the overall digitalisation of the Games experience. From registration and accreditation to timing, scoring, and secure results dissemination, the Kronos systems have supported athletes, officials, and other stakeholders through the Games.

The NFL and StatusPRO, a sports entertainment and technology company that combines AI and performance data with emerging technology to create experiential content, has announced an expansion of their partnership, granting StatusPRO new rights that enable the company to build a device-agnostic training product. The newly secured rights align with StatusPRO’s vision of building a unified platform spanning training and gaming. Powered by AI and telemetry data from sports leagues, the platform delivers simulated content that enables fans, athletes and coaches to play, watch and learn the game, deepening engagement across the sports ecosystem.

Polytan has delivered Torquay’s new state-of-the-art hockey pitch at Banyul-Warri Fields, marking a major milestone for hockey on Victoria’s Surf Coast. The facility features Polytan’s elite Poligras Platinum World Cup synthetic hockey surface, made from 20% bio-based materials. This is the first dry, non-sand dressed hockey pitch in Victoria, and the first in Australia certified to the new FIH Innovation Category, delivering elite wet-field performance without the need for water.

Leading volunteer management platform, Rosterfy, recently delivered in its 10th year of a partnership with the Super Bowl. In this time Rosterfy’s has delivered end-to-end volunteer management technology has helped host cities and organising committees recruit, screen, train and schedule thousands of volunteers, creating seamless experiences for both organisers and volunteers alike. 

Video production company, Sideline Sport, has partnered with Basketball Victoria to officially launch their Remote Production Model at the Junior Country Championships over the weekend. Production was fully remote-controlled, over 100 games across four courts captured simultaneously, with live action captured and managed by operators located in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane.

ASTN has announced two major international engagement opportunities in March and April 2026. These initiatives are designed to elevate Australian sportstech companies on the global stage, open new pathways into international markets, and strengthen Australia’s presence across the sports innovation ecosystem. ASTN and its delegation will be part of SPORTEL Singapore 24-25 March and PEAK Conference in Las Vegas 20-22 April. Exclusive opportunities, including exhibiting within the 'ASTN hub' at PEAK and priority access to participate in SPORTEL's Pitch Perfect competition, will be provided to delegates. 

FIFA has announced PlayerData as a FIFA Preferred Provider for Player Tracking within the framework of the FIFA Quality Programme for Electronic Performance and Tracking Systems (EPTS). This two-year agreement recognises PlayerData as an industry leader, with expertise contributing to the development of technical standards for EPTS.

Professional Australian baseball team, the Adelaide Giants, identified the value in digitising the fan experience and partnered with Cellr to design and deploy a multi-layered strategy that amplified engagement, attendance, and revenue. Cellr provided expertise and insights to strategically support the Adelaide Giants vision, and rapidly deployed the Cellr platform to support 4 key activations fan engagement, CRM growth and attendance lift.

Melbourne Girls Grammar School (MGGS) has embedded Lumin Strength in its sports development program, providing 500 student-athletes and five coaches with a central platform for strength and conditioning (S&C) development. MGGS will use the Australian-made S&C platform to program, monitor and communicate training across year levels and teams as part of its broader athletic development strategy. MGGS is the latest Australian school to embed Lumin in its programs and follows St Joseph’s Nudgee College, Geelong College and Xavier College to adopt the platform.

The Collectiv Foundation, in collaboration with Rice University, has announced the creation of the AI Native Dual-Use Sports, Health & Wellness Accelerator. The accelerator will officially launch in March and will be hosted at the Ion, the epicenter of the Ion District and Houston’s emerging venture advantage platform. The accelerator will focus on high-growth sportstech verticals, including but not limited to performance and health, fan experience and media platforms, data and analytics, and enterprise infrastructure. 

Minimis is consolidating the $US 20 billlion wearables market by merging the sports watch and bike computer into a standalone head-up display sunglasses. Minimis Flow will let runners and cyclists track and see everything they need within a lightweight pair of sports sunglasses, without dependence on any other device. The glasses will be fully standalone with a built-in optical heart rate tracker, ANT+ chip, GPS, eSIM and more. This enables athletes to leave their phones at home and make calls on the go. The funding round was backed by Entrepreneur VC, technical leadership from Microsoft HoloLens and a US track cycling champion.

FIBA has underlined its commitment to driving innovation and excellence in global basketball by confirming the inaugural Test Event for Automated Video Solutions on March 24 and 25 in Doha, Qatar. FIBA's inaugural product test event for Automated Video Solutions marks a milestone by validating real-world performance with clearly defined performance metrics. It will serve as an essential evidentiary basis, establishing a pathway for industry technologies seeking FIBA Approval. All assessments undertaken at the FIBA Test Events in Doha will be conducted by industry experts, the Institute of Sports Tech Standards (ISTS) and Sports Labs Ltd.

NYC-based ScorePlay has improved digital asset management for 300 teams, leagues and sports organizations worldwide. ScorePlay uses AI for tagging and sorting of media assets, a combination that provides value for league staff looking for specific pieces of content for things like social media and marketing. With Tennis Australia, ScorePlay acted as the central hub for rights access for all organizations working around the event or remotely. By creating this production layer on top of the camera feeds, ScorePlay gave broadcast room capabilities to anyone connected to the Australian Open through the platform.

The Australian Sports Technologies Network (ASTN), in partnership with LIV Golf, delivered a ASTN & LIV Golf Sportstech Showcase & Industry Event in Adelaide on 10th February, celebrating South Australia’s growing sports innovation and technology ecosystem. Held in the lead-up to LIV Golf Adelaide, the event brought together leaders from sport, technology, data, media, startups, investment and government to explore how innovation is shaping elite performance, fan engagement and the future of professional sport. Panelists included leaders from LIV Golf, Champion Data and the Adelaide Crows FC.

HUMAIN, backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, has acquired a controlling stake in London-based ai.io to launch HUMAIN Sport division. The combined entity will deploy AI-powered sports technology across Saudi Arabia and international markets, spanning grassroots to elite performance. Ai.io’s existing products include 3DAT markerless motion capture, aiScout talent identification platform, and aiLab facility integration software.

China's biggest sportswear brand Anta Sports Products has struck a deal to buy a 29% stake in Puma from the Pinault family for 1.5 billion euros ($US 1.8 billion), making it the biggest shareholder in the German sportswear maker. Anta said it would ‌use its expertise to help struggling Puma increase its sales in the lucrative Chinese market. The deal also helps Fila owner and Salomon backer Anta in its quest to become a more global business.

European Leagues and LaSource have been working together to shape the Sports Data Value Chain (SDVC) project: a strategic initiative designed to help member leagues gain more control of their sports data and build the foundations for a shared, future-ready data ecosystem. The European Leagues brings together 40 professional leagues representing more than 1,170 clubs across 34 countries and over 70 football divisions. 

Otro Capital has announced the close of its inaugural sports fund, Otro Capital Fund I, with $US 1.2 billion in committed capital. Fund I represents the largest first-time, dedicated sports buyout fund ever raised globally. The Fund is targeting investments where it believes professionalized operations, intellectual property, and enhanced governance can unlock significant value.

Volleyball NSW has announced a new partnership with Club Ducks, aimed at supporting Premier League clubs with a modern tool to better manage their current and future sponsors. Through the partnership, Premier League clubs will gain access to Club Ducks’ sponsorship management platform, a purpose-built resource designed to help clubs organise, maintain, and grow their sponsorship and partner relationships. The platform enables clubs to track existing sponsors and deliverables, while also providing tools to create professional pitch decks that can be used to attract new commercial partners. 

Catapult, a global leader in sports technology for professional teams, following its acquisition of Perch in June 2025, announced the next generation of its athlete performance ecosystem with Perch P2. Perch is a comprehensive performance solution for programming and assessing athlete readiness and training using velocity-based training (VBT). Catapult built Perch P2 to extend performance monitoring beyond the rack, delivering portable and precise athlete data in the gym and on the field. 

This is the story of how Australia overcame geographical isolation to build the world's most innovative tech empire in tennis. 

The National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced the five companies that will make up the fifth cohort of NBA Launchpad, the league’s initiative to source, evaluate, and pilot emerging technologies to further impact the future of basketball. The five companies include Atlas, a brain-sensing wearable; CRED, an intelligence platform for sponsorship lead-generation; Diddo, an API for rights holders and publishers to integrate shoppable moments within media platforms; Peripheral Labs, a spatial intelligence platform focused on applying autonomous vehicle technology to reconstruct live sports, and; Swish Basket, an AI-powered basketball training and gaming platform.