Sportstech & Member News

Sports gifting platform PrezentBox has announced that now free for sports & activity providers.

"The vision of PrezentBox has been to help families and friends contribute to the growth of kids through extracurricular activities. And by making the platform complimentary for activity providers, we're making it even easier for communities to rally around their budding stars." said Founder Dan Frkic

Basketball Queensland (BQ) has officially launched a partnership with XP Esports for the 2024 Under 18 State Championships on the Gold Coast. 

XP Esports hosts live, online events, leagues, and major events across multiple esports titles in Queensland and Australia. XP Esports will deliver an esports Championship for Basketball Queensland members at the Under 18 State Championships between January 10 and 12 of January 2024. 

FIFA hosted its annual Quality Programme Conference and Research Symposium which acts as a gathering and information point for stakeholders in the football industry on 18 and 19 October.

The FIFA Quality Programme offered attendees the opportunity to receive updates on the programme and stay informed about the latest standards and developments in football. The Research Symposium focused on sharing the latest football-related research, aiming to enhance the sport by democratizing technology and using it to create a safer environment and make it more accessible to all.

Catapult has announced a multi-year partnership with NASCAR, stepping in as the official supplier of race control systems. The collaboration will commence this season, with Catapult’s groundbreaking RaceWatch ID system taking center stage. 

The move promises to significantly enhance the efficiency of race control and competition officials across NASCAR’s top-tier racing series. RaceWatch ID is designed to empower NASCAR officials to make accurate and swift decisions, facilitating a seamless integration of multi-camera video, race radio, and telemetry data, all synchronized and housed in a single solution. 

Researchers from the Apple Heart and Movement Study share new insights into one of the fastest-growing sports around the world: pickleball. To see how this emerging sport compared against the long-standing game of tennis, and how it impacts overall health, researchers turned to the data.

Genius Sports Limited has expanded its partnership with the National Football League to power NFL+, the NFL’s video streaming subscription service, with data-driven on-screen graphic overlays and visualizations that bring the live action to life in real time. Starting this weekend, Genius Sports will provide two new customized viewing modes for every NFL+ game this season. These alternate streams will utilize the NFL’s Next Gen Stats player-tracking data to display crucial fan insights including ball-carrier speed, yards after catch, closing speed, and time to throw—all in real-time.

Sportradar has been chosen by Tennis Channel to power the launch of the network’s direct-to-consumer (DTC) streaming platform which will include access to Tennis Channel’s 24/7 linear-channel alongside thousands of hours of live and on-demand matches and original programming. Sportradar will develop the new service, expected to be available to all tennis fans in the U.S in early 2024, with a focus on creating a seamless, direct-to-consumer experience incorporating dynamic data integrations and a wide range of user-friendly features.

Zelus Analytics announced today that it has successfully completed the first tranche of its Series A. The round includes participation from Teamworthy Ventures, Gametime Capital, Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman's 35V, Billy Beane, and others, who join existing investor RedBird Capital. Zelus Analytics is known for its advanced data and analytics platform that evaluates, predicts, and improves player and team performance. The company's world-class data science and engineering staff drives success for team partners across six sports, including baseball, basketball, hockey, football, cricket, and soccer. 

Peloton, the exercise bike company known for its streamed fitness classes, announced a new partnership with the National Basketball Association and the Women's National Basketball Association for the upcoming NBA season. Peloton users will have access to NBA-influenced classes, and those who also have a subscription to NBA League Pass will be able to stream games on the attached screen while they're working out.

Populous today announced a strategic minority investment from Providence Equity Partners, a premier private equity firm specializing in growth-oriented investments in media, communications, education and technology companies. Populous and Providence anticipate the investment will support Populous’ continued growth and allow the company to pursue opportunities to expand its service offerings and geographic presence for the benefit of clients, partners and its workforce around the globe.

ACL ruptures are increasingly common in field and court sports and occur 3-6 times more frequently in girls and women than boys and men. Alarmingly, Australia has the highest rates of ACL reconstruction in the world (which are also increasing at about 5% each year) and young females are most susceptible.

HITIQ is pleased to announce that it is conducting a capital raising of up to approximately $3.9 million through a placement to a sophisticated and professional investor. Funds from the raise will be deployed to accelerate the closing of near-term sales opportunities in North America and capitalise on the consumer interest in Australia for the HITIQ Smart Mouthguard.

Netflix has announced its first live sport event, the Netflix Cup. The competition will see F1 drivers and professional golfers from its behind-the-scenes docuseries Drive To Survive and Full Swing compete in a match play golf tournament at the Wynn Golf Club in Las Vegas, teeing off at 11pm GMT on 14 November. This is the same week as the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix.

The apparel giant debuted Nike Strength, a line of premium strength training equipment. Nike is all-in on fitness and wellness, with equipment joining a growing list of developments. In August, the company announced Nike Studios, planning to open its own boutique fitness studios. Now, in addition to outfitting its gyms with custom-branded equipment, Nike Strength  becomes a standalone business.

SportsGrid, sports technology provider and company behind leading sports management platform revolutioniseSPORT, has been selected as a NSW State Finalist at the Telstra Best of Business Awards in two categories; Embracing Innovation and Outstanding Growth.

As the WNBA continues to expand and evolve, an increasing number of its franchises are harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance fan experiences and cater to the rising demands of their supporters. The defending champion Aces, for instance, have partnered with ON, formerly known as GameON Technology, to leverage an AI chat system through the company’s enterprise-grade platform.

DMC Sport recently announced a partnership with Cricket Australia for the Woolworths Cricket Blast program. This collaboration signifies an exciting chapter in DMC Sport’s ongoing commitment to promoting the joy of cricket among young enthusiasts all around the world The Woolworths Cricket Blast program's focus on skill development, teamwork, and fostering a love for the sport perfectly aligns with DMC Sport’s values.

B1 SmartTV GmbH today proudly unveiled an extensive multi-year partnership between its pioneering Smart TV and Smartphone sports streaming platform, Sportworld, and Stats Perform, the global leader in sports data, content and analytics.

The Australian Open and US Open have announced a unique collaboration between AO Adventure and Champions of the Court, the two Grand Slam’s respective experiences on Roblox, a global immersive platform for communication and connection. ‘AO Adventure’ is an immersive digital experience that enables users to explore the world of the Australian Open while completing challenges and earning prizes.

In October, ‘AO Adventure’ launch a new mini-game called Tennis Ball Rain. ‘Tennis Ball Rain’ sees users engage in a race against the clock and each other, competing to collect tennis balls that rain from the sky.

Sports tech startup Playermaker recently raised a growth funding round as it looks to expand the use of its shoe-mounted wearables in the U.S. ADvantage led the round and was joined by Ryan Sports Ventures, an investment vehicle founded by Patrick Ryan, whose family owns stakes in the Chicago Bears and AFC Bournemouth. Financial details of the funding have not been announced. Former Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger previously invested in the company. Since being founded in 2014, Playermaker has raised more than $50 million.

Based on remarks by its President at 141st IOC Session in Mumbai, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is exploring plans for the creation of Olympic Esports Games.

In the heart of the cricket-loving subcontinent, a gaming revolution has begun. Behaviol Pty Ltd is thrilled to announce the successful launch of META11 Fantasy (beta), the world’s first free to play, AI-powered, cricket Fantasy game.

GameDay has announced a multi-year partnership with Baseball Australia including roll-out of a national membership registration and competition management system, officials management, business intelligence through GameDay View and integrations with Team App, Active Kids and Get Active Vouchers.

The Global Institute of Sport (GIS) is delighted to have been named in SportsBusiness Magazine’s Top 40 Postgraduate Programmes for a second year running.

Next Level Racing®, a leading innovator in racing simulator technology, is thrilled to announce the launch of the Next Level Racing® Go Kart Plus racing simulator cockpit. Designed for racers of all ages, the Next Level Racing® Go Kart Plus offers an authentic go kart racing experience whilst packed with innovation and customization options.  

The app includes innovative wayfinding technology from PAM, enabling easy navigation of the circuit and surrounding area. Interactive maps guide fans to entry points and seating areas tied to their ticket and accessibility needs. Directions can be updated in real-time based on trackside conditions to help reduce congestion and improve amenities.

At this weekend’s Chicago Marathon, Kelvin Kiptum broke the men’s marathon record in an astonishing time of 2:00:35. The 23-year-old raced in a pair of the new Nike Dev 163 prototype shoes, which are legal under World Athletics rules. And, on Tuesday, Nike confirmed these shoes are in fact the Alphafly 3, on sale in January 2024.

World Rugby will advance the Head Injury Assessment (HIA) by introducing in-game alerts from smart mouthguard technology to show if a player has experienced a high level of acceleration which could lead to an injury.

The Irish Ice Hockey Association (IIHA) have engaged with etrainu as their new learning management partner. With a presence of over 20 years, the IIHA serves to promote and grow ice hockey as the national governing body of the sport in Ireland. The collaboration marks a significant step forward for the IIHA as it seeks to modernise and expand its educational resources to its members and the wider ice hockey community in Ireland.

Greg Norman today launches the Putting Challenge inside the Play Today virtual 3D Sports World, through his own personal avatar welcoming global sports fans to a new and exciting way to experience sports.

A meeting has taken place between the Oceania National Olympic Committee (ONOC) and South-East Queensland universities to discuss how they can help the preparations of the 17 Pacific countries set to compete at Brisbane 2032. Under the banner, "Home Games Advantage Initiative", ONOC President Robin Mitchell hopes that the Olympics being held in the Australian city can help leave a long-lasting legacy for the Pacific region.

Stewart and Heaton Clothing Company have partnered with Bodd to offer a touchless garment sizing solution that provides a seamless fitting experience for emergency services workers.

Queensland is to launch a $AUD5 million (£2.6 million/$3.1 million/€3 million) Olympics Challenge in a bid to showcase "quantum technologies" from the state during the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Clubfunders, a Gold Coast based sports payments technology company, has today announced a strategic partnership, and equity investment from, leading sports advisory and investment firm XV Capital.

With the fusion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and biometric data, the realm of personalized fitness is entering a new frontier. WHOOP, a key player in performance optimization, has collaborated with OpenAI to venture into Generative AI, creating a revolutionary in-app chatbot.

Cricket fans across the world will be able to experience and engage with the game like never before through new digital activities, placing fans at the centre of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.

With less than ten years on the clock, a Queensland university is bringing performance measurement technologies and esports to remote and regional communities, with hopes of unlocking potential Olympic and Paralympic talent. The Queensland University of Technology's "Sport Tech Van" houses a range of technologies, including ebikes, a golf simulator, reaction time equipment, broadcasting equipment and esports compute

Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. and AT&T introduce the 5G Connected Football Helmet to enable and enhance communication between coaches and deaf or hearing impared student players. Previously having to rely on eye contact between the player on the field and the coach on the sideline, the technology uses augmented reality to receive communication from coaches.

NYJTL’s partnership with Inspiretek is part of its continued efforts to use innovative strategies to bring mental wellness to the forefront of its programs and holistically serve youth Inspiretek (www.inspiretek.io), a health technology company focused on improving the mental health and wellbeing of young people, announced today a partnership with the nonprofit New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL). The mission of NYJTL is to develop the character of young people through tennis and education for a lifetime of success on and off the court, and it serves nearly 90,000 K-12 youth each year across New York City’s five boroughs.

Seven new inductees were announced for the nation’s Sport Australia Hall of Fame (SAHOF). Among the 2023 inductees included is aerial skiing Olympic champion Lydia Lassila OAM who is one of ASTN's global ambassadors.

LaunchVic recently announced Connect2Coach as one of 10 startups who made the recent cohort of the CivVic Labs challenge.

Next Level Racing®, a leading innovator in racing simulator technology, is thrilled to announce the launch of the Next Level Racing® Go Kart Plus racing simulator cockpit. Designed for racers of all ages, the Next Level Racing® Go Kart Plus offers an authentic go kart racing experience whilst packed with innovation and customization options.

When it comes to growing a business there are no hard and fast rules. What works for some, may not work for others. That being said, when guiding the direction of your business, being able to make informed, timely and valuable decisions will make you far more likely to succeed than if you make decisions with little insight or reliable information.

Layercake is proud to have worked with the team at AFL - Australian Football League to create www.play.afl, a unified and integrated solution for a thriving community participation ecosystem. Read the full success story below. Both are members of the ASTN.

Kusal Goonewardena will be accompanied by Elite Akademy sports scientists from Melbourne, Gayath Jayasinghe and Vald Technologies Director for Asia, Pacifica, and Africa, Nathaniel Johnson. They will be presenting at the following venues in Colombo, Sri Lanka from October 7th-14th 2023 St Benedict’s College Athletics Squad, Royal Colombo Golf Club and Colombo Swimming Club. Sri Lanka, which is also growing in its sporting stature, is at the cusp of using cutting-edge know-how and technology to help its population of 22 million people.

Leading sports advisory and investment firm, XV Capital, founded by former Australian Rugby Union captain Stirling Mortlock and business partner James Godfrey, has expanded its Board and made key executive appointments to accelerate its growth in the multi-billion dollar global sports tech industry.

Having already used her knowledge from the corporate world to help people get involved in sport, Alicia Nagle was able to take her career to the next level thanks to a Women Leaders in Sport grant.

Leading Australian private equity firm Five V Capital has made a significant investment in our Series A capital raise. EngageRM has raised upwards of $6 million, including additional funds from sport-focused fund XT Ventures, existing investor Gandel Invest and others. The funds will be deployed to expand global sales operations and further develop the EngageRM platform.

Rosterfy is proud to announce that they will be working with not-for-profit organisation, Disability Sports Australia, to streamline and manage their impressive national network of volunteers and 70 come-and-try events.

Amy Crosland has been working closely with ASTN and its Women in Sports Tech (WIST) program over the past six months – making inroads into changing the ratio of women in sportstech in Australia. Crosland now joins the ASTN executive team with a special focus on ASTN’s special programs and projects.