Sportstech & Member News

Snow ski helmet manufacturer Anti Ordinary selected as finalist in Premier of Queensland’s Export Awards. Anti Ordinary helmets have been sold in more than 50 countries worldwide. Anti Ordinary has been selected in the Emerging Exporter category. The awards are supported by Trade & Investment Queensland.

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.

Burnley Football Club has announced the launch of the Burnley FC Innovation Hub, a new accelerator programme created to help the next generation of sports tech start-ups turn bold ideas into real-world impact. The Innovation Hub offers early-stage companies the opportunity to pilot their products within Burnley FC’s elite Premier League environment. Over a six-month period, selected start-ups will work directly with club staff to test their solutions in live settings, gain structured feedback, and generate the traction needed to take their businesses to the next level.

ECAL has announced that it is now the official calendar solution for the MotoGP. MotoGP has a fan base of hundreds of millions, and ECAL has supported its recently released 2026 calendar featuring 22 Grand Prix across 5 continents. The solution is much more than just a calendar reminder. It is fans personal gateway to the heart of the sport, delivered straight to their personal calendar of choice. ECAL has a proven expertise in working with the world’s most popular international sports and entertainment organisations to serve huge global audiences with rich, localised, and actionable events content.

Sports Insight Media has announced a partnership with MyClubtap, Australia’s first fantasy sports platform purpose-built for grassroots clubs and leagues. Founded in Melbourne, MyClubtap has reimagined what local sport can look like, allowing clubs to run their own branded fantasy games, driven by real club players. With over 95 fantasy leagues, 3,000+ users, and clubs across six states, the MyClubTap platform is creating new ways for communities to connect, engage, and grow. Sports Insight Media will support MyClubTap's expansion plans through smart media, brand storytelling, and scalable content systems powered by technology and AI.

Paramount has announced a seven-year media rights agreement with TKO Group under which Paramount+ will become the exclusive home of all UFC events in the USA, pulling the mixed martial arts events from ESPN. Disney’s ESPN had secured a deal that, starting in 2019, featured the MMA promoter’s matchups on TV and pay-per-view in ESPN+. The seven-year term, which begins in 2026, has an average annual value of $US1.1 billion, with an overall value of $US 7.7 billion over that period. 

Smart sunglasses startup Minimis has announced a partnership with ElectroKare, an electrolyte monitoring platform. ElectroKare turns your fitness tracker into a personal performance coach generating real-time electrolyte monitoring, AI training insights, and recovery guidance - all without blood tests. Minimis and ElectroKare are building an application which will allow customers to see their electrolyte levels in their sunglasses whilst they workout.

Jump, a New York City–based fan experience and sports technology startup, has raised $US 23 million in Series A funding. The round was led by Alexis Ohanian’s Seven Seven Six, with participation from Courtside Ventures, Will Ventures, Forerunner, and Steve Malik, owner of the NC Courage. Founded by Jordy Leiser, Marc Lore, and Alex Rodriguez, Jump offers a purpose-built platform for sports teams and venues, integrating ticketing, content, commerce, and gameday operations. The announcement follows the company’s recent partnership with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx of the NBA and WNBA.

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.

Garmin has acquired MYLAPS, a leading Dutch provider of integrated timing, live tracking and performance analysis tools that helps create the sports experience for millions of athletes and spectators. With operations in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia, MYLAPS supports elite brands and race management companies around the world with easy-to-use data-driven technology solutions for running, cycling, motor sports and equine competitions.

iReel has announced a partnership with TrackBox, pioneers in tracking technology that delivers advanced insights into player performance and movement. By combining TrackBox’s tracking algorithms with iReel’s generative AI platform, the companies are exploring how the fusion of tracking data and AI-driven insights can transform tactical and physical decision-making for coaches, players, clubs, and leagues.

Alissa Wilkinson founder of Pursuit Labs announced as a finalist in two categories at the Ausmumpreneur awards for 2025 - Digital Innovation and Health Business Award. Pursuit Labs is a fitness and wellness platform helping people to be proactive in achieving their health and fitness outcomes.

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.

Queensland University of Technology has hosted the second year of its Sport Innovation ProtoComp. The challenge was facilitated in partnership with Innovation Central Brisbane, and provides the opportunity for multi-disciplinary students to connect with government, sport, industry and academia. Students took on real-world challenges in sport, health, and recreation, with the top four teams receiving seed funding and showcasing their solutions. One of the leading teams created a sport wheelchair simulator prototype with VR integration to improve accessibility and engagement in sport, health, and medical sector

Saara Jamieson, Cool Beans Underwear finalist in the Best New Founder category at the Startup Daily Awards. The winners will be announced at a Gala Dinner at the Ivy Ballroom in Sydney on September 25. Cool Beans Underwear is redefining men's underwear, starting with fertility.

Canadian sports administration technology startup TeamLinkt has closed more than $US 6 million in Series A funding from San Francisco’s Growth Street Partners to accelerate product development and expand its customer support team. TeamLinkt offers sports management software that helps leagues, clubs, and associations simplify registration, scheduling, communication, and website management. The company plans to use this minority growth investment to expand its artificial intelligence (AI) usage, digital fundraising, payment automation, and advanced analytics capabilities. The funding will additionally fuel continued expansion across North America.

In elite sport, availability is everything. Yet in the AFL, leg-related injuries continue to rob clubs of their most valuable resource: player time. A six-year study of one AFL club revealed match-loss injuries and illnesses cost the club over $AUD 13 million in player salaries, with a striking 75% of that bill attributed to injuries below the waist. These are the findings of a joint study conducted by the AIS (Australian Institute of Sport), Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and the University of Canberra Research Institute for Sport and Exercise (UCRISE). 

ASTN member Kusal Goonewardena, director of Elite Akademy Sports Medicine was recently interviewed by the ABC on the Essendon Football Club injury crisis. He explains how strength and conditioning make up just a small part of an elite athlete's health status. Goonewardena uses his "K-Theorem", which offers a visual explanation of how various elements come together to impact an athlete's body.

Summernats is one of Australia’s most iconic car festivals. With a loyal fanbase and a rapidly growing audience, leading event management agency Out There Group (OTG) saw the opportunity to increase its digital engagement with fans. Together, Sports Cloud Australia and OTG built a smarter, scalable marketing engine with a 360 customer view, personalised fan experiences, automated customer journeys and optimised paid media. This platform helped increase its fanbase by 86%, email click-rate up 63% and record-breaking ticket sales. 

Anti Ordinary is a startup helmet brand out of Australia. It’s different because it’s not a hard-shelled polycarbonate ski helmet like you’re used to wearing. The brand’s new A2 Beanie Helmet is made from dynamic PU foam that feels soft but hardens on impact, combined with traditional EPS foam. The foam is covered by a frame made from a blend of durable polycarbonate, carbon fibre, and a polymer called ABS. You can press on the shell and it’ll bend and give, like a firm mattress. Lastly, it comes with a merino wool beanie that fits over the helmet and comes in different color options, so it looks like you’re wearing a hat that’s smuggling a helmet underneath.

Two of the most prominent athlete-led investment groups are joining forces to create the world’s largest global athlete investor community. The Players Fund (UK) and The Players Company (US) have announced a strategic partnership that brings together over 850 athletes and artists under a shared mission of empowerment, education, and cross-border collaboration. For UK and European athletes, it provides access to the more mature US athlete investor ecosystem, where financial literacy, community deal sharing, and athlete-led venture models are more mature. For US athletes, it offers a gateway to international markets, ideas, and founders they might otherwise never see.

Burnley Football Club has announced a pioneering virtual reality matchday collaboration with Rezzil, a global leader in VR sports technology, marking a major step forward in how fans experience football. As part of Burnley FC’s ongoing partnership with Rezzil, the club will deliver a first-of-its-kind, immersive virtual reality broadcast of the Clarets’ pre-season friendly fixture against Lazio on Saturday 9th August 2025. Through this collaboration, fans can use the Premier League Player app on Meta Quest headsets.

Coachbetter has announced Paul Lambert, a former Premier League manager and UEFA Champions League winner, as an investor and partner. With over 40 years in professional football Paul brings expertise and a clear vision for the future of coaching to Coachbetter. The platform features such as match-day planning to player development with key data and statistics and video analysis. Coachbetter supports thousands of football clubs in the USA, UK and German speaking markets with lighthouse customers such as Borussia Dortmund, Miami Rush and the Austrian Football Federation.

World-leading sports calendar platform ECAL has presented at the Google Cloud Summit in Sydney this week. ECAL shared their startup journey and the reasons behind the strategic decision to partner with Google Cloud. From what began as a need to meet future data sovereignty laws and cost optimisation, has moved to a strategic product and business partnership, with a shared plan for a bold 10x growth vision for the future.

Recognising 12 months of incredible growth, MyVenue has been named a finalist in four categories of the upcoming South Australian Premier’s Business and Export Awards. In the past year, MyVenue doubled its customer base, growing to over 200 venues and expanding across markets in the US, Canada, UK, Singapore, New Zealand, and Australia.

The NBA Africa Triple-Double Accelerator returns for a second edition. NBA Africa, in collaboration with ALX Venture and ServiceNow through the Triple-Double Accelerator, is looking to identify startups and help grow and develop these businesses through financial support and mentorship. Last year, NBA Africa received over 700 applications, with 10 finalists advancing and participating in the program. Applications close 29th August.

Kinexon and other companies have spent years refining connected-ball technology to enhance sports analytics, improve training, and collect more data than ever. As professional leagues begin adopting the new tech, questions remain about potential minute changes to basketball physics. About half of the NBA games played in Las Vegas earlier this month used balls equipped with smart tracking technology. According to Kinexon, the sensors can detect the exact moment a ball enters play, potential fouls, shot accuracy over time, the number of passes, and other information to provide a more detailed look at each match.

The National Hockey League (NHL) and DAZN today announced a multi-year strategic partnership which will see DAZN become the exclusive home of NHL.TV in nearly 200 countries beginning with the 2025-26 season. NHL.TV will be promoted and integrated across the DAZN platform to its fast-growing base of more than 120 million registered sport fans.

Leading sports media technology company Layercake has showcased its latest video technology innovations at METexpo 2025 in Sydney, highlighting advancements in streaming and broadcast solutions. Layercake’s cloud-based platform is transforming broadcast and media workflow automation, content distribution and monetisation, helping broadcasters and OTT platforms launch faster, scale smarter, and operate more efficiently. Layercake's partnership with Enveu give media companies the tools to future‑proof their video pipelines and adapt quickly to evolving audience demands.

The UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 Innovation Programme is a bold initiative designed to help the European football community address real-world challenges in women’s grassroots football. By bringing together commercial partners (such as adidas, Amazon and The Walt Disney Co), Swiss academic institutions, the Swiss Football Association (SFA) and local football communities, the programme is testing new ideas and creating scalable solutions that can shape the future of the game across Europe. The Programme and its pilots tackled real challenges in the women’s game—from redesigning changing rooms to be more inclusive, to rethinking coaching styles, inspiring future female coaches, and keeping young girls engaged in football after their first steps in the game.

Sir Ian Taylor now calls a prized technological innovation that has enhanced the understanding of cricket “the Bumrah”. The Kiwi who has taken Virtual Eye to the world said he had never seen his technology work more effectively than when it explained the unique biomechanics that made Jasprit Bumrah from India almost unplayable against Australia last summer. Through technology capable of catching 250 frames per second, Virtual Eye was able isolate the distinctive characteristics of the champion and explain how he was befuddling Australia’s top order. Taylor was hailed at a function in Sydney last Wednesday night by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers for the work pioneered by Virtual Eye.

Rely and revolutioniseSPORT have announced a partnership to protect sports communities. The partnership focuses on connecting integrity workflows directly with verified member and venue data, reducing complexity in managing complaints, issues and investigations and supporting the people who keep our sporting communities safe. Hockey Australia, Water Polo Australia and Squash Australia have become early adopters in embracing the benefits of the partnership.

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.

Kirsty Richardson and the GravityFit team have won Queensland’s Startup World Cup regional final. GravityFit will now head to Silicon Valley to compete for $US 1 million in investment. GravityFit’s science-backed tools and apparel are transforming human performance by strengthening deep muscle systems and improving posture and movement.

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.

Adobe and the Premier League announced a multi-year partnership to bring new AI-powered personalised digital experiences to fans around the world and provide new opportunities for fans to express their creativity. Adobe's creativity, marketing and AI technology is central to the Premier League’s digital transformation and is unlocking new ways for fans to create and share Premier League content, engage with their Fantasy Premier League teams and enjoy more personalised digital experiences. Adobe Express and Firefly generative AI, will give fans new ways to create and share Premier League content and enhance their digital and Fantasy Premier League experience.

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%+).

An AI-powered stats platform called Superstat has been launched in Melbourne with AFL as the beta market. The platform creates statistics and highlights packages and is ready to launch for the 2026 AFL season. Superstat's beta user waitlist in now open, giving the first 100 players registered a full season of stats.

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.

Hudl launch an enhanced Statsbomb analysis platform, integrating Wyscout’s video library with Statsbomb’s industry-leading data and analytics. Recruitment workflows have previously been disjointed and fragmented, forcing users to switch between platforms and solutions to collect all the information they need to make informed decisions. Now, in the new platform, they can perform talent identification, video scouting, clip generation and playlist creation all in one unified solution that will save analysts and scouts hours every single week.

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.

SailGP has officially opened SailGP Technologies, its new innovation, design and engineering centre in Southampton, UK. The site, which will serve as the technical base for the global championship, currently employs over 100 designers, engineers, boat builders and specialists across areas including composites, hydraulics and aerodynamics. The global racing league says the $US 10m facility has been established to support the ongoing development and maintenance of the league’s F50 catamarans and accelerate the construction of additional boats.

Sportradar has launched Bettor Sense, a personalized, proactive, and data-driven approach to user protection. BETesporte will be the first operator to implement the solution, reinforcing its commitment to safer and more responsible practices in Brazil’s newly regulated betting market. Bettor Sense is an AI-powered solution that detects early signs of gambling-related risk and enables personalized interventions to protect end users. Developed with proprietary technology and grounded in behavioral research, Bettor Sense allows operators to act quickly and efficiently, promoting responsible gambling and strengthening brand reputation. 

SURJ Sports Investment has announced its investment in the Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) as part of the organisation’s Series C funding round, alongside founding investor Sir Michael Moritz, Cordillera Investment Partners and Verance Capital. The funding will support the PTO’s continued international growth at both elite and mass participation levels, plus innovation in race formats and long-term athlete and fan engagement. SURJ is understood to have invested around $US 20 million to make its first move into triathlon.