ASTN receives funding to boost Western Australia’s sportstech ecosystem

July 5, 2023

The Australian Sports Technologies Network (ASTN) is one of nine recipients of a Round 4 X-TEND WA Program grant under the Western Australian Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation’s New Industries Fund.

The nine recipients will receive a share of over $680,000 in grant funding to deliver investor-ready workshops and education programs to Western Australian entrepreneurs and startups across the State. This includes programs for indigenous entrepreneurs, female founders and regional business owners.

The Australian sportstech sector is now worth $4.25 billion and is predicted to continue its successful trajectory and sustained growth with a new wave of technologies emerging in preparation for the Brisbane 2032 Olympics and Paralympic Games.

The X-TEND WA Program grant will support ASTN’s Entrepreneurship Education Program and enable ASTN to implement several activities and programs over an initial 12-month period. Activities will include events, mentoring support for sports technology startups, online masterclasses and mapping of the WA sports tech ecosystem.

Dr Martin Schlegel, Executive Chair of the ASTN enthused “we are excited to be working with the Government of Western Australia to accelerate new and emerging sportstech businesses. This partnership mirrors the existing relationship we have with the Victorian and Queensland governments, further strengthening Australia’s overall ability to compete with sportstech businesses on a global scale.

“ASTN will work closely with the local sportstech sector in Western Australia and the broader sports industry to build its capability and capacity through our proven programs and activities. This partnership will better enable connections between WA-based entrepreneurs and the established ecosystem on the eastern seaboard as well as to global markets.”

The grant funding will support at least seven Western Australian sports technology startups to participate in ASTN’s Pre-Accelerator Program which is delivered in partnership with the Global Sports Innovation Center (GSIC) powered by Microsoft. The program fast-tracks knowledge and insights and more than 130 aspiring sports entrepreneurs from various backgrounds, including athletes, researchers, practitioners and sport administrators, have participated over the past two and a half years.

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 500 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.

ASTN will kick-off its schedule of activities under the X-TEND Program with an inaugural event at 5pm Tuesday 25th July at Town Hall at Riff, powered by Spacecubed, 45 St Georges Terrace, Perth. For more information on the event and to RSVP visit Accelerating the Australian Sportstech Ecosystem - Perth Cocktail Event

https://www.astn.com.au/industry-events/accelerating-the-australian-sportstech-ecosystem

For more details on the WA Government’s X-TEND WA program

View Round 4 X-TEND WA Recipients 2023

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