Sports Technology

For the love of sport!

Take your sportstech project to the next level, leveraging Melbourne’s world-class, globally connected sports ecosystem.

Melbournians are known for their competitive nature and love of sport. Melbourne also has an established reputation as Australia’s sporting capital. Combine this with a thriving technology sector and an advanced ecosystem of research and development capabilities it no wonder Melbourne is now home to more than 44 per cent of Australia’s sportstech companies.

With exponential sportstech consumer growth world-wide and a major local sporting events calendar, demand for Melbourne’s innovative sportstech is on course to reach unprecedented levels.

Join companies such Catapult Sports, Champion Data, NetFit, Rosterfy, SPT (Sports Performance Tracking), Sports Tech World Series , Alerte Equine Science, Linius Technologies and global pioneers Cape Bionics, who are all delivering world-class artificial intelligence tools, e-sports platforms and consumer engagement applications.

Why choose Melbourne for your sports technology project?

Melbourne is a renown hotbed of sporting expertise and product development capabilities.  With vibrant sports precincts, an extensive calendar of major sporting events and world-leading universities and R&D centres it is the perfect launch pad.

Capitalise on Melbourne's global reputation for sportstech innovation

Melbourne's reputation as a world-leading hub for both high-performance, community and personal sporting apps is providing strong momentum and revenue for start-ups.

Tap into the world-class sporting and technology expertise that is driving the growth in the sportstech industry

• The sportstech industry in Australia has grown to $3.1 billion per annum across sports business, sports performance technologies and sports participation, generated by companies of which 44 per cent are located in Victoria - almost double any other state in Australia, with 27 per cent in NSW and 20 per cent in Queensland.
• More than 10,800 people are currently employed in Victoria’s sportstech sector in companies developing products in media, artificial intelligence, entertainment, stadium design and management, major events, wearables and e-sports, representing more than 50 per cent of the national sportstech employment pool³.
• Victoria is home to 16,000 community sporting clubs participating and competing at 9,500 facilities creating A$2.1 billion in economic benefits, A$2.3 billion in health benefits and A$2.6 billion in social benefits⁴.
• Victorian universities are among the world‘s leading sports science and sports business education institutions, with many global professionals receiving their education in Melbourne
• There is a strong pipeline of talent with Victorian universities offering diverse courses specialising in sportstech. The University of Melbourne, Monash University, La Trobe University, Deakin University and University all deliver high ranking courses in sports medicine, sports science, health science and sports management.

Leverage world-class sports R&D capabilities and innovation networks

Victoria’s sportstech industry is being supported by growing R&D infrastructure, including:

• The Australian Sports Innovation Centre for Excellence (ASICE). The Victorian Government is backing the state’s growing sportstech sector with a A$4 million investment to establish the ASICE in Cremorne and drive sportstech innovation. This will provide a one-stop-shop for businesses to share knowledge, develop new sportstech products, connect and collaborate. ASICE is managed and operated by the Australian Sports Technologies Network (ASTN)
• Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS). Located at Lakeside Stadium in Albert Park, the Victorian Institute of Sport works with elite athletes alongside programs of research built on industry and community partnerships.
• Institute for Health and Sport. The Institute has a wide scope, encompassing institutional research in exercise science, technology, biomedical sciences, technology and community health.

Innovation networks and clusters include:

• La Trobe Sport Performance Hub is a high-performance athlete, research and community sport development hub
• Deakin Centre for Sport Research. The centre aims to innovate and enhance health and performance in sports participation through partnerships and exercise science development
• Techstars Sportstech Accelerator. Hosted by Victoria University, the TechStars Sportstech accelerator is designed to build innovative sports technologies and provides exclusive mentorship opportunities
• Startupbootcamp EventTech Accelerator - This EventTech program brings together sports and event industry professionals to discuss and source the world’s leading-edge innovation in customer journey, venue management, fan engagement and integrated digital and live experiences
• ASTN-GSIC Pre-Accelerator and the ASTN Accelerator – Both the programs provide leadership in the commercialisation, development and promotion of Australian-inspired sports technologies
• The Victorian Innovation Hub. Based in the Docklands, this innovation precinct is home to prominent accelerators and incubators, including LaunchVic, a network of entrepreneurs, investors, corporates and universities

Embed your business in a concentrated sports precinct

Melbourne is home to forty-four sport facilities that support major and high-performance sports events, with more than 40 professional teams competing nationally and overseas, delivering A$2.5 billion of gross annual value to the economy ⁵.

Used for major sporting and entertainment events, Melbourne’s sports precinct combines the dynamic areas of:

• Melbourne & Olympic Parks. Home to the world-famous Australian Tennis Open hosted in January, Melbourne Park boasts Rod Laver Arena, John Cain Arena, Margaret Court Arena, and around 35 other show and practice courts.

• Yarra Park is home to the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). With a capacity of 100,000 the MCG is Australia’s largest sporting ground and one of the largest stadiums in the world.  Only 2 km from Melbourne’s CBD, the MCG has been the home of both the Olympic and Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

• AAMI Park. Home to the 30,000-seat AAMI Stadium, the home ground of Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City Football Club (A-League), Melbourne Storm Rugby League Club (NRL) and the Melbourne Rebels Super Rugby. It hosts international matches and hosted Melbourne's matches during the 2015 Asian Cup.

Other major sports venues

Melbourne features many other purpose-built stadiums and high-performance centres, where Victoria hosts global sporting events.

• Albert Park Lake – Grand Prix Track.  Close to the heart of Melbourne, the Albert Park street circuit hosts the Australian Formula One Grand Prix every year, accommodating 100,000 people on race day.
• Marvel Stadium. The largest indoor stadium in Melbourne hosts capacity crowds of 53,000. Located in Melbourne CBD Docklands, this venue regularly hosts AFL, cricket, rugby and soccer matches as well as entertainment events.
• Flemington Racecourse. Home to Spring Racing carnival including the Melbourne Cup, Derby Day, Oaks Day and Stakes Day and accommodates 90,000 people.
• GMHBA Stadium. A purpose-built stadium in Victoria’s second largest city, Geelong. Hosting 36,000 people it is the largest capacity stadium for a regional city in Australia.
• The Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit. Phillip Island hosts the MotoGP event each year with an estimated attendance of 90,000 people visiting the track.
• The Melbourne Sandbelt Golf Courses. These golf courses located in the south eastern suburbs of Melbourne are rated some of the best in the world and have hosted major international events in the past.

Strong state government support

The Victorian Government’s ongoing commitment to its sports sector sets Melbourne apart, placing it at the forefront of global sports talent and innovation.

The Victorian Government has committed:

• more than A$1.1 billion since 2014 through investment in community sports infrastructure, funding that continues to strengthen local sporting communities and create new jobs
• A$972 million to Melbourne Park’s redevelopment, ensuring the precinct remains the home of the Australian Open until at least 2040, with world-class facilities, including operable roof and air-conditioned arenas
• $142 million to the final stage of Geelong’s Kardinia Park stadium redevelopment, ensuring Kardinia Park remains the country’s premier regional AFL stadium
• A$36.6 million to the next stage of the Western Bulldogs’ Whitten Oval development which includes a new grandstand for spectators at AFLW and VFL games plus facilities for important community programs
• A$15 million to help bring Mars Stadium up to AFL standards and pave the way for the Western Bulldogs to play in regional Victoria.
• A$22 million to develop the State Basketball Centre in Knox, including facilities for the local community, while professional sport will share $7 million in funding to aid the recovery of the sector from the effects of the pandemic.
• A$4 million to back the state’s growing sportstech sector with an investment to establish the Australian Sports Innovation Centre for Excellence in Cremorne.
• A$1 million for VFL clubs to build development pathways as teams enter the new multi-state East Coast League
• financial support to the Australian Sports Technologies Network as well as the Manufacturing Productivity Networks (MPN) scheme.

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