Australia’s Sportstech Sector: Australian Athletes aren’t the only ones winning on the global stage

Australia’s Sportstech Sector: Australian Athletes aren’t the only ones winning on the global stage

Australia’s remarkable performance in the Paris Olympics has been powered not just by the athletes’ prowess but also by cutting-edge sports technology. 

As our Olympians clinched medals and set records, many leaned on innovative solutions from homegrown startups and established tech companies, underlining the robust state of Australia's SportsTech sector.

Sports Technology Boosting Olympic Performance

The Australian SportsTech sector is maturing and larger than you might think. The sector is valued at A$4.69 billion annually, a notable 10% increase over the past 12 months.

Australia can point to several global SportsTech companies used by professional teams around the world. These companies include ASX-listed Catapult, which produces Athlete Monitoring hardware and software used by sports leagues from the AFL to the EPL. 

Looking at Paris, Australian SportsTech is influencing the medal tallies from the pools to the track. Catapult’s tech, for example, is being used by 20 countries competing across 20 sports this year. 

Gerford AI is a Melbourne-based trailblazer in artificial intelligence for sports. The platform uses athlete tracking via computer vision and delivers player-and-match analytics post-game, meaning athletes can train and get feedback on various movements and gameplay. The software can be used to track athletes performing in individual races or ball sports like table tennis and beach volleyball. 

Their technology has been utilised by USA Swimming and AUS Swimming in preparation for Paris 2024, providing data-driven insights to enhance training and performance. 

Both these teams are leading the medal tallies in Paris at the time of publishing.

Moreover, Australian beach volleyball teams are leveraging Gerford AI's capabilities to stay competitive on the global stage. 

National Performance Director for Volleyball Australia, Craig Marshall said this exciting new partnership with Gerford AI will greatly contribute to VA’s coaching practices.

“Beach Volleyball is an extremely technical and tactical game that has advanced a lot over the years,” Marshall said. “One of the biggest factors now in sport is technology and the use of more data for performance.

“When preparing our Olympic squads, we are always looking at technology and smarter processes that can give our coaches and athletes a competitive edge ahead of representing their country, and this partnership with Gerford AI will allow us to do this in ways that haven’t previously been available.” 

You can learn more about Gerford AI’s impact in preparation for Paris 2024 in this episode of the ASTN Podcast, 

Vue Motion is another SportsTech combining AI and computer vision. This Sydney-based platform has been instrumental in training NZ Olympic sprinter Zoe Hobbs. VueMotion’s app captures granular data on Hobbs’ running mechanics – step length, frequency, ground contact time, forces, horizontal movement, speed, split times and more. 

It generates a visual “kinogram” (a series of photos like a comic book) that her coach can view, instantly seeing areas to improve, like foot strike or hip rotation.

Australian swimming teams have also benefited from developing their own in-house technology. Swim Performance and Race Tactical Analysis, known as Sparta 2, revolutionises training and performance analysis for Aussie swim coaches. The technology was first used prior to Tokyo 2021 and, with collaboration from AWS, has seen significant improvements. 

According to Jess Corones, Swimming Australia’s Sportstech Boss and Head of Sports Science for Australia’s Olympic Swim Program, the Sparta 2 platform can measure swimmers' distance-per-kick, breath count, turn times, and other stats when every other variable is consistent. Hear all about it on the ASTN Podcast with Jess here.

ASTN Sports Innovation Report Highlights

The 2024 ASTN Sports Innovation Report marks a pivotal moment for the sector, revealing its transition from a growth stage to a maturity stage, now valued at A$4.69 billion. 

The report, launched by the Australian Sports Technologies Network (ASTN), underscores a sophisticated industry that has not only survived the pandemic but thrived, with increasing investment and widespread technology adoption.

Dr. Martin Schlegel, Chair of ASTN, notes, “Since the establishment of ASTN in 2012, we have witnessed an extraordinary evolution in the sportstech landscape. The sportstech sector’s shift to a maturity stage reflects the advanced adoption of innovative technologies and the sector’s substantial economic and employment contributions.”

Global and Local Dynamics

Globally, the sportstech sector is booming with the integration of digital technologies across sports operations, from elite levels to mass participation. 

Consumer adoption of smartwatches, connected fitness systems, and training apps has surged, contributing to a 177% increase in new sportstech companies from 2012 to 2024.

Locally, the sector’s growth has been robust, with 765 Australian sportstech companies operating as of June 2024. 

Despite a slower rate of new company establishments from 2022 to early 2024, the sector showed resilience, with 87 new companies emerging. This trend indicates the sector's continued allure for local startups despite market consolidation and some closures.

Economic and Employment Contributions

The sportstech sector’s economic impact is significant employing nearly 15,000 people. This represents approximately 12% of the A$40 billion Australian sports industry. Over the past year, the sector has experienced a 10% increase in revenue, demonstrating growth despite challenging conditions.

Regional Dominance and Future Prospects

Victoria leads the charge as the hub of Australia’s sports tech activity, home to 40% of the country’s SportsTech companies. The establishment of a globally significant sports tech cluster along the Eastern Seaboard, particularly in Victoria, underscores the region's prominence. 

With the upcoming Brisbane 2032 Olympics and other major sporting events, significant sports infrastructure investments are expected to drive further growth and innovation.

Dr. Schlegel highlights, “The establishment of ASTN in 2012 was a catalyst for extraordinary growth in the sportstech sector. The sector’s maturity marks a new chapter, showcasing its resilience and adaptability in a rapidly evolving market.”

Closing Ceremony 

Australia’s sportstech sector has firmly established itself as a powerhouse of innovation and economic contribution. 

As our athletes continue to excel on the global stage, supported by cutting-edge technology from companies like Catapult Sports, Gerford AI, and Vue Motion, the industry’s future looks bright. 

The upcoming decade promises further advancements and growth, driven by major sporting events and infrastructure investments, solidifying Australia’s position at the forefront of global SportsTech innovation.

With the Paris Olympics showing how dominant Australian Athletes can be, the 2032 Brisbane Olympics will be an opportunity to showcase how dominant our SportsTech sector can be too.