ASTN-GSIC Pre-Accelerator Program Cohort #7

The Australian Sports Technologies Network (ASTN) in partnership with Global Sports Innovation Center (GSIC) powered by Microsoft is to deliver 'The Business of Sport' Sportstech Pre-Accelerator Program. The program is a 10-week cohort-based pre-accelerator educational program consisting of 6 modules. Two sessions will be conducted each week for a total of 20 sessions. A core focus of the program will support start-up entrepreneurs to validate their on or off-field sportstech business idea against competitors, vendors and VCs. Based on fielding a number of applications for its well-established accelerator which were deemed "too early", the ASTN identifies a need to work with tech entrepreneurs, students, researchers and practitioners to address the three common themes that appear only to get limited attention early on: Customer discovery, Market/competitor analysis, Business models. In between each module, participants will have the opportunity to "Learn From the Best" by participating in interactive Q&A sessions with founders and leaders of leading international and Australian sports businesses who 'have been there, done that'. Based on the idea that sport is an application rather than a sector, technology applications including software/apps, machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, advanced manufacturing, robotics, Internet of Things (IoT), big data analytics, augmented/virtual reality, 3D-printing, advanced materials, genomics & life sciences (including biotech & medtech) as well as autonomous systems are welcome to the ASTN-GSIC program. As such, The Business of Sport Pre-Accelerator program looks to welcome themes like fin-tech, cyber-security, health-tech, facility & infrastructure, media, broadcasting and government as they find application in sport.