To celebrate the global HYPE SPIN Accelerator program, Ministry of Sport has partnered with the University of Queensland (UQ) to deliver theĀ 2019 Tech In Sport eventĀ at Victoria Park in Brisbane on July 10th.
The HYPE UQ SPIN Accelerator is a global program that was developed to champion entrepreneurship and sports tech innovation, whilst providing access to mentors and investors from around the world to fast-track promising local startups onto the world stage.
In the lead-up to the event, Ministry of Sport is interviewing the final 10 graduates aboutĀ their cutting edge sports tech products, as they prepare their final pitches for the chance to win $25,000 and entry to one of AusTradeās Landing Pad programs.
Founded in 2017, Siren MediaĀ helps sports clubs and organisations engage fans at their games and earn more revenue. Siren Media’s platform makes it easy for clubs to capture behind-the-scenes game day content and send it quickly to fans only at the game. Clubs onsell commercial posts to sponsors as well and make new revenue from sponsored content.
Ministry of Sport had a chat with Jason Davis, Founder of Siren Media, about the company and their involvement in the HYPE SPIN Accelerator program.
Q1: Why did you start this business?
I ran a digital team at State of Origin for a few years and saw that the fans in the stands werenāt seeing the behind the scenes content that those watching on TV were. Thatās wrong – paying fans should get the best experience. We can deliver that to fans in the stands and earn clubs more revenue at the same time.
Q2: Is there another product like this in the market place? How is yours different?
We havenāt seen anything like this in the market. Other systems serve interactive games and quizzes to fans at the game, but we use game-relevant content (locker room content, injury updates, interviews, post-game celebrations) to engage. Fans want to get as close to their team as they can.
Q3: What are some key lessons you have learned on the journey so far?
Sport is a very traditional business – at least in Australia – so weāve found it hard to break the āthatās how we’ve always done itā mentality. We are well behind in innovation compared to the US and Europe. And itās not just a market size issue – itās a mindset.
Q4: What are your plans for the future?
We are gathering data and success stories to help gain new customers and scale quicker. We will look to raise capital in late 2019.
Q5: What has your experience been like in the UQ HYPE SPIN accelerator program?
Itās been good to keep us accountable and have a third party scrutinise our strategies. Weāve also met industry contacts that we never would have otherwise.
If you would like more information or to attend the Tech in Sport event, you can secure yourĀ complimentary ticket byĀ clicking here,Ā but be quick because tickets are limited.
About HYPE Sports Innovation
HYPE Sports Innovation is the largest global ecosystem in sports innovation. With over 30,000 members, including retail brands, sports clubs, federations, and academia. Together with over 10,000 startups, HYPE Sports Innovation has an unrivalled capacity for outreach to global partners across all sectors in this highly diverse field. The companyās business model is to leverage this platform to grow from the surging needs of the sports industry to innovate. Since its inception, the company has created and expanded unique offerings and services, all with unprecedented success and value added for investors, partners, and consumers. Among its clients are UEFA, Adidas,Ā Spalding, Silicon Valley Bank, Asics, Google, and many more. The companyās mission is to impact peopleās lives through the power of sports and innovation. Visit HYPE Sports Innovation at:Ā www.hypesportsinnovation.com
About UQ and ilab
TheĀ University of QueenslandāsĀ ilabĀ operates one ofĀ AustraliaāsĀ most experienced accelerator programs having delivered 13 startup accelerator programs and whose startups have raisedĀ $62MĀ of early-stage capital in the past 5 years. The 3-months HYPE UQ SPIN ACCELERATORĀ® Program will leverage UQās ilab expertise and UQās top 3 global ranking in sports science research.Ā While the majority of the program operates virtually allowing startups to participate from their home base, several residential modules will be delivered from its prime startup space in the heart of the picturesqueĀ University of Queensland. Beyond this, overĀ $1BĀ has been invested in UQ related companies through UniQuest,Ā AustraliaāsĀ leading commercialization entity specializing in the intellectual property of UQ.
The HYPE UQ SPIN Accelerator is proudly supported by Advance Queensland.
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