4 min read

SportsCube: A Sponsorship Marketplace For Grassroots Sport

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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 AusTradeā€™s Landing Pad programs.

Founded in 2017, SportsCube is a sponsorship marketplace for grassroots sport that helps sporting organisations sell their sponsorship opportunities and save sponsors time and money by streamlining the acquisition process.

Ministry of Sport had a chat with Tim McMurray, SportsCubeĀ Co-Founder & CMO, about the company and their involvement in the HYPE SPIN Accelerator program.

Q1: Why did you start this business?

We founded SportsCube due to our passion and experience with grassroots sport and after witnessing nearby clubs shut down, we identified a serious problem with how outdated the current sponsorship process is for both sponsor and sponsee.

Q2: Is there another product like this in the market place? How is yours different?

There are several sponsorship marketplaces and networks globally, but their focus is either on professional sport, charities, or they utilise cryptocurrency. SportsCube’s core focus and purpose is on empowering sport at the grassroots level.

Q3: What are some key lessons you have learned on the journey so far?

Throughout our startup journey, we have discovered a plethora of opportunities to innovate the sports space. The biggest challenge with this has been learning to focus on the problems that really matter whilst cultivating solutions that can deliver the greatest impact.

Q4: What are your plans for the future?

On the 10th of July, SportsCube will be pitching at the Ministry of Sport and HYPE UQ’s Tech in Sport event in Brisbane. Afterwards, we plan to soft-launch our platform locally in late July, before launching Australia-wide around October.Ā 

Q5: What has your experience been like in the UQ HYPE SPIN accelerator program?

The HYPE UQ SPIN Accelerator has been an absolute game-changer for SportsCube. Leveraging the credibility of HYPE and the University of Queensland has helped us get a foot in the door with key decision makers in the sporting industry and government. Overall, the connections we have made and the support received from our mentors has made this an incredibly rewarding experience.

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 companyā€™s 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 companyā€™s mission is to impact peopleā€™s lives through the power of sports and innovation. Visit HYPE Sports Innovation at:Ā www.hypesportsinnovation.com

About UQ and ilab

TheĀ University of Queenslandā€™sĀ ilabĀ operates one ofĀ Australiaā€™sĀ 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 UQā€™s ilab expertise and UQā€™s 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 Australiaā€™sĀ 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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