Innovative Aussie startup wins Going Global gong
Startup BioConnected has taken out the inauguralAustrade Going Global Award on the Gold Coast, a partnership with theQueensland Government to recognise outstanding potential in sports techstart-ups.
BioConnected will receive a place at one of theTurnbull Coalition Government's five Landing Pads for startups, located ininnovation hubs in San Francisco, Berlin, Tel Aviv, Shanghai and Singapore.
A field of 12 contestants, all currentparticipants in the University of Queensland's HYPE Sports Innovationaccelerator program, took part in the event at Commonwealth Games Houseyesterday, delivering a five minute pitch outlining their business model to apanel of industry judges.
Federal Minister forTrade, Tourism and Investment Steven Ciobo said the depth of talent on displayshowed why Australia was emerging as a leader in the global sport techindustry.
"Australia has aproud sporting history, and the passion behind that, combined with a strongculture of innovation, has produced a sports technology industry with globalappeal," Mr Ciobo said.
"I congratulate BioConnected and wish the companya very productive Landing Pad residency," he said.
"The TurnbullGovernment's Landing Pads have supported over 100 startups and scaleups withtheir global expansion plans so far. They give access to potential customers,partners and investors, provide business advice and expose our startups to thelatest industry thinking."
Queensland Minister for Innovation and theCommonwealth Games Kate Jones congratulated BioConnected for successfullypitching their innovative product among a stellar sports startups field.
"To support thesebusiness commercialise their products Hype UQ Spin Lab has given these startupsfast track access to global brands, international clubs and access to globalsports mentors," Ms Jones said.
"With the eyes of theworld on Queensland for the Commonwealth Games there's no better time to launchthe inaugural Hype UQ Spin Lab," she said.
"ThePalaszczuk Government is supporting the University of Queensland to deliverthis program over the next three years through our $518 million AdvanceQueensland initiative to diversify Queensland's economy, create the jobs of thefuture and build Queensland's reputation as a global innovation and investmentdestination."
BioConnected is launching the world's firstbiosensing earphones, which measure the heart rate and its variability as afitness metric.
Chief Intelligence Officer Sven Rees was pleasedwith the recognition, saying devices which are currently on the wrist arelargely providing inaccurate data.
"It's not a wearable- it's a hearable, it's the evolution of wearables and it's about moving thesmarts to the ear so we can connect to the person a bit better, and we getbetter accuracy," said Mr Rees.
"There's no real insight for the person to changethe behaviour of what they're doing, the ear is one of the best spots of thebody to take these measurements," he said.
"We've launched inAustralia and want to expand around the world, we are basically exportingAustralian sports science to around the world and there's a demand for it - wetested demand before we built the product. It's just taking the time now todevelop it and bring it to market."
The Hype SportsInnovation Global Pitch Event was also an opportunity for participants topresent their ideas to global investors in the audience, as well as compete fora separate cash prize offered by the University of Queensland, won by Arival.