media release
Smart Ideas Scoop Enterprize
November 3, 2003
The Queensland Government's technology incubator i.lab is delighted to announce that Fusion Sport - one of its member companies - has scooped the top award in a major business competition which recognises groundbreaking entrepreneurial discoveries.
Fusion Sport's electronic coaching tool - Smartspeed™ - is a world first and has taken out the $100,000 Open Category at The University of Queensland Business School's Enterprize competition.
"A new breed of elite Australian sports men and women could dominate future sporting events by using this system - in fact Smartspeed™ has the potential to change the way the world plays sport," its creator, Dr Markus Deutsch of Fusion Sport, said today.
Consisting of a series of coloured, flashing remote field sensors that track athletes during training and competition, Smartspeed™ provides real-time visual and audio feedback on performance.
It has already attracted commitment from the Australian Rugby Union, the Queensland Academy of Sport, and the Auckland Blues (Super 12 rugby team).
"Winning Enterprize will unleash Fusion Sport in the coming months. Over the past year we have designed and built a fantastic product, and along the way we have identified some very talented students through our involvement with UQ," Dr Deutsch said.
"With these funds we will now have the resources we need to refine and improve Smartspeed™, and can move swiftly into the global sporting market."
Dr Deutsch is also the inventor of a revolutionary scrum machine called The Grunt 3000 which has been used by the New Zealand All Blacks and England Rugby Union teams during their World Cup preparations.
Winners of the Enterprize $25,000 Student Category - run in cooperation with i.lab Incubator, was J-Team, whose business concept will see users downloading the latest animated games with the ability to immediately engage in multiplayer action through wireless technology.
NOTES: SmartSpeed™ will be on display this Wednesday (5 November) to Friday (7 November), Booth Number 4 (Four), at the International Conference on the Science and Practice of Rugby, Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Brisbane.
For more information contact Ann Lund at Media Affair on Phone 07 3300 0172, Mobile 0414 612 324, e-mail ann.lund@mediaffair.com.au.