QUT Sport Innovation ProtoComp – Semester 1, 2025
Building the future of sport through student-led innovation
What is the Innovation Central Brisbane ProtoComp?
The ICB ProtoComp is a flagship innovation program delivered by Innovation Central Brisbane, designed to give QUT students hands-on experience solving real-world challenges through digital technology and collaboration.
Each semester, ICB partners with a different industry or domain for the ProtoComp. In Semester 1, 2025, we partnered with QUT Sport to explore the future of innovation in the sport sector.
The program was structured across three phases:
Hackathon → ProtoBuild → Showcase
Students from across QUT came together to respond to the challenge:
How might we create a smarter, more inclusive, and sustainable sporting experience that enhances performance, event operations, and spectator engagement while ensuring lasting regional impact?
Program Overview and Impact
• Over 150 student registrations from all six QUT faculties
• 9 cross-disciplinary teams participated in the Hackathon
• 40+ industry mentors and attendees across sport, tech and government at the Hackathon and Showcase
• Four prototypes secured funding to build their prototype
• 12 weeks of mentorship, collaboration, and digital problem solving
• Four digital prototypes presented at our industry showcase
Prototype Solutions Developed
Student teams developed functional digital prototypes addressing real needs in the sport sector:
SportLink
A volunteer engagement platform that rewards young people for supporting grassroots sport.
RYME
An accessible, inclusive athletics wearables kit for remote and regional communities.
Endeavour
A gamified app that helps teens (aged 14–19) build social confidence through interactive sports mini-games.
ReVRlution
A VR-integrated sports wheelchair simulator offering immersive training and education experiences.
Showcase and Industry Engagement
The final stage of the program culminated in a public Industry Showcase hosted at Innovation Central Brisbane. Guests included representatives from:
• Australian Sports Commission
• Brisbane Bullets
• Tennis Australia
• Hockey Queensland
• Little Athletics QLD
• Queensland Government
Students pitched their projects, demoed prototypes, and discussed opportunities for continued collaboration.
Explore More
Read the Showcase Brochure
View the Hackathon Gallery
View the Showcase Gallery
Read the Hackathon overview
Our partnership with QUT Sport was at the heart of this semester’s ProtoComp, bringing together industry insight and university expertise to explore the future of sport. Led by Emily Rosemond, Director of Olympic and Paralympic Participation & Sport at QUT, QUT Sport played a pivotal role in shaping the challenge, connecting students with industry networks, and ensuring that the prototypes addressed real-world needs. Their guidance throughout the Hackathon, ProtoBuild, and Showcase phases created an environment where students could apply their skills in a practical, high-impact setting. This collaboration reflects QUT Sport’s commitment to fostering innovation that strengthens sport at all levels — from grassroots to elite performance — and builds capability ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The ProtoComp is made possible through the support of Cisco, Innovation Central Brisbane’s founding partner, whose investment under the Country Digital Acceleration program continues to unlock opportunities for Queensland’s innovation ecosystem. Cisco’s expertise in connectivity, digital transformation, and collaboration empowers students to develop solutions that are not only technically strong but also scalable and impactful in real-world settings. In this semester’s ProtoComp, Terry Weber, Cisco’s Queensland Regional Manager, actively supported students during the Hackathon — bringing a global perspective on technology trends while encouraging creative, practical applications. Cisco’s commitment to programs like ProtoComp demonstrates the value of industry-university partnerships in accelerating skills, building networks, and turning ideas into tangible innovations.
Special thanks to:
• Peter Laurie (Mentor in Residence at River City Labs) for an exceptional session on startup thinking during the Hackathon
• Richard McInnes (Australian Sports Commission) for judging Hackathon pitches
• Chris Davis (CEO, Little Athletics QLD) for his mentorship of team RYME throughout the ProtoBuild phase
• Sam Lloyd-Green (Account Executives, Cisco) for his mentorship of team ReVRlution throughout the ProtoBuild phase
• Terry Weber (Cisco) for supporting student engagement
