Imagine a Queensland where the sporting sector undergoes a profound cultural transformation, modernising management styles to foster agility and innovation. Envision a regulatory landscape that offers unique flexibility, navigating federal funding and regulations to create a more adaptable and supportive environment for sports organisations. Picture a grassroots movement encouraging innovation across all levels, ensuring readiness to innovate permeates beyond popular sports. Reimagine incentives that promote sustainable practices and innovation, redefining how value is recognised within the sector. Now, consider a collaborative effort that leverages a sector-wide approach, engaging all stakeholders to redefine success and chart a collective path toward a resilient and competitive sports ecosystem. This is the vision for Brisbane 2032, and we invite leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs to join us in making it a reality.

Why We Must Unite
Our purpose is clear: to create a unified and innovative sports sector that meets and exceeds the expectations of a global audience. By leveraging the collective strengths of leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs, we can ensure that Brisbane 2032 is not just another event but a landmark in Olympic history. This is a unique opportunity for Brisbane and SEQ to contribute to this transformative journey.

Several megatrends are driving the evolution of the sports and sports technology landscape. These include the development of new capabilities in people, the enhancement of places where sports are played, the creation of focused programs, and the adoption of sustainable practices. We can build a robust and future-ready sports ecosystem by addressing these trends.

What is our Playbook, and How We Will Achieve This
Employing a design science approach, we will convene sports groups to tackle innovation challenges collaboratively. This proven method, which emphasises empathy, creativity, and experimentation, will invite participants to deeply understand the needs and perspectives of others within the ecosystem. Rest assured, this approach effectively addresses the megatrends in the sports and sports technology landscape.

1. Empathy: We start by understanding the diverse needs and experiences of athletes, fans, and stakeholders. This phase involves immersive research and engaging with different groups to gather insights. At the heart of our strategy is “Open Innovation,” a product designed to foster empathy by facilitating direct engagement and immersive research. Through Open Innovation, stakeholders can gather insights from athletes, fans, and other key groups, ensuring their voices and needs are heard.

2. Ideation: With a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities, we will brainstorm and generate many ideas. This collaborative process ensures that every voice is heard and every perspective is considered. Innovation Central Brisbane’s award-winning program is built on an innovative design-thinking philosophy that goes from “HOW MIGHT WE?” to “WHO SHOULD WE TALK TO?”

3. Experimentation: Ideas will be prototyped and tested in real-world scenarios, allowing for iterative refinement. This phase is crucial for ensuring that the solutions are viable and impactful. In this framework, the program highlights that innovation often occurs in complex domains with unpredictable outcomes. Therefore, prototyping in such contexts should focus on safe-to-fail experiments that explore various options without significant risk. This method encourages creativity and resilience, enabling organisations to navigate uncertainty and complexity effectively.

Through workshops and collaborative sessions, we will facilitate a process where diverse viewpoints are welcomed and leveraged to co-create innovative solutions. This approach will help us address the most pressing challenges within the sports sector, leading to breakthroughs in technology, infrastructure, and community engagement.

What We Aim to Achieve
The outcome of this collaborative effort will be multifaceted. We aim to advance innovation opportunities within the sports sector, leading to a deeper comprehension of how the industry operates at the state and national levels. This understanding will pave the way for more effective engagement, strategies, and sustainable growth.

Strategy Anchor Points
People and Capability (Skills and People)
To compete on a global stage, we must invest in developing the skills and capabilities of our athletes, coaches, and support staff. This includes leveraging cutting-edge technology to enhance training and performance, fostering a culture of continuous learning, and attracting top talent to our sports programs.

Place and Capacity (Time and Infrastructure)
The places where sports are played must have state-of-the-art infrastructure supporting athletes and fans. This involves building new facilities and upgrading existing ones to meet international standards. Efficient transport systems and enhanced connectivity for regional communities are essential to ensure seamless experiences for all.

Programs and Clarity (Programs to Focus On)
Straightforward, focused programs are essential for driving innovation and engagement. By identifying key areas of development and investing in them strategically, we can ensure that our efforts are aligned with the broader goals of the sports ecosystem. Programs should celebrate our sporting achievements and bring communities together through shared experiences.

Planet and Climate (Sustainability Behaviours)
Sustainability must be at the core of our strategy. This means adopting eco-friendly practices in all event management and infrastructure development aspects. From reducing carbon footprints to promoting green transportation options, we must ensure that the Brisbane Olympics leaves a positive legacy for the planet.

Call to Action
We invite leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs to join us. We can create engineered serendipity—unexpected collaborations that lead to groundbreaking innovations by coming together. Let’s make Brisbane 2032 a beacon of what is possible when we unite for a common goal.

Together, we can transform the sports sector, drive sustainable growth, and showcase Brisbane as a global sports innovation hub. Join us in making history.