July 24–25, 2025: As a global partner and judge, we had the privilege to participate in the Sports Events and Technology (SET) Workshop and ASPN Batch 2 Demo Day, hosted under the ASPN Sports Tech Accelerator initiative. The event brought together government officials, sports tech innovators, and industry leaders across the Asia-Pacific, advancing collaboration at the intersection of sports, technology, and entrepreneurship.
Day 1: Welcome Reception for Global Partners
The event opened with a welcome party designed to build rapport among global partners, judges, and organizing teams. This informal gathering laid the foundation for deeper conversations, fostering collaboration ahead of the next day’s core programming.
Figure: Group photo at the Welcome Party
Figure: Global Partner Introduction – Ms Jeslin Bay , Group CEO of BlackStorm
Figure: Global Partner Introduction – Ms Amy Bae, Partner (Korea) of BlackStorm
Figure: Global Partner Introduction – Mr Paddy Tan, Managing Partner of BlackStorm
Day 2: SET Workshop & ASPN Demo Day
A full-day program split into two powerful segments—SET Workshop (morning) and ASPN Demo Day (afternoon)—provided attendees with a comprehensive view of the region’s sports innovation landscape.
SET Workshop: Where Policy Meets Innovation
Opening Remarks
Figure: Mr. Tim Lin, Director, Fun Sports in Taiwan
Figure: Ms. Maggie Hsu, Director, Sports Administration, Taiwan
Keynote Sessions
Figure: Keynote speech on Sports Events in the Netherlands by Ms. Linda Klaver, Head of Alkmaar Judo Club
Figure: Keynote speech on Trail Running in Thailand by Mr. Alongkorn Jiamanukulkit, Vice President, TMPSA
Figure: Keynote speech on Sports Tech Innovation in Japan by Mr. Hironari Yamada, Head of Business Planning, NTT Sportict
Panel Discussions
Figure: Panel discussion on City Branding × Sports Events – Representatives from Kaohsiung City, Yilan County, CTSD, moderated by Ms. Mei Yen Chen, Fun Sports Taiwan
Figure: Panel discussion onSports Tech × Sports Events – Mr. Michael Huang (TISS), Mr. Larry Chi (TPBL), Mr. Vellapandian Ponnusamy (ISN Malaysia)
ASPN Batch 2 Demo Day: Accelerating Asia-Pacific Sports Tech
Figure: Group photo for ASPN Demo Day Batch 2
Welcome Remarks
Figure: Welcome remarks by Dr. Shun-Hua Wei, Vice President of National Yang Ming Chao Tung University
Figure: Welcome remarks by Dr. Hank Huang
Figure: Welcome remarks by Ms. Maggie Hsu, Director, Sports Administration, Ministry of Education
Startup Pitching
Fifteen sports tech startups from eight countries pitched the results of their four-month acceleration journey under ASPN. Startups addressed diverse areas—from athlete monitoring and performance to fan experience and event logistics.
Figure: A startup is pitching at the Demo Day
Figure: A startup is pitching at the Demo Day
Startup Exhibitions
Both current cohort members and alumni presented demos at the venue, allowing judges and partners to experience product innovations firsthand.
Figure: Startup exhibition of their product at the Demo Day
Figure: Startup exhibition of their product at the Demo Day
Panel Discussion
Figure: Moderated by Dr. Hank Huang, with Ms. Amy Crosland (Australian Sports Technologies Network, ASTN), Mr. David Kim (Plug and Play Taiwan), and Mr. Jeff Hsu (Taiwan Sports Industry Development Association), on the topic of How Startups can Plug into Global Sports Events
Figure: Graduation ceremony for local startups
Figure: Graduation ceremony for international startups
Awards Ceremony
Sports Administration Award: Spot, Fortune AI (SafeSwim)
Figure: Spot team
Figure: Fortune AI (Safeswim) team
ASPN Award: Rebas, PointFit
Figure: PointFit team
Figure: Rebas team
IAPS Award: SVEXA, Spot
Figure: Svexa team
Figure: Spot team
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Mr. Max Huang and Ms. Peggy Tng for being recognised as the Best Mentors of ASPN Batch 2.
Figure: Best mentor award to Ms. Peggy Tng, Regional Leader, APAC, GSIC powered by Microsoft
Figure: Best mentor award to Mr. Max Huang, Founder, ACG Capital
This event reaffirmed the Asia-Pacific region’s momentum in shaping the future of sports technology. We thank Sports Administration Taiwan, Fun Sports Taiwan, IAPS, and the ASPN network for enabling this impactful platform.
We remain committed to advancing sports innovation and fostering global collaborations.
About ASPN Sports Tech Accelerator
The ASPN Sports Tech Accelerator (https://aspn-sportstech.iaps.ord.nycu.edu.tw/lets-boost-en) is supported by the Sports Administration, Ministry of Education Taiwan, and executed by IAPS ( Center of Industry Accelerator and Patent Strategy, NYCU). It collaborates with the 11 member economies of the APEC Sport Policy Network (ASPN) to jointly accelerate your sports tech innovation journey! ASPN is composed of Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Australia, Canada, Philippines, and Chile. ASPN aims to promote international sporting events and talent development related to sports in the Asia-Pacific region and create a platform for member countries to exchange and share their experiences.
About BlackStorm Consulting
BlackStorm Consulting (https://blackstormco.asia/) empowers businesses in Southeast Asia by closing strategic gaps in corporate strategy, market entry, and growth through a people, product, and process approach.
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