AO Ventures Announce First Sports Innovation Investments

AO Ventures, the investment arm of Tennis Australia and the Australian Open, has announced its first portfolio investments as part of its $40 million venture capital strategy focused on sports and entertainment innovation.

The fund has committed capital to four early stage companies, each selected for their ability to scale globally while using the Australian Open as a live testing and launch platform. The model blends financial investment with strategic partnership, allowing startups to deploy solutions in a major sporting environment.

One of the headline investments is Bolt6, whose AI driven officiating and broadcast technology is already in use across elite tennis and other professional sports. Another is Raven Controls, a venue operations platform supporting large scale event management across stadiums and major live venues.

AO Ventures has also invested in padel focused businesses Mindspring Padel and Padel Haus. Mindspring provides digital and venue development solutions for padel operators, while Padel Haus develops and operates premium indoor padel clubs in urban markets, reflecting the sport’s rapid global growth and rising infrastructure demand.

The strategy reinforces Tennis Australia’s ambition to act not just as a governing body but as an innovation catalyst, supporting technologies that enhance officiating, operations, fan engagement and participation.

By combining venture capital with real world deployment at one of sport’s most prominent events, AO Ventures is positioning the Australian Open as a proving ground for next generation sports technology with global relevance.