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With Australian sports performance technologies like Catapult (ASX: CAT) used by the elite sports teams around the world, it should come as no surprise that another Melbourne startup in the athlete monitoring space is making waves in one of the big leagues of European football (soccer).
Founded in 2022 by former e-commerce entrepreneur Steve Aidun Xie, AQUAME aims to help give a "1 per cent edge" to sporting clubs with advanced hydration monitoring solutions, courtesy of its smart bottle and real-time app that keep track of several metrics to help improve hydration efficiency and athlete health.
Xie says the current market often overlooks the importance of precise hydration strategies, leading to issues like dehydration, overhydration, and reduced athletic performance, but by using AQUAME players or trainers can receive tailored data insights to assist with peak performance.
One of Spain's leading football clubs, Valencia CF, is an early believer in the technology and late last week announced an official partnership with the Australian company for both its men's and women's teams, as well its youth academy.
"This innovative collaboration will enable data-driven hydration management and monitoring, contributing to performance, recovery and wellbeing," the club published on its website.
"By integrating the technology of AQUAME, Valencia CF will also significantly reduce the consumption of single-use plastic bottles, strengthening our commitment to healthier lifestyles and promoting environmental sustainability."
The deal also includes a partnership agreement to co-brand the Valencia CF logo on the AQUAME 2.0 smart water bottle, and the club is actively promoting it via its official stores.
Last season more than 870,000 fans attended matches at Valencia's Mestalla Stadium, while the club has an estimated 10 million followers across social media channels, making it Spain's fourth-most followed club behind Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid.
"This partnership with Valencia CF is a major breakthrough for AQUAME, marking a significant achievement for an Australian sports tech company on the world stage," says Xie, who was a finalist in the 2023 Melbourne Young Entrepreneur Awards.
"Collaborating with such a prestigious club demonstrates our capability to deliver innovative, high-performance solutions internationally. It’s a testament to our growth and sets the stage for expanding into other global sporting markets, showcasing what Australian ingenuity can achieve in the sports industry."
Xie tells Business News Australia the company expects to sign 10 major sporting clubs by the end of 2024.
"This collaboration not only strengthens our presence in Europe but also serves as a stepping stone to introducing our smart hydration solutions to more sporting clubs worldwide. It also opens the door to other major sporting markets," he says.
"Hydration is often overlooked in elite sports, but it's a critical component of performance and recovery. With several more elite sporting clubs in our pipeline, AQUAME aims to quickly strengthen its position and gain a foothold in the global sporting market through its one-of-a-kind hydration solution.
"Working with a major European sporting club gives us the chance to continuously improve and upgrade our system over the next 12 months, ensuring we stay at the forefront of sports hydration technology."
The AQUAME 2.0 smart water bottle was developed following an earlier iteration that was trialled with Essendon Football Club in Australia, and the product and tech solution is now utilised by professional and amateur sports teams, wellness programs, and corporate wellness initiatives.
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