Child safety screening startup Oho signs 5-year deal with Tennis Australia

A startup that accredits and verifies workers and volunteers in care, sport and community roles has signed a five-year deal with Tennis Australia as part of the Australian Open.

Oho is one of five Australian startups among 12 for the annual AO Startups program, which runs during the grand slam tournament, integrating into the event.

Tennis Australia Director of Innovation Dr Machar Reid said it’s the largest intake since the program launched.

“The companies… include new solutions to drive efficiencies in our event including digital ticketing, automated screening checks, production project management and AI powered personalised menus for anyone with dietary needs,” he said.

“We are also exploring new Flex leagues to increase tennis participation, driving fan interactivity with audience engagement software, and pushing the boundaries in performance analysis by harnessing 3D skeletal data in a spatial computing environment.”

Dr  Reid said Oho was a standout in the December intake for AO Startups.

“They’ve onboarded some significant early clients, with the potential for a whole lot more,” he said.

Alongside Oho, the other Australian startups involved are:

INTIX: Australia’s largest independent provider of sports ticketing solutions with a product tailor-made for sport, whilst also supporting a diverse range of other events.

Foodini: A mobile app helping anyone with dietary needs, food allergies or personal food preferences to find the right food for them in a quick and easy way.

Lumi.Media: Designed especially for the TV, entertainment and sports content industry, Lumi’s powerful visual software makes end-to-end production faster, easier and better.

Back Sync: Revolutionising spinal health with the SEG-B, the first in a line of innovative active therapy and mobility products.

The other startups come from Israel, the US, Netherlands and UK.

Tennis Australia also backs the Techstars SportsTech Melbourne Accelerator, based at its Melbourne Park HQ.

AO Startups gives them the chance to prove their business models in real time and directly access proprietary intel and exposure at the Australian Open, with Tennis Australia’s syndicate VC fund, Wildcard Ventures, also eying them off for potential investment.

Earlier this month Tennis Australia’s AO Ventures revealed it had secured $49 million in investment commitments from the likes of Mark Nelson from Caledonia, Tanarra’s John Wylie, Melbourne-based businessman Mark Healey, Ashok Jacob from Ellerston Capital and Robyn and Victoria Denholm’s family office, Wollemi Capital Group, for its first close.

AO Ventures will invest in startups focused on sport, entertainment, media and health.

Oho’s five-year deal includes Tennis Australia’s year-round programs across the country, monitoring employee, contractor and volunteer ‘right-to-work’ accreditations.

Coaches, officials, athlete services and event management teams will all be covered by Oho’s accreditation screening and ongoing  automated verification covering programs such as Working with Children Checks, Teacher Licences, and NDIS Worker Cards.

The platform now supports more than 130 organisations nationally, completing 2 million checks a year and thousands of corrective compliance actions.

Oho CEO Liv Whitty said robust governance in sport and community organisations is crucial.

“The joy of sport should always come with the assurance of safety. By harnessing the power of Oho’s automation, Tennis Australia is investing in safeguarding that is as seamless as it is essential, protecting children and young people now and into the future,” she said.

“Not only is this partnership a powerful step forward in safeguarding the future of tennis, but Tennis Australia is setting a benchmark for the sporting community, ensuring that every child, athlete, and team member can focus on the joy and excellence of the game without compromise.”

Tennis Australia director of integrity & compliance Daniel Stuk said: “Oho’s screening platform and their continuous and ongoing screening service helps ensure that only suitable and appropriate people are engaged to work with children and young people.”