SBG Sports Software, which supplies Formula 1 with its race control software and a number of teams in both F1 and other series, has been acquired by Australian sports software company Catapult Sports, which notes that the acquisition will bolster its video analysis capabilities.
Founded in Melbourne in 2006, Catapult was formed as a partnership between the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) and the Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) to maximize the performance of Australian athletes ahead of the 2000 Sydney Olympics. It now supplies 3,200 elite teams worldwide, across major leagues such as the NFL, EPL, NBA, NCAA, and NHL.
London-based SBG meanwhile was founded in 2008, in collaboration with Mercedes F1, to develop products that can capture large amounts of live data and video for race strategy. Its products specialize in real-time capturing of video and data, to generate unique insights and visualizations that assist teams in rapidly breaking down key factors driving performance.
“From our early discussions it was clear that SBG and Catapult shared a common vision for the future of sports technology and the significant impact data will have in helping customers optimize performance. It was even clearer that combining our technologies, product solutions and talent would have an immediate and long-lasting impact on our customers. We are confident the acquisition of SBG will significantly contribute to Catapult’s continued focus in developing the most sophisticated sports technology platform and its growth,” said Catapult CEO Will Lopes.
