TeamViewer SheSportTech: Driving Women towards Sports Tech

Sports technology is a growing sector within an advancing industry and yet continues to be mostly male-dominated.

In light of this, TeamViewer has collaborated with sports partners Manchester United and the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team to offer inspiration, training grants and improved access - all designed to help women explore career possibilities within a rapidly-evolving and expanding industry.

Referring to the use of technology to improve athletic performance, training and analysis, sports technology is designed to enhance the overall sports experience for both players and spectators. TeamViewer’s initiative aims to create new opportunities for women and inspire them to enter a sports technology career.

Providing equal access opportunities for new technologies

TeamViewer’s SheSportTech pathway offers five recipients the chance to be paired up with a female professional already working in sport technology. The professional will act as a mentor, providing support and guidance based on their own experiences, in addition to invaluable advice.

The selected recipients will each receive a €1500 (US$1,629.36) training grant to help support their development.

The initiative’s campaign showcases the variety of female talent powering Manchester United, including players Mary Earps, Ella Toone, Katie Zelem, Hinata Miyazawa and Nikita Parris. They are featured alongside women working across insights, data analysis and security, CRM and talent management.

“At TeamViewer, we believe that technology is made better by a diverse workforce,” says Faith Wheller, VP of Brand, Sports and Integrated Marketing Communications at TeamViewer. “We know that representation matters in making women feel that sport tech is a field where they could thrive, which is why our campaign brings all these amazing women – and their roles – into the spotlight. 

“We’re hoping their stories will inspire more women to join the industry. Applying for the grants and experiences within our SheSportTech program can be a great step in this direction.”

A key focus of the initiative is the support that women can benefit from as they seek to develop their careers in sports technology. Winners of the grant will also be able to explore how technology powers performance across TeamViewer’s key business partners, via events and experiences.

Redefining the role of technology within sports

Perceptions of women’s sports have changed in recent years, given the more widespread coverage that events such as the UEFA European Women’s Championship in 2022 and the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 received. 

According to research by Wasserman, coverage of women’s sports comprises on average 15% of the total sports media. Although this figure has increased in recent months, driven by the continued growth of digital platforms such as online streaming and social media, there is still plenty of work to be done in order to make sports coverage more equal and accessible.

In fact, VAR has become more widely used in women’s football in particular, having been introduced to the World Cup in 2019.

TeamViewer’s initiative is not the first time that a technology company has partnered with a football team to advance digital transformation with the power of technology. Last year, ABBYY partnered with Arsenal Women to advance AI solutions by streamlining tasks and improving efficiencies.

TeamViewer is a leading global provider of remote connectivity and workplace digitalisation solutions and has been working to redefine the role of technology and artificial intelligence (AI) across the sports industry in 2024.

The company became a Principal Partner of Manchester United football club in 2021 and also works with the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 team.

Marilou McFarlane, founder and CEO at Women in Sports Tech (WiST), the leading global non-profit organisation that drives transformative growth opportunities for women, comments: “We are honoured to join forces with TeamViewer on this exciting, educational and engaging initiative. 

“This partnership aligns with our vision of creating a more diverse and inclusive sport tech ecosystem, and ultimately more innovative and successful businesses, through proven, tangible solutions. Together, we look forward to driving positive change and providing valuable and equitable opportunities for networking, learning, and professional growth.”

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