Stakeholders join Advance Queensland Startup Workshop

Minister for Science and Innovation Leeanne Enoch today welcomed key stakeholders to the Startup Queensland Co-Design Workshop, describing it as an important step in the Queensland Government’s plans to create jobs now and jobs for the future.

“The Queensland Government recognises that one of the key drivers of economic change and jobs growth are entrepreneurs and ambitious businesses,” Ms Enoch said.

“The $24 million Startup Queensland package is one of the measures in the $76 million Business Investment Attraction program announced as part of Advance Queensland initiative.

“As a result of the steps we are taking today, we are putting in place the building blocks for the next Facebook or Google to be created here in Queensland.

“The Startup package will support small and medium enterprises and startups to bring new ideas to market, increase business formation and attract more business to Queensland.

“The most effective way to achieve these goals is to involve key stakeholders from the very community the package aims to support.

“Advance Queensland is a comprehensive suite of programs that will create jobs, drive productivity improvements and harness innovation.”

Ms Enoch said today’s workshop was the first in a planned series of engagement sessions that will allow the Queensland Government to work with key startup stakeholders to create a roadmap for the state’s future prosperity.

“Bringing together startup representatives, entrepreneurs, investors, industry groups and government will enable us to design programs that will deliver exceptional results,” Ms Enoch said.

“I expect these workshops will produce programs that leverage existing private sector and government programs to provide an integrated suite of seed and pre-seed funding, co-working space, mentoring and connection to customers and markets.”

The workshop is part of Advance Queensland, a comprehensive program to help make Queensland  a place where industry, universities and government work together to take great ideas, turn them into investment-ready proposals, attract that investment, create jobs and retain the best and brightest in Queensland.

Visit the Advance Queensland website at http://advanceqld.initiatives.qld.gov.au/ for more information.

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Media contact: Media Contacts:             Tim Shipstone – 3719 7281, 0419 246 157

                                                           Daniel Lato – 3719 7279, 0438 830 201