North Queensland businesses turn ideas into income

Townsville inventors, innovators and business operators have the chance to design their future at Queensland Government funded workshops to be held today.

Minister Assisting the Premier for North Queensland and Member for Mundingburra Coralee O’Rourke said the free Design the Future workshop would help participants develop their business concept and find their competitive edge.

“Whether you are making step ladders or smartphone apps, innovation and research and development can deliver real benefits, accelerate business growth and give you an advantage over your competitors,” Mrs O’Rourke.

“The workshops will provide participants with access to innovation expertise and tools, ways to turn their ideas into income and reduce their innovation development costs.”

Minister for Innovation, Science and the Digital Economy Leeanne Enoch said today’s workshop will be followed by a Small Business Ideas Forum to be held in Townsville on Friday, 26 February.

“Today’s workshop, and the Small Business Ideas Forum later in the month, underline the Palaszczuk Government’s ongoing support for creating jobs in the Townsville community,” Ms O’Rourke said.

"We want to give North Queenslanders the tools and the inspiration to take their great ideas and turn them into their own jobs and businesses.”

Ms Enoch said a full program for the Small Business Ideas forum would be released in the coming days.

The Townsville Design the Future workshop will be held on 11 February 2016 at Moore Stephens, Level 5, 280 Flinders Street from 8.30am-4.30pm.

For more information on today’s workshop visit www.impactinnovationgroup.com/innovate-queensland

Media Contact:                                  Minister O’Rourke’s office                  3719 7184