Palaszczuk Government leaders to be immersed in innovation and startup community

Palaszczuk Government Directors-General, CEOs and Commissioners will this afternoon (Friday) meet with some of Queensland’s most innovative companies and entrepreneurs at The Precinct in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley.    

Innovation Minister Leeanne Enoch said it will be a “great opportunity” for department chiefs to see first-hand the “hard work already done to create this vibrant innovation and startup community”.

“The CEOs from government agencies will have the chance to hear pitches from prominent startups, to learn more about revolutionary technologies and think differently about opportunities for government,” Ms Enoch said.

“They will hear from influential figures in the startup community to help understand how government, the startup community and corporates can work together to create solutions and jobs for Queenslanders.

“The Palaszczuk Government has already taken the lead to create new partnerships through a range of initiatives under our $420 million Advance Queensland initiative.

“These include the Testing Within Government (TWiG) program supporting startups and small-to-medium-sized enterprises to collaborate with government to address business problems.

“Another initiative implemented is the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program where we approached government departments to provide startups, industry and research organisations with a specific challenge they need addressing.

“Startups and businesses can then apply with innovative commercial solutions, with the opportunity to enter into a contract with government.”

The Precinct, in the historic T.C. Beirne Building, has been funded by the Palaszczuk Government’s Advance Queensland agenda and co-designed with the startup and entrepreneurial sector.

It is home to leading organisations including:

• River City Labs, a startup accelerator and incubator founded by Steve Baxter
• CSIRO’s Data 61, Australia’s leading digital research network
• Queensland Government eHealth, creating solutions for the Queensland public health system
• Softbank Pepper Studio, a Japanese multinational telecommunications and internet company, with their first robotic studio in Australia
• The Office of the Queensland Chief Entrepreneur
• Venture Capital and Business Angels investment firms
• Many high growth and early-stage startups.

“We will continue to create opportunities for government to work with the startup community, and this is why we are helping our departmental leaders learn more about how this can be achieved through today’s meeting,” Ms Enoch said.

ENDS

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