FESTIVAL TO INSPIRE LOCAL BUSINESSES TO GET INNOVATING
Published Monday, 25 September, 2006 at 10:38 AM
Minister for State Development, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
MEDIA RELEASE
If you’re a budding inventor, got a great idea for a business or you’re looking for inspiration then mark Thursday 26 October on your calendar.
Minister for State Development John Mickel said Rockhampton’s third annual Festival of Innovation promised to give local entrepreneurs the tools they need to get their ideas off the ground and encourage local business owners to get innovating.
“This is an exciting event that has given rise to many new successful ventures in the past two years,” Mr Mickel said.
Debra and Maehe Austin of Ausintech displayed their unique miner’s equipment vest at the inaugural festival in 2004 with great success.
“We never realised the extensive avenues of support available and we made contacts which have proved very valuable in assisting us to move forward in marketing our invention,” Debra said.
Mr Mickel said the second festival led to national fame for Grant Sherriff of Wheeler-View Charbray Stud who exhibited his innovative Sherriff Livestock Feeder.
“Grant came along to the festival looking for help with international marketing and the connections he made that day ended up with him demonstrating his feeder on the ABC’s New Inventors program – and the interest hasn’t stopped,” he said.
One inventor booked for this year is Associate Professor Tony Ward from Central Queensland University who will be exhibiting his newly-developed Customer Service Predictor.
“I won’t give too much away but the product is now available commercially and could be of great benefit to companies employing customer service staff” Mr Mickel said.
The festival provided the ideal meeting place for business people, researchers from Central Queensland University, CSIRO and the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries.
“Mr Mickel added “quite simply it means problems can be matched with solutions, ideas can be channelled into commercial opportunities and for many budding entrepreneurs, dreams can become reality.”
“Even current business operators can find inspiration or help with moving their products and ideas for expansion forward, not to mention how to work with organisations like QMI Solutions to introduce innovative practices into their workplaces.”
Mr Mickel said the State Government would sponsor this year’s festival to the tune of $12,000.
“This is a great opportunity for the Rockhampton business community. Innovation is central to growing regional business and our regional economies.”
The Rockhampton Festival of Innovation will be held at the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries Centre from 8.45am to 5pm on Thursday 26 October 2006 to be followed by a Celebration of Innovation dinner at the Rockhampton Leagues Club from 6.45pm.
For more information about the festival contact the State Development Centre Rockhampton on 4938 4571.
Media contact: Chris Brown 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion 3224 6784.
If you’re a budding inventor, got a great idea for a business or you’re looking for inspiration then mark Thursday 26 October on your calendar.
Minister for State Development John Mickel said Rockhampton’s third annual Festival of Innovation promised to give local entrepreneurs the tools they need to get their ideas off the ground and encourage local business owners to get innovating.
“This is an exciting event that has given rise to many new successful ventures in the past two years,” Mr Mickel said.
Debra and Maehe Austin of Ausintech displayed their unique miner’s equipment vest at the inaugural festival in 2004 with great success.
“We never realised the extensive avenues of support available and we made contacts which have proved very valuable in assisting us to move forward in marketing our invention,” Debra said.
Mr Mickel said the second festival led to national fame for Grant Sherriff of Wheeler-View Charbray Stud who exhibited his innovative Sherriff Livestock Feeder.
“Grant came along to the festival looking for help with international marketing and the connections he made that day ended up with him demonstrating his feeder on the ABC’s New Inventors program – and the interest hasn’t stopped,” he said.
One inventor booked for this year is Associate Professor Tony Ward from Central Queensland University who will be exhibiting his newly-developed Customer Service Predictor.
“I won’t give too much away but the product is now available commercially and could be of great benefit to companies employing customer service staff” Mr Mickel said.
The festival provided the ideal meeting place for business people, researchers from Central Queensland University, CSIRO and the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries.
“Mr Mickel added “quite simply it means problems can be matched with solutions, ideas can be channelled into commercial opportunities and for many budding entrepreneurs, dreams can become reality.”
“Even current business operators can find inspiration or help with moving their products and ideas for expansion forward, not to mention how to work with organisations like QMI Solutions to introduce innovative practices into their workplaces.”
Mr Mickel said the State Government would sponsor this year’s festival to the tune of $12,000.
“This is a great opportunity for the Rockhampton business community. Innovation is central to growing regional business and our regional economies.”
The Rockhampton Festival of Innovation will be held at the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries Centre from 8.45am to 5pm on Thursday 26 October 2006 to be followed by a Celebration of Innovation dinner at the Rockhampton Leagues Club from 6.45pm.
For more information about the festival contact the State Development Centre Rockhampton on 4938 4571.
Media contact: Chris Brown 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion 3224 6784.