Like most students, I had no idea of what my future had in store for me after graduating from USC. I graduated in 2015 with a First-Class Honours Bachelor of Biomedical Science. I was lucky to be able to complete a very interesting Honours project…
IC Members Pitch to Greencross Vets Founder & Shark Tank Investor Glen Richards
Epic entrepreneur Glen Richards of Greencross Vets, Petbarn and Shark Tank Australia stopped by the Innovation Centre last week to hear pitches from some of our members including outdoor brand WandsPro, back and body lotion applicator bakslap, VR education consultancy Bundle of Rays, medical cannabis…
FEDERAL MINISTER VISITS IC
[LIVE FROM THE IC] Business.gov.au (AusIndustry) Information session Check out the update from AusIndustry and the Karen Andrews MP – Federal Minister for Industry, Science & Technology. Also featuring presentations by Federal Member for Andrew Wallace – LNP Federal Member for Fisher, Tracy Constable from…
LEANNE KEMP, QUEENSLAND’S NEW CHIEF ENTREPRENEUR, VISITS IC
Newly appointed Chief Entrepreneur and blockchain tech pioneer Leanne Kemp stopped by the Innovation Centre Friday, 23 November 2018 during a day-long tour to innovation hubs across the Sunshine Coast. After a quick Q&A presentation with IC CEO Mark Paddenburg and software guru Peter Grant,…
CLEANTECH CONFERENCE LAUNCHES AT IC
It’s already been called the ‘entrepreneurial capital’ of Australia by leading social commentator Bernard Salt, and now the Sunshine Coast is fast becoming the ‘cleantech capital’ of Australia too. On 24 October, Mayor Mark Jamieson officially launched the National Clean Technologies Conference & Exhibition at…
MEET OUR NEWEST MEMBER STRUCKET
New IC member Strucket has now fully commercialised the world’s first strainer-bucket and will be delivered to eager customers in early December 2018. The Strucket has so many uses and was created on the Sunshine Coast by mum-of-three Kelly Lavery following an intense R&D, design…
USC STUDENTS POWER TERRAGEN & [ui!] GROUP
Innovation Centre member companies continue to recruit talent from USC, with both Terragen and the [ui!] GROUP staffing their ranks with both former graduates and current students. Terragen Biotech Terragen is an Australian agricultural biotech company whose technology is based on naturally occurring micro-organisms. They…
HIVE HAVEN’S STINGLESS NATIVE BEES LANDING AT AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENT HOUSE
Parliament House in Canberra has gained a new community of native bees, following an invitation to Sunshine Coast start-up Hive Haven to install one of their innovative hives in the nation’s capital. With the support of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tony Smith,…
FROM USC SIPPY DOWNS TO LONDON — MY EXPERIENCE AT THE INNOVATION CENTRE
Two years ago when I began my internship at the Innovation Centre, I had no idea what to expect. I certainly did not foresee the years of incredible support, invaluable experience and abundance of opportunities that would follow. I began as a first-year university student,…
INNOVATE MEDIA AWARDED SILVER AT THE AUSTRALIAN VIDEO PRODUCER AWARDS
IC Member Innovate Media won Silver at the Australian Video Producer’s Awards in Melbourne before a panel of three judges. The winning project, a Brand Story Film for Distance Assistance (also an IC member), tells the story of founder Renee Coman’s family and why she…
PITCHFEST 2018 WITH IAN MASON FROM VIRGIN STARTUP
A big congratulations to all involved in Pitchfest 2018, which was a huge success. Ian Mason, Head of Strategic Development for Virgin StartUp, was not only our very special guest, but also chaired the expert panel. Ian has played a pivotal role in helping hundreds…
QLD STARTUP SUPPORT ECOSYSTEM
The Queensland entrepreneurial community is growing. This map (see below) is an evolving list of the support network available for the state’s startups and new businesses – from the spaces helping entrepreneurs build and scale, to investors and advisory services, to universities and Government. The…
STARTUP ONRAMP TO LAUNCH ON THE COAST THIS SEPTEMBER
If you are considering launching a startup, or have an idea for a startup, the Startup Onramp program is for you. Startup Onramp is a 12-week training and mentoring program that gives new and aspiring founders the skills, advice and networks they need to…
MEET OUR INTERN LACHLAN FINCH
We recruited our intern Lachlan from USC’s School of Business as part of the WIL (Work Integrated Learning program) that enables students to earn course credits through placement in local companies and organisations. Lachie will be helping us with a whole slew of marketing-related stuff…
MEDIFARM HOSTS FIRST MEDICAL CANNABIS SYMPOSIUM
Over a hundred doctors and health workers from around Australia visited the Innovation Centre Sunshine Coast for the first ever medical cannabis symposium. The information session, hosted by IC member Medifarm, focused on educating the medical profession about the benefits of the treatment which will…
IC MEMBER BAKSLAP HITS KICKSTARTER CROWDFUNDING GOAL
Big congratulations to IC member Raphael McGowan and the bakslap team for raising $40,000 in 30 days (they actually raised a total of $48,377). It was a massive media blitz combined with a incredible story that propelled the campaign to success. For all those startups…
ENTREPRENEURS OFF TO A FLYING START
The Sunshine Coast is fast gaining a reputation as the startup capital of Queensland. There’s a growing entrepreneurial energy here, helped along by hubs like the Innovation Centre at the University of the Sunshine Coast, Spark Bureau in Maroochydore and Grow Coastal, the Sunshine Coast’s…
SERVATUS, POINT DUTY HIRE FORMER USC STUDENTS
Innovation Centre member, Servatus Biopharmaceuticals, recently employed Nicolas Kong, a USC Honours graduate (USC 2017 – Bachelor of Science Honours)), to work as a Research Assistant in their office at the USC’s Innovation Centre Sunshine Coast (IC) and their laboratory based at USC’s Faculty of…
LOCAL FOODPRENEURS GRADUATE FROM COAST’S FIRST FOOD ACCELERATOR PROGRAM
Twelve of the Sunshine Coast’s most innovative local foodprenuers showcased their products and learnings at the conclusion of the 2018 GrowCoastal program Demo Day on 17 July. Now in its’ second year, GrowCoastal is the Sunshine Coast’s first food accelerator, a partnership between the Innovation…
FOODPRENEURS SHARE SUCCESS AT GROWCOASTAL DEMO DAY
Join us for a morning of local food, insightful stories and product displays to celebrate the conclusion of the Innovation Centre Sunshine Coast’s 2018 GrowCoastal program. GrowCoastal is the first food accelerator on the Sunshine Coast and a partnership between the Innovation Centre and Food Agribusiness Network…
ENTREPRENEURS ACCESS RIGHT MEDICINE THROUGH HEALTH ACCELERATOR
New collaborative partners point to the SCHI – no limits! (photo Left to Right): Mark Paddenburg, CEO – Innovation Centre Sunshine Coast P/L Margaret Way, Executive Director Innovation, Quality, Research and Education – Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service Anton Sanker, Managing Director – Sunshine…
HIVE HAVEN: THEIR STORY
Two Sunshine Coast ‘hobby bee keepers’ are working on a grand plan to transform native been products from a cottage industry to a sustainble export market. Ann and Jeff Ross farm both honey bees and stingless native bees. To read the full article from The…
MEDIFARM TO HOST AUSTRALIA’S FIRST MEDICAL CANNABIS SYMPOSIUM
AUSTRALIAN doctors will soon be informed enough to treat patients effectively with medical cannabis, thanks to a Medifarm health initiative. A symposium aimed to guide doctors on the most up-to-date prescribing protocols, requirements and uses of medical cannabis will be held at the University of…
BEING AWESOME THROUGH INCLUSION & GLOBAL CONNECTION
It was a big night at the Innovation Centre Sunshine Coast with special guest speaker Heather J. MacKenzie taking the stage. We were blown away by Heather’s passion, purpose and powerful storytelling. Her depth of knowledge and experience with startups, entrepreneurs and as co-founder of…
INNOVATION CENTRE SUNSHINE COAST TO HOST BOLD INNOVATOR – HEATHER MACKENZIE
As part of the lead-up to Myriad Festival, founder, keynote speaker, super-connector and consultant Heather MacKenzie will visit the Sunshine Coast stopping in at the Innovation Centre to present Being Awesome Through Innovation, Inclusion and Global Connection on the 14 May at 5pm. Heather works…
IC CHAIRMAN PETER ISDALE – INNOVATION ON THE SUNSHINE COAST
Innovation Centre Sunshine Coast Chairman Dr Peter Isdale AM was interviewed at the Commonwealth Innovation Forum about innovation on the Sunshine Coast. Listen to the interview below.
BRINGING IT HOME: STARTUP CATALYST US MISSION INSIGHTS TO SUPPORT SUNSHINE COAST’S STARTUP COMMUNITY
Mark Paddenburg, CEO of the Innovation Centre Sunshine Coast, was one of the fortunate community leaders selected to join the second Startup Catalyst Mission to Boulder, Denver and San Francisco with 20 other participants this past March. According to Shark and Startup Catalyst Founder, Steve…