In the lead up to the 2018 Commonwealth Games billions of dollars were invested into the Gold Coast, not only to meet the event’s infrastructure needs, but to ensure the city could leverage its potential in the post Games era. Aside from the physical infrastructure substantial emphasis was placed on realising the city’s intellectual capital, particularly through entrepreneurial enterprises and innovative start-ups. As Australia’s small business capital the strategy made perfect sense.

As part of that strategy $5 billion was invested into the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge precinct, encompassing Griffith University’s research facilities, the new University Hospital, the Gold Coast Private Hospital and the G:Link light rail service. The GC2018 Athlete’s Village occupied some 10 hectares within the precinct, a parcel of land now being reimagined as Lumina, an entrepreneurial nursery for innovative, high technology enterprises, many of which will feed into, and form partnerships with, Griffith University’s world leading biomedical research facilities.

A tech company based in the heart of Surfers Paradise is winning international accolades for the way its changing agricultural practices across the globe. Social enterprise AgUnity has developed a platform that empowers poor farmers in developing countries by improving their agricultural practices so that they can become profitable.

By using blockchain in the backend of their platform AgUnity are able to guarantee security for farmers and in doing so tackle the issues of graft and corruption which plague farming in those countries.

Saint Stephens College has taken out the top prize in the 2019 Mayor’s Telstra Technology Awards. Top Binzzz is an app designed to attract gamers into playing physical sport and athletes to become better at sport by utilising technology.

Saint Stephens students Kaveendra Dissabandara, Zachary Haywood and Samara Lowie developed their idea because they wanted to see obesity rates drop through more physical exercise and to enhance their sporting prowess through the use of the latest technology. When asked what set their idea apart Zac answered: “simplicity of design was the key.” 

The Venue Management Association moved to the Gold Coast from Brisbane five years ago and CEO Michael Brierley says they’ve never looked back. “A lot of the people we work with on the Gold Coast are very innovative and have a great sense of fun. It’s also such a beautiful place to work.”

Amy Kwan and China (pronounced Chee-na) Yamasaki are students from Griffith University and Southern Cross University respectively. Both are serving internships with Tyler International, a Gold Coast based study tour organisation. CEO Angela Tyler says her company is always happy to accept students who believe their internship experience will benefit their career aspirations.   

Michael Metcalfe is the founder of Kynd, a healthcare app that empowers people to choose the right carer, based on their unique needs. The Southern Cross University alumnus launched his startup two years ago and has since grown rapidly in an industry that is undergoing significant change.  

“For the past 40 years the health care industry has worked a certain way with everything controlled by the traditional provider, but over the last few years the sector has become deregulated and we’ve also seen the introduction of the NDIS scheme,” says Michael.