{"id":44238,"date":"2023-10-20T15:34:31","date_gmt":"2023-10-20T15:34:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/startupsmart.test\/2023\/10\/20\/microsoft-launches-innovation-centre-to-boost-qld-start-up-scene-startupsmart\/"},"modified":"2023-10-20T15:34:31","modified_gmt":"2023-10-20T15:34:31","slug":"microsoft-launches-innovation-centre-to-boost-qld-start-up-scene-startupsmart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.startupsmart.com.au\/uncategorized\/microsoft-launches-innovation-centre-to-boost-qld-start-up-scene-startupsmart\/","title":{"rendered":"Microsoft launches innovation centre to boost Qld start-up scene &#8211; StartupSmart"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Global tech giant Microsoft has launched the Queensland Microsoft Innovation Centre, which aims to assist in the establishment of 100 start-ups alongside industry partners over three years.<\/p>\n<p><span id=\"more-6370\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The centre, which builds on Microsoft\u2019s <a href=\"technology\/microsoft-signs-up-start-up-incubators-to-$60k-bizspark-plus-program\/201202235484.html\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">BizSpark program<\/span><\/a> in Australia, will become the hub of the program.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>It will work with other initiatives such as BizSpark Plus, which boasts an impressive range of partners including AngelCube, Blue Chilli, Fishburners and PushStart.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The centre will focus on accelerating the growth of SMEs, start-ups and student entrepreneurs, with a focus on three key areas: skills, business development and connection to industry.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The goals of the centre include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Assisting in the establishment of 100 start-ups over three years.<\/li>\n<li>Working alongside industry partners to develop successful start-ups.<\/li>\n<li>Extending reach into regional Queensland to assist in establishing start-ups and to leverage the National Broadband Network.<\/li>\n<li>Supporting and equipping businesses through commercial success or acquisition.<\/li>\n<li>Positioning Queensland as a flagship state for innovation in productivity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Sharon Schoenborn, Microsoft Australia state director for Queensland and the Northern Territory, says the centre reflects Microsoft\u2019s commitment to promoting innovation and growth.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe launch of the Queensland Microsoft Innovation Centre will help bridge some of the current gaps for start-ups in their journey to success by equipping and inspiring them to innovate,\u201d Schoenborn said in a statement.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe centre will act as a hub of innovation for start-ups, partners, developers and students to exchange ideas, build on each other\u2019s strengths and translate those assets into greater&#8230; success.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The centre will be launched in partnership with Microsoft\u2019s network of investment, accelerator and incubation partners in Queensland and the rest of Australia.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Launch partners include Lean Market Research, QUT Innovation Space, IdeaNetwork, River City Labs, Sales Monkey and Australian Capital Investment.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>According to Maree Adshead, Queensland chair of the Australian Information Industries Association, innovation will be the key in Queensland\u2019s plight to become a global competitor.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYoung technology start-ups are the engine room of innovation and are critical to a healthy technology ecosystem,\u201d Adshead says.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor too long, young Queensland innovation has been the quiet achiever.&nbsp;This initiative will have a real and long-lasting impact.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Similarly, Colin Kinner, managing director of Spike Innovation and an \u201cinnovation evangelist\u201d at Brisbane co-working space River City Labs, says the Queensland start-up scene needs a boost.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe innovation ecosystem in Queensland will only flourish if there is a blend of technology expertise, commercial guidance and early stage capital,\u201d Kinner says.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith the launch of the Queensland Microsoft Innovation Centre, there will be a valuable new resource available for Queensland start-ups to tap into.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m looking forward to seeing Microsoft leverage its global network to help the next batch of local entrepreneurs make it on a world stage.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Global tech giant Microsoft has launched the Queensland Microsoft Innovation Centre, which aims to assist in the establishment of 100<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":59347,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.startupsmart.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44238"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.startupsmart.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.startupsmart.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.startupsmart.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.startupsmart.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44238"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.startupsmart.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44238\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.startupsmart.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/59347"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.startupsmart.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44238"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.startupsmart.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44238"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.startupsmart.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44238"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}