About the program
Advance Queensland's Advancing Regional Innovation Program aims to turn our regions into hubs for innovation and enterprise. It will enable local entrepreneurs, business leaders and key industries to collaborate closely and with government to harness innovation and unlock business potential, strengthen existing industries and prepare regional Queenslanders for jobs of the future.
The program's tailored approach helps to connect local efforts, harness existing strengths and build regional capability. The intention is to build networks of innovative communities across the state that reflect the diversity of Queensland's regions, draw people together and boost grassroots activities.
The program aims to support the development and increased maturity of regional innovation initiatives. The objectives are to promote:
- Collaboration—encouraging stakeholders to collaborate to build innovation capabilities across their region
- Leverage—ensuring activities have broad support and contributions from multiple partners
- Sustainability—seeding activities, relationships and structures that will extend beyond the funding commitment for this program
- Impact—supporting activities that make a demonstrable difference to innovation-driven opportunities and jobs in regional Queensland.
The program has designated 12 regions each with a $500,000 Advancing Regional Innovation Program.
- Darling Downs and Maranoa
- Far North Queensland
- North Queensland
- Gold Coast
- Fitzroy
- Wide Bay Burnett
- Ipswich and West Moreton
- Mackay-Isaac-Whitsunday
- Moreton Bay
- Outback Queensland
- Redland and Logan
- Sunshine Coast
Development of the program (formerly known as the Advance Queensland Regional Innovation Hubs Program) was supported by research on the features of successful innovation ecosystems. We partnered with strategy and design company Business Models Inc. and identified five key features for successful ecosystems.
For further program information and assistance, please email regionalinnovation@ditid.qld.gov.au.
Regional Innovation Showcase
Advance Queensland provides the opportunity for regional innovators and entrepreneurs to hear local and international speakers and connect with a valuable network of collaboration and partnership opportunities across Australia, Asia Pacific and beyond.
Through the Advancing Regional Innovation Program (ARIP), provided funding to each of the 12 ARIP regions to support regional innovators to attend and interact at Myriad in 2017 and 2018 and QODE in 2019 to showcase their ideas to major corporations and international investors. Each selected regional delegate received an event ticket and had the opportunity to showcase their product/service.
Startups and innovators from regional Queensland showcase their businesses as part of their region's delegation at QODE. Find out more about the 2019 Regional Innovation Showcase and the successful Regional Innovation Showcase applicants for 2019.
