About the program
Queensland Connects is a regional entrepreneurship acceleration program that supports regional leaders to develop a detailed understanding of the strengths of their region or sector. The aim of the program is to educate and allow leaders to:
- Identify local solutions which strengthen their region/sector’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem
- Implement initiatives which build connections across the region or sector’s innovation ecosystem
- Accelerate economic growth and job creation through innovation-driven entrepreneurship
The program aims to solve a regional/industry challenge (their ‘must win battle’) or unlock key regional opportunities that will help connect and grow the region or sector. The program brings together teams of key regional innovation ecosystem leaders, including:
- Entrepreneurs
- Corporate representatives and enterprises
- Universities and research institutes
- Government
- Investors and/or risk capital representatives
To help develop strategies and initiatives to help solve their challenge or unlock key regional opportunities, each team will work with the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and will leverage the internationally regarded Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Regional Entrepreneurship Acceleration Program framework and resources.
Queensland Connects is part of the Queensland Government’s $5 million Advance Queensland Regional Futures initiative.
Program structure and timeframes
The program is structured around three interactive, two-day intensive workshops.
During the workshops, each successful team will work directly with QUT and other regional teams to gain feedback and support.
Input from MIT faculty members will provide a global perspective to the program. This will assist in gaining a deeper understanding of economic development around the world and from learnings across the broader MIT REAP community.
Between workshops, each team can leverage coaching to help them develop their strategy and activities in their region and to help solve their challenge or seize their opportunity to connect and grow their region or sector.
Key documents
More information
Read about Cohort 2 or watch these videos to learn about the experience of the Cohort 1 teams:
- Mackay
- Gladstone
- Toowoomba
- Professor Arun Sharma from the Queensland University of Technology, Team Champion for Team Queensland
- Queensland Connects Cohort 2 compilation.
Read the Queensland Connects Report for useful background on Queensland’s experience as part of the MIT REAP program.
