With a lineup of inspiring speakers and an atmosphere charged with innovative spirit, the Advance Queensland Ignite+ Program Graduation Day on 26 October celebrated the achievements of entrepreneurs who are propelling their businesses to new heights in Queensland and globally.
Most of the program graduates are recipients of Ignite Ideas funding, which has supported commercialisation and upscaling of their products and services, continuously strengthening their presence in the market.
These development journeys have been made easier by the Ignite+ Program, an exclusive initiative for Advance Queensland funding recipients and selected Queensland startups and scaleups.
The program, delivered by the Advisory Board Centre for Advance Queensland, equips participants with tailored mentoring, invaluable business advice, professional development, and access to a network of influential business connections, all designed to empower them to accelerate their businesses' growth.
The event featured distinguished speakers who shared their insights and experiences.
Dr. Vu Tran, Co-Founder of the global digital platform Go1, Brisbane's first unicorn business, spoke about the innovation journey, commercialisation, and scaling up, and shed light on the pivotal role the Ignite+ Program plays in this process.
Wayne Gerard, Operating Partner at QIC Private Equity, explored the factors that influence the success of scaling up a business, offering valuable advice to the entrepreneurs present.
Business founders, including Johanna Kloot from Green KPI, Phil Slade from Switch4Schools, Karmin Kenny from Mineral Fox, and Will Swain from TerraCipher, shared their perspectives on the Ignite+ Program.
They highlighted how the support received from Advance Queensland has significantly benefitted their businesses, emphasising the program's impact on their personal and professional growth.
The event also featured a lively Q&A session with an expert panel comprising Dr Tran, Wayne Gerard, Karmin Kenny and Will Swain.
Look out for Advance Queensland’s special video features in which some of the graduates share their experiences as entrepreneurs and Ignite+ participants.
