• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Gold Coast Health & Knowledge Precinct

Transform with us

  • Home
  • About Us
    • Strategic Plan
    • Partners
      • City of Gold Coast
      • Griffith University
      • Gold Coast Health
      • Economic Development Queensland
      • Gold Coast Private Hospital
      • Cohort
      • Southport Sharks
    • Our people
    • Precinct Office
    • Map
    • Contact Us
  • Do Business
    • Investment Incentives
  • Live & Play
    • Australia’s Gold Coast
    • Residential – Smith Collective
    • Lifestyle – Retail and Recreation
  • Work & Study
  • Projects
    • Projects Overview
    • ADaPT
    • Clinical Entrepreneurship Change Agents Program
    • NeuTex Image-guided Surgery and Robotics Training Centre
  • Research
    • Overview
      • Additive Manufacturing
      • Biotechnologies
    • Research Institutes and Centres
    • Precinct experts
    • Research Equipment & Facilities
    • Clinical Trials
    • Health and medical training and conference hub
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Newsletter
    • Media
    • Video Channel
  • 中文
    • English
    • 中文

Filed Under: BUSINESS, HEALTH, INVEST, People of the Precinct, PROJECTS, STUDY, TECHNOLOGY Tagged With: Cohort, Gold Coast, Incubator, Student

Student innovation incubator set to launch in 2025

Cohort, located in the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct

Student innovation incubator set to launch in 2025

The NextGen Incubator, a new three-year student entrepreneurship program, is set to launch in the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct in 2025, following the recent funding announcement by the Queensland Government.

The student incubator will support entrepreneurial pathways for students and young innovators on the Gold Coast, tailored to bridge the gap between formal education and real-world entrepreneurship.

Craig Rowsell, Director of the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct welcomed the new initiative, which will be delivered by CoSpaces in the Precinct’s Cohort space, in collaboration with Griffith University.

“This initiative will ensure that the next generation of entrepreneurs have the support they need to commercialise their ideas and create new businesses in the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct,” Craig said.

“Cohort is the perfect place for young innovators to start their business journey – the co-working space, located in the heart of the Precinct, already supports a new generation of innovators, and is a launchpad for health and technology start-ups.

“The students will have the chance to meet and learn from some of the top talent who work in the Precinct, providing them with a solid foundation to chase their entrepreneurial dreams.”

The NextGen Incubator will offer hands-on workshops, coaching, a pre-accelerator program, 1:1 mentoring, and networking opportunities with industry leaders and investors. Participants will also gain access to events such as pitch nights, hackathons, and expert panels.

CoSpaces CEO Ben Howe said the team had identified a strong need for a program of this kind on the Gold Coast.

“The incubator will not only benefit young people and students, but many other regional stakeholders including startups, academia and the ecosystem organisations,” Ben said.

“By accelerating student and youth pathways into entrepreneurship, the incubator will foster collaboration between students and industry, provide mentorship to bring innovative new products to commercialisation stage, and accelerate the regional adoption of entrepreneurship on the Gold Coast.”

The NextGen Incubator project has received $300,000 funding under the Queensland Government’s Advance Queensland’s Regional Enablers Program (REP) and will run from 2025 to 2028. Information on how to apply to be part of the program will be released in the coming months.

October 30, 2024 By Gemma Bull

Filed Under: HEALTH, STUDY Tagged With: Cohort, Gold Coast, Griffith University, health innovation

Meet Dennis Nguyen

Meet Dennis Nguyen.

Growing up in Vietnam in the 2000’s, Dennis developed a passion for healthcare and innovation, inspired by stories of technological advancements and entrepreneurship he read on the internet.  

Setting his sights on a career in the healthcare innovation industry, Dennis made the decision to move abroad to study at Griffith University in the heart of the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct. Dennis has embraced the Gold Coast life, jumping on every opportunity that comes his way, and becoming an active member of the Griffith and Gold Coast communities.   

He’s looking toward a future where he can use emerging technology, such as Artificial Intelligence, to develop new treatments for diseases and improve medical devices.   

We sat down with Dennis to chat about what it’s like to study and live on the Gold Coast.  

Q. What are you studying at Griffith University, and how far through your studies are you?  

A. I am currently in my third year studying Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science at Griffith University. As I approach my clinical placement, I am excited to apply what I’ve learned directly in a clinical setting. Medical Laboratory Science plays a crucial role in diagnostics, contributing to up to 70% of all medical decisions. This field not only deepens my understanding and interpretation of various medical tests but also discover the bridges between on-going and innovative diagnostic tools with essential medical background.  

Q. Why did you choose to study overseas?   

A. Growing up in the 2000s, an era of internet breakthroughs, I was fortunate to be exposed to inspiring stories of technological advancements and entrepreneurship. This exposure, coupled with the reading of historical books, deeply instilled in me the desire to pursue a career in the technological healthcare sector. Motivated by this passion, I have always aspired to study abroad in an unfamiliar environment that not only challenges me and but also supports and aligns with my career-goal of innovative healthcare.  

Q. What made you choose the Gold Coast as your destination to come and study in Australia?  

A. I first learned about the Gold Coast from family recommendations. After conducting thorough research on the area and the educational facilities, I discovered Griffith University and then the Gold Coast’s Health and Knowledge Precinct, I am convinced that it is the ideal place for my future studies. The Precinct’s mission of “people transforming lives” aligns with my desire to immerse myself in new experiences and grow both personally and academically.  

Q. What programs or groups have you been part of since moving to the Gold Coast? 

A. Alongside my studies, I have dedicated my time and energy to a range of activities. My journey began as a volunteer with Griffith Mates—an organisation part of Griffith International that supports international students in their transition to life in Australia and at Griffith University. We have hosted and participated in various cultural exchange events, aiming to help international students bond and feel welcomed at Griffith University. I have engaged in similar roles at the School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences as a student mentor.   

These experiences have underscored the importance of contributing to the community and how it can profoundly impact individual growth. Most recently, I was honoured to become one of the 2024 Mayor’s Student Ambassadors, a role in which I represent and promote the Gold Coast globally as not only a beautiful destination to live but also a land of excellent education and opportunities.  

Q. What connections have your studies or other programs had with the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct?   

A. During my educational journey at Griffith University, I have been deeply inspired by the dynamic medical sciences research that permeates the atmosphere—something that teachers, mentors, and even my University friends are continuously contributing.   

Through the university’s mentorship network, I have had the privilege of connecting with industry leaders who work at the Precinct, further enhancing my academic and professional experiences.  

Additionally, my passion for entrepreneurship constantly drives me to seek new learning opportunities. The Cohort Innovation Space at the Precinct has become one of my favourite destinations. It is here that I took one of my favourite courses, the Griffith Innovation Challenge, which focuses on teaching entrepreneurship and its application in solving real-world problems.  

The Cohort also provides a dynamic platform for events that allow students like me to learn, engage with industry leaders, and continue to nurture my aspirations in the field of innovative healthcare.   

Q. Do you feel you have been offered opportunities to connect with people/organisations via the Precinct?  

A. Absolutely! As a student passionate about advanced medical research and its potential to transform lives, the Precinct offers an ideal environment for connecting with like-minded and leading individuals. The people here are proactive, always ready to offer support and inspiration, making it a fantastic place for someone like me who is just starting.  

Q. Where would you like to see yourself in 5 years’ time?   

A. In near-future time, I would love to see myself gaining as much experience as possible in Medical Laboratory Science. However, with all the opportunities, education and network that I have found at the Precinct whilst being as a student, I wonder how great it would be if I continue my involvements as a health-care professions in a supporting ecosystem like the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct!? 

Q. What advice would you give to a school leaver about choosing their next step?  

A. For students studying on the Gold Coast, particularly those will be pursuing a healthcare degree at Griffith University, I believe that we are fortunate to be part of a supportive environment that support our growth potential. The best approach we can take is to continually strive for improvement in our daily activities, engage in various experiences to learn more about ourselves, and regularly reflect on these experiences. This mindset will help us excel both academically and personally.  

  

Thanks, Dennis, for taking the time to talk to us, and we look forward to seeing you in and around the precinct!   

September 9, 2024 By Gemma Bull

Filed Under: BUSINESS, STUDY Tagged With: internships, students

Student interns make their mark with Precinct companies

A cybersecurity forum proved popular with students looking for internships

As students prepare to start the second university trimester for 2022, a culture of internships within Precinct companies is building, as start-ups and scale-up companies see the benefits of testing out student talent for future employment and students realise the opportunities to be exposed to a broad range of projects on offer in smaller companies.

It’s been a busy first six months of 2022 and 23 student interns have played their part in supporting the growth of several Cohort Innovation Space companies.

Cybersecurity, data science and software development are all areas of strong industry growth and the appetite for up-and-coming talent is growing just as quickly.

Since being named in Forbes 2021 list of top cybersecurity start-ups, SecureStack, a cybersecurity company focused on helping app developers make their products more secure, has seen significant growth, including working with their customer AustCyber, the federal body in charge of cybersecurity policy in Australia, to help small businesses understand cybersecurity challenges. AustCyber’s use of the SecureStack platform has grown by more than 300% since they onboarded in 2021, while SecureStack has also partnered with AWS and GitHub to offer services on their native marketplaces, and linked with of the world’s largest cyber insurance companies to help their customers be more prepared for cyber attacks.

Student interns have helped meet business demand, according to SecureStack’s founder and CEO Paul McCarty.

“The main benefit of having interns is that we can help build out the specific skill set that we need, that is generally hard to find in market here, which is a software engineer with cybersecurity experience,” Paul says.

“The most important thing we look for in intern candidates is drive and hunger to learn.  If we find that all the other stuff is easy, as you can train and educate them, but that yearning to learn is NOT something you can train in someone, they need to have it to begin with.”

Bringing companies and students together to discuss cybersecurity careers

Paul shared his advice in a panel discussion that attracted 45 Griffith University IT students across undergraduate and postgraduate programs, all keen to learn about the benefits of small company experience over a corporate placement in kick-starting their careers.

He was joined on the panel by fellow Cohort cybersecurity firm CyberAudit Team and other industry representatives, along with Professor Paulo de Souza, Head of Griffith’s IT School, who indicated student numbers across IT programs had jumped 130% above pre-Covid levels.

“We will opportunistically hire,” Paul MCarty says. “We use internships to recruit talent and we will make openings for the right people.”

“One of my former interns who is now working with us said it best: ‘I love working here because I get to be across all of the things that SecureStack does and I can find areas that need help and I can fill that gap and become an indispensable member of the team.’   I couldn’t have said it better!”

SecureStack took on five interns, including Faisal Imtiaz, who is set to graduate as a software engineer this year.

Faisal Imtiaz, software engineer intern

“When I was offered an internship at SecureStack, I liked and understood their business objective and they were working on two things that I liked the most; Security and Programming,” Faisal says.

Over and above the technical experience are the key real-world learnings – “I am learning how a tech-based company works and how multiple people collaborate on a single project. How communication and management is done in a development-focused environment.”

The team from Edify Medical at last year’s LuminaX pitch night

For Edify Medical, a health tech start-up and graduates of last year’s inaugural LuminaX Accelerator program, taking on students for group projects across two trimesters is key to their philosophy to drive local employment, rather than seek remote talent overseas.

Edify Medical is creating a medical education platform to support healthcare workers in different languages who don’t currently have equality of access to up-to-date medical training resources, with their EdifyMed app.

Creative Director and Chief Technology Officer Adrian Marshall says 12 Griffith students are collaborating across two key projects to assist their platform development.

“The students we are working with on the group projects have come up with some fantastic ideas and we look forward to seeing how they execute them,” Adrian says.

“We’re excited to work with the students and look forward to building a relationship with Griffith moving forward.”

Data-driven technology company Datarwe has actively supported interns at both undergraduate and PhD level – they profile some of their current and former interns (some who are now working for them) here.

Meanwhile, Cohort recently caught up with Griffith international student Tay Ninh from Vietnam to talk about how he landed an internship gig at one of Australia’s fastest-growing start-ups Desygner.

The Precinct Office has embedded a resource within Cohort to facilitate connections between companies and Griffith University students.

July 15, 2022 By Kathy Kruger

  • Page 1
  • Page 2
  • Page 3
  • Page 4
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • From Research to Reality: GCHKP Talent Leads the LuminaX 2025 Cohort
  • A New Era of Health and Tech Innovation: HATRIC to Transform the Gold Coast
  • Clinician Entrepreneurship Program wraps as a big success
  • 2025 International Women’s Day
  • International Women’s Day event 2025
  • Associate Prof Lara Herrero leading the fight against mosquito-borne diseases and advancing medical research
  • INVEST-FEST accelerates founder funding
  • Student innovation incubator set to launch in 2025
  • World-first clinical trial for treating spinal cord injury
  • Australian-designed Total Artificial Heart amongst The Australian’s Top 100

Archives

  • April 2025
  • March 2025
  • February 2025
  • November 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • July 2024
  • May 2024
  • April 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • October 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • May 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • December 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • October 2018
  • August 2018

Subscribe to our newsletter and we’ll update you on all that’s new in our Precinct.

Latest News

From Research to Reality: GCHKP Talent Leads the LuminaX 2025 Cohort image

From Research to Reality: GCHKP Talent Leads the LuminaX 2025 Cohort

Read More >

A New Era of Health and Tech Innovation: HATRIC to Transform the Gold Coast image

A New Era of Health and Tech Innovation: HATRIC to Transform the Gold Coast

Read More >

Clinician Entrepreneurship Program wraps as a big success image

Clinician Entrepreneurship Program wraps as a big success

Read More >

2025 International Women's Day image

2025 International Women's Day

Read More >

International Women's Day event 2025 image

International Women's Day event 2025

Read More >

Associate Prof Lara Herrero leading the fight against mosquito-borne diseases and advancing medical research image

Associate Prof Lara Herrero leading the fight against mosquito-borne diseases and advancing medical research

Read More >

Before Footer

Search

Asia-Pacific’s emerging health and innovation hub, the 200-hectare Gold Coast Health & Knowledge Precinct (GCHKP) is a unique global business location for high-tech industry development, research collaboration and jobs of the future.

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Precinct Map
  • News
  • Do Business
  • Work & Study
  • Partners
  • Projects
  • Research
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Subscribe
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube

© 2025 Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct. All rights reserved.

Designed and Developed by Stead Lane