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Filed Under: Uncategorised Tagged With: Cohort, INVESTFEST, Investment, startups, venture capital

INVEST-FEST accelerates founder funding

If the buzz is a marker of deals getting seeded, then the inaugural INVEST-FEST has proven a huge success in matching local founders with some of the best operators in the Australian venture capital landscape.

In a sign of the maturity of the Gold Coast’s tech sector, 75 investor-ready founders had the chance to pitch to 25+ leading VC’s, with the Precinct the perfect location to bring money and minds together to scale new innovation.

175+ conversations later, and we can’t wait to hear the outcomes.

The team from Cohort Innovation Space conceived the event, securing support from our Precinct, City of Gold Coast and the Queensland Government through Lumina.

Thanks to Elli Hanson from Side Stage Ventures for blending her experience as both a founder and VC into an inspiring keynote with a message that it’s about more than the money – from small cheques, big things can grow, when investors lean in to help founders succeed.

From investor Sachin Samarawickrama of Sydney-based Folklore Ventures – “great to see the thriving startup ecosystem on the Gold Coast, I’m excited to see the next generation of incredible businesses that emerge out of the Goldie.”

Invest Gold Coast’s Bianca Park summed up the value proposition – lifestyle helps founders ‘find their flow’ and community helps them succeed – “The TECH industry on the Gold Coast is swiftly becoming a global hotspot for scaling innovative ideas,” Bianca says. “We defy burnout because we’re prioritising our welbeing by going for a surf, starting the day with sunrise yoga or having investor chats on Founder Fridays. I’m most proud of the community spirit that’s building here on the GC and the number of entities chipping in to help this rocket take off!”

Jason Fielding, Head of Voice Capital at Main Sequence Ventures with a focus on capital for social impact agrees: “YES – the Gold Coast is building something special.”

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.

Filed Under: HEALTH, People of the Precinct, PROJECTS, TECHNOLOGY Tagged With: Clinical Trial, Gold Coast, Griffith University, James St John, nerve bridge, World first

World-first clinical trial for treating spinal cord injury

James St John at Griffith University

World-first clinical trial for treating spinal cord injury

A world-first clinical trial that could revolutionise the treatment of spinal cord injuries has been announced.

The trial combines nerve bridge therapy with patient-centred rehabilitation, aiming to restore independence for individuals affected by spinal cord injury.

This breakthrough represents a significant advancement in translating cutting-edge research into clinical practice, offering new hope to those living with these life-changing injuries.

Griffith University researcher, Professor James St John and his team from the Clem Jones Centre for Neurobiology and Stem Cell Research said olfactory ensheathing cells are the specialised cells within the olfactory (sense of smell) nerve within the nose that have numerous therapeutic properties for repairing and regenerating nerves.

“With more than 20,000 Australians living with spinal cord injury, and another 300 or more people having spinal cord injury each year, now is the time to translate this therapy into the clinic,” Professor St John said.

“We have designed the trial in close consultation with the spinal injury community, clinicians and industry partners to ensure the trial meets the needs and expectations of the trial participants, and has the best chance of success.”

The trial is funded by the Medical Research Future Fund, Perry Cross Spinal Research Foundation, The Clem Jones Foundation, Queensland Government, Nicola and Andrew Forrest, Brazil Family Foundation, Terry and Rhonda White, and Griffith University.

Find out more on the Griffith University website