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Filed Under: BUSINESS, People of the Precinct, TECHNOLOGY

GCHKP’s International Women’s Day Event 2024

Our annual International Women’s Day function returned in fine style; we celebrated with fantastic conversations, inspirational stories and some great networking at Southport Sharks’ Aviary Rooftop Bar, the highest point in our precinct!

We spotlighted a trio of inspirational GCHKP researchers and innovators: Sonya Marshall-Gradisnik, Julia Crilly OAM and Monica Russell (below). All three kept our audience of 120+ GCHKP women and allies rapt, as did two impressive young alumni from the Queensland Academies Health Sciences Campus: Bella Danaher and Charli Horchner.

Huge thanks to our amazing guests for spending time on stage with us, as well as to our event presenting partners: Life Sciences Queensland, Gold Coast Private Hospital, Queensland Academies Health Sciences Campus, the Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service and Griffith University.

Filed Under: BUSINESS, TECHNOLOGY

eLu drives sustainable future in the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct

EV charging network company eLu has unveiled its first public charging station less than a year after setting up its Australian headquarters in the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct (GCHKP).

eLu has installed a best-in-class EV charging pod at the Parkwood Village Gold Coast Titans High-Performance Centre, with more eLu pods to soon roll out across Australia.

eLu’s Australian Director Doug Fraser says the Parkwood facility features the company’s eLumina D1 Supercharger, the fastest and most powerful battery-integrated EV charger in Australia.

ELu, says Mr Fraser, moved from “absolute zero traction” on its arrival on the Gold Coast in February 2023 to the December launch of its five-bay pod at Parkwood.

We’ve moved from absolute zero traction in February, when we met with Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate, to the Australian launch of our first electric vehicle charging pod in December 2023,” he says.

“To any other tech companies out there in Australia or from overseas looking to establish themselves in Australia and to build their business here, I honestly recommend having a talk to the team at the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct.

“You’ll be surprised what you can achieve here in a very short space of time.”

eLu’s Precinct base is within Cohort Innovation Space; they’re now planning a manufacturing plant at Yatala to support their growth.

The company is also finalising distribution points in Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and NSW and exhibited the D1 to exceptional industry feedback at the 2023 Mobility Live Expo in Sydney, Australia’s peak EV showcase.

Their flagship D1 Supercharger boasts an inbuilt smart energy management system that maximises energy consumption efficiencies and tailors charging delivery to all makes of 100% EVs.

The D1’s unique 200kwh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) can power 20 homes and enables the unit to draw low-trickle charge power from the grid (or from solar), but output at high speeds for a fast charge.

“Despite only being in the Australian market for a limited amount of time,” says Doug, “the team and our products have received exceptional feedback from government departments, fleet owners, EV car dealerships and venues from around Australia.”

GCHKP Director Craig Rowsell says eLu’s rapid progress is testament to the Precinct’s function as a launchpad for innovation-driven startups.

“The Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct provides a great landing pad for tech startups from across Australia and overseas,” says Mr Rowsell.

“Companies can establish their headquarters at the Cohort Innovation Space and then be connected to the broader manufacturing sites across the Gold Coast to scale their company.”

eLu Chief Operating Officer Chris Yang says the company feels right at home on the Gold Coast and has also begun exploring an R&D collaboration with Griffith University.

We felt that there was a genuine innovation spirit on the Gold Coast and that we would really like to be part of it,” he says.

“I think it’s really about the people. We’ve found really talented and inspirational people full of passion here on the Gold Coast.”

Filed Under: BUSINESS, HEALTH Tagged With: innovation summit

GCHKP experts speak at 2023 National Health and Innovation Precincts Summit

By Precinct Director Craig Rowsell

I had the pleasure of attending the 2023 National Health & Innovation Precincts Summit held in Sydney last week, alongside fellow GCHKP colleagues. This conference, in its second year, brings together key precinct stakeholders from across Australia and overseas including hospitals, universities, government, industry, start-ups and developers to discuss what makes innovation precincts effective in driving impact and investment to their regions. Personally, it was a great opportunity to meet many people that do the same job as me nationally and internationally.

In its simplest form, to improve health outcomes for our community, research and innovation needs to operate hand-in-hand with our health system. The co-location model delivered by innovation precincts is a key enabler of health translation, which also brings opportunity for greater community impact if done correctly, including job creation and economic diversification.

The conference discussed the growth in the number of innovation precincts being established across Australia noting to truly identify as a precinct, the manner in which the different stakeholders interact and work towards a shared vision is the critical element.

Dr Iris Depaz (left) from Sanofi with Griffith University Vice Chancellor Carolyn Evans and Acting Deputy Director General Mark Tierney, Queensland Government

During the summit, Dr Iris Depaz from the Sanofi Translational Science Hub gave insights into the global pharmaceutical company’s deliberate decision to open a new office within the GCHKP, at Griffith University’s Institute for Glycomics.

Dr Depaz described how a casual interaction with a researcher from Griffith University, led to discussion around aligned areas of research, resulting in new research partnerships. Dr Depaz also spoke about the co-location of startups within a precinct, and how they can filter new ideas, making it easier for large companies to innovate.

Gold Coast Health’s Dr Salim Memon spoke about how digital transformation crosses the borders of innovation precincts. He talked to the paradigm shift we are currently experiencing in how health care is being delivered, evident through artificial intelligence and medical imaging advancements. Technology is reducing errors whilst simultaneously improving staff satisfaction.

The more innovation precincts are embraced and supported by health services, the greater the opportunity for integration of new technologies, leading to improved outcomes in health service delivery.

Steve Woodyatt, CEO at precinct company Datarwe, spoke about the significant health and financial outcomes that can be achieved by sharing data. Risks vs rewards need to be weighed up – what benefits do we miss out on if we don’t share data?

Australian health services have significant data outputs and data centers are critical in storing this data locally in Australia as a means to maintain sovereign security. Centralised data platforms enable innovations in health by providing a secure space for clinicians, researchers and industry to access de-identified data to validate technologies, saving money and time.

Executive Director of Urban Planning for Economic Development Queensland Leisl Harris, spoke to the need for a unified precinct vision and the importance in investing considerable effort in shaping this vision and determining the value proposition of a precinct. Although this can be challenging, partnership and collaboration in the early stages is critical and will set up a precinct for long-term success. Holding true to an agreed vision is equally important in achieving growth and preserving the value for partners, investors and industry.

Steve Dolores, Senior Development Manager for Economic Development Queensland discussed the influence of responsible placemaking and planning that underpins the physical design of common spaces, and with transport and connectivity is imperative to foster organic connections and ultimately spark innovation.

Co-location with great amenities, backed by good placemaking decisions, attracts talent. Good placemaking is one thing, but the physical space is only as good as the environment it provides for the precinct eco-system to meet and collaborate.

Steve highlighted an important consideration in the overarching governance strategy is to identify how physical spaces will be maintained, managed and curated post-construction. An innovative means is to set up a Precinct Management entity owned by all building owners who share the costs of maintaining public spaces, not unlike a body corporate where a constitution is in place that includes a requirement for activation.

Finally, I led a roundtable discussion with Mark Aimes from Macquarie Park Innovation District and Matthew Proft from Tech Central on “How Precincts Collaborate”. This topic has been a common thread throughout the conference to better share information and best practices, to raise the bar nationally and internationally.

Craig Rowsell, Matthew Proft and Mark Aimes

A new group was established off the back of this discussion in the Australian Innovation District Professionals Network, to begin information sharing to build an ecosystem of trust amongst innovation precincts.

The conference concluded with the announcement that the 2024 National Health and Innovation Precinct Summit will be held on the Gold Coast 3-4 December 2024, showcasing the GCHKP.

I hope to see all interested stakeholders attend and continue to raise the profile and build the capacity of innovation precincts in Australia moving forward.