The Sunshine Coast is one of Australia’s fastest growing regions and is home to a unique and thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem
The region’s largest and most successful innovation hub for entrepreneurs, the Innovation Centre, is conveniently located on USC’s campus.
The IC allows entrepreneurs of all backgrounds to access:
- First-class facilities, including innovative working spaces, conference rooms, flexible offices, and more
- Guidance from experienced professionals throughout one’s entrepreneurial journey
- Networking opportunities with some of the best and brightest from around the globe, who provide an abundance of global experience and knowledge for budding entrepreneurs
Sample schedule/Activities
|
Day |
Activities |
| Day 1 |
Pick-up at Brisbane airport and check-in in Sunshine Coast hotel. |
| Day 2 |
Tour of the Sunshine Coast and welcome dinner The tour provides an interesting perspective of some of the Coast’s treasured tourist assets:
|
| Day 3 | Experience the unique blended learning capabilities of USC. Enjoy a boardroom lunch and one-on-one time with some of the Asia-Pacific’s most innovative emerging and successful entrepreneurs. |
| Day 4 | Visit the Sunshine Coast Council and meet with the Economic Development Team to understand the Council’s work to create the specialist precinct and how they attract investments to the region. |
| Day 5 | Advance networking and experiential learning through a meetup event with emerging and alumni entrepreneurs. Connect with some of Australia’s best entrepreneurial mentors over lunch. Receive feedback and professional insight on your own business ideas, make connections to bring back home. |
| Day 6 | Visit an iconic Sunshine Coast luxury accommodation business – Spicers Tamarind Retreat. Meet and enjoy lunch with Tom Wegener, a globally successful local entrepreneur who has been making surfboards from a small shed on the Sunshine Coast for the past 12 years. Throughout this time, he has faced many challenges and changes to his business, but now has a highly acclaimed international reputation as one of the world’s leading sustainable surfboard makers. Buderim Ginger Factory - From a small ginger farming community, Buderim Ginger has come a long way to holding the status of the world’s finest ginger producers, food processors and tourist destinations. Learn about their history and how they have reached success from both their growers and producers as well as their marketing team. |
| Day 7 | Meet with the team involved with the Sunshine Coast’s first food accelerator business Grow Coastal and visit some of their partner facilities, such as Food Matters or Gourmet Gardens. Visit Queensland Yoghurt and learn about how Noosa Yogurt made its way from the beach town of Noosa all the way to grocery store shelves around the United States. |
| Optional |
1 Day Tour of Fraser Island - Fraser Island is a heritage-listed island located along the south-eastern coast of the state of Queensland, Australia. It is the world largest sand island stretching 120kms. 2 Day Tour of Lady Elliot Island - Lady Elliot Island is a coral cay located at the southern tip of the World Heritage Listed Great Barrier Reef. Situated within a highly protected ’Green Zone’ the island is a sanctuary for over 1,200 species of marine life and is known for its abundance of manta rays, turtles, and unspoilt coral reef. |