2021-03-09 Planning & Environment Committee Meeting Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                     9 MARCH 2021


11    PEREGIAN DIGITAL HUB – HALF YEAR REPORT TO 31 DECEMBER 2020

Author            Acting Director Environment and Sustainable Development, Anthony Dow
                  Environment and Sustainable Development Department

Index             ECM/ Subject/ 102.01 Digital Hub

Attachments       Nil


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report provides an update and review of the performance and activities at the Peregian Digital
Hub (The Digital Hub), for the 6 months to 31 December 2020. The COVID pandemic impacted
the Digital Hub’s activities and financial results at times during this period, with a total shutdown
for the period mid-March to 30 June 2020. In-line with a COVID Safe plan, a rolling re-opening and
return of tenants commenced from 1 July 2020 and the Digital Hub activities, in general terms,
returned to ‘pre-COVID’ levels.
The objective of the Peregian Digital Hub is to operate a commercially-sustainable collaboration
facility whilst delivering public service outcomes that develop the digital industry and help
accelerate the diversification of the local economy in line with Council’s Local Economic Plan.
Despite the obvious challenges in 2020 of a global pandemic raging through much of its second
year of operations, the Peregian Digital Hub continues to be a success.
Key highlights include:
     The Hub is at full capacity and buzzing with a full schedule of activities
     Hub financials are ahead of budget.
     Hub programs have attracted almost $2.5m of investment from State and Federal
      governments in the last 12 months.
     Hub member companies have added over 40 high-value, full-time local jobs in the same
      period and attracted over $5m in venture capital.
     The Hub’s Firetech program has placed Noosa on the global technology map as a growing
      centre of excellence for bushfire-resilience technologies.

RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Acting Director Environment and Sustainable Development to
the Planning and Environment Committee meeting dated 09 March 2021 providing a half year
report on the performance and activities of The Digital Hub for the period 1 July 2020 to 31
December 2020.

REPORT
This report provides an update and review of the performance and activities at the Peregian Digital
Hub (The Digital Hub), for the 6 months to 31 December 2020. Following a COVID-enforced
shutdown of the Hub from mid-March to 30 June 2020 the Hub began a COVID-safe re-opening
from 1 July 2020 and activities gradually returned to ‘pre-COVID’ levels.
The Digital Hub’s purpose-built facility is designed to house multiple digital companies and
individual workers in an open, modern environment suited to collaboration. The Hub’s cutting-edge
architecture accommodates a mix of established technology enterprises in private office spaces
as well as individual entrepreneurs, digital specialists and technologists operating in a co-working
environment.



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