2020-02-11 Services and Organisation Committee Agenda

SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                              11 FEBRUARY 2020


   Sunshine Business Awards 2019 winners iexpedition and Gravity Fit, are both connected to
     The Digital Hub and received support from The Digital Hub Director.
   Provectus Algae, with connection and mentoring support from The Digital Hub Director,
     raised initial capital funds, recruited a number of local residents including an intern, and has
     recently confirmed their research HQ in the Noosaville industrial estate.
   EarthTech is a social enterprise and significant Hub tenant that is supporting people to
     create the technologies that respond to our sustainability challenges. The first major
     initiative of this venture is the youth focused Earth Tech Challenge held over the period
     December to February 2020 and culminating in a 2 day Summit at Makepeace Island in
     Noosa, where winning teams will work with experts and investors to take their solution
     global. The Challenge has received over 800 team entries from around the world.
   GovHack 2019, supported by Noosa Council and hosted at The Digital Hub in September
     2019 resulted in a record number of State Government recognition awards and at the
     National finals in Canberra in November, project ‘Wilky’ took out the CSIRO Ocean
     environment sponsored category.
   “Shauna Hill is a contemporary indigenous artist and digital illustrator from the Gubbi
     Gubbi/Kabi Kabi people.” That’s the description you will find on Shauna’s website, but 12
     months ago she began an administration traineeship with SevGen as the receptionist and
     barista at the Deadly Espresso Kiosk at The Digital Hub. Fast forward and by December
     2019, Shauna had completed her traineeship and with support from The Digital Hub
     Director has built an indigenous digital illustration business that has already received 2
     significant local commissions, secured national work and Shauna was recently featured on
     the front page of the Sunshine Coast Daily Weekend magazine.
   FireTech 2020 was first conceptualised in October 2019, following the Peregian Fires.
     Since then Federal and State government have taken significant interest in the program
     and following recent publicity in the Sydney Morning Herald, 20 businesses from around
     Australia have registered their interest and strategic partnership discussions are well
     underway. FireTech 2020 will consist of a business acceleration program, international
     conference and the vision to establish a hub for Fire Technology related businesses in
     Noosa, potentially as part of the Digital Hub expansion plans.

2020 is shaping up to be a significant and impactful year for The Digital Hub: Co-work demand is
increasing; a new fire technology tenant is expected to expand; the Earth Tech Summit will be
held in February; FireTech 2020 will be officially launched in early 2020; as part of the Rufous
Street masterplan, the existing Community House will undergo a refit to accommodate
technology businesses and events; and our technology talent development program will continue
to grow.

RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Economic Development Manager to the Services and
Organisation Committee Meeting dated 11 February 2020, providing an update on the activities
of the Peregian Digital Hub for the period 1 July 2019 to 31 December 2019.

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 2019.

The Digital Hub is a purpose-built facility designed to house multiple digital companies and
individual workers in an open, modern environment suited to collaboration and co-working. The
Digital Hub’s cutting-edge architecture accommodates a mix of established technology


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