Innovation & Technology
Discover why Mineware chose Brisbane
Brisbane’s innovative capabilities are grounded in competitive business, world-class research and development, a highly skilled workforce, and leading education institutions. At the heart of Brisbane’s innovation is its human capital – the people with the skills, knowledge and entrepreneurial know-how to transform ideas into products and services that will benefit businesses and the community, not only in Australia but the world.
Along with our talented people, Brisbane boasts world-class infrastructure to support education, training, research and development activity, and an outstanding collaborative effort between the public and private sectors.
The city’s innovation environment has global companies with headquarters in Brisbane, home-grown businesses that are export-oriented, and key knowledge precincts and research centres with world-wide reputations. The city also boasts a range of service providers offering technical expertise and training to support various industries. Brisbane’s liveability and continued growth ensures the attraction and retention of talent and investment to the city.
Brisbane is home to a number of world-class universities including The University of Queensland, Queensland University of Technology, and Griffith University. These institutions are a significant asset to Brisbane’s knowledge economy and form the foundation of the city’s research capabilities.
From research to commercialisation, Brisbane’s research and development (R&D) strengths are internationally recognised. Brisbane’s R&D ecosystem is categorised by strong collaboration between the public and private sectors, linkages with national and international research, world-class R&D infrastructure, and support from industry and all levels of government.
As the commercial hub and driver of the Queensland economy, Brisbane – with its well-resourced and globally-connected research and development sector – leverages international investment to commercialise innovation in new life sciences / bio-technology, digital industries and clean technologies, serving a diversity of industries and markets, both in Australia and overseas.
Digital Brisbane Strategy
The Digital Brisbane Strategy aims to kick-start a business revolution to ensure Brisbane capitalises on the rapidly-growing digital economy including the online market, valued at $US20 trillion, and future-proofs its living standards.
The strategy sets clear five-year targets, including doubling the number of Brisbane firms selling products and services online, a 35 per cent improvement in productivity growth achieved through digital technology, and support for 50 promising local digital start-up companies.
Specific initiatives of the strategy include:
- A new Digital Business Power-up Program to help more than 4000 businesses with face-to-face digital training and information forums and a further 30,000 people through web-based support tools per year.
- Launch of the Coderdojo program in city libraries to encourage hundreds of young people to learn how to master digital coding.
- Cyber City Program that is focused on a new “way-finder” system that integrates mobile digital technology with signs, maps and city venues, ready access to wi-fi services across the city, and continued improvements to connectivity, digital services, and data access across the city.
Life sciences / bio-technology
The Queensland life sciences industry employs more than 14,000 people, invests $650 million in research and development, and has an estimated combined income of $4.4 billion (Source: Queensland Government, Queensland Life Sciences, Globally Competitive, 2013). Queensland has niche strengths in agriscience, biocommodities, and tropical health. Substantial investments are developing these strengths to help new industries and to foster innovation in traditional industries, positioning Brisbane and Queensland as an international centre of excellence for science and technology. Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital campus brings together some of Queensland’s leading institutes such as the Translational Research Institute and the Pharmacy Australia Centre of Excellence.
Clean technology
Consistent with global trends, the most significant growth in commercialised clean tech activities in Brisbane is related to the energy sector. There has been significant investment in renewable energy projects in recent years and this is being encouraged and assisted by government policies to attract investment in the sector by local, national and international firms. Carbon capture and storage pilot projects, funded by both industry and government, are being undertaken in Brisbane. At the same time, Queensland’s strong growth in the energy and resources sector has resulted in increased demand for remote energy, waste and water treatment technologies.
Outside of the energy sector, there is a range of research activity and small innovative clean tech and bio-tech firms associated with the dynamic, largely university-based research sector in Queensland. Brisbane has access to specialised knowledge and skilled workforce through premium research and development institutes at world-renowned local universities.
Brisbane's Competitive Advantages
Excellent economic fundamentals
With an economy valued at $135 billion, Brisbane is the economic hub and driver of the Queensland economy. Brisbane’s economy is forecast to grow by more than 60 per cent to $217 billion by 2031, driving demand for investment in new technologies that will support productive new knowledge-based industries that are competitive on the world stage (Brisbane City Council, Economic Development Plan 2012-31).
Globally connected
Brisbane is the closest major Australian east coast capital city to Asia, making the city an ideal position for initial investment in the Asia Pacific region. Cost advantages gained from this close proximity to Asia, supported by world-class logistics infrastructure through Brisbane Airport and the Port of Brisbane, mean Brisbane is perfectly placed as a base for clean-tech manufacturing.
R&D, talent, innovation and education
Brisbane has access to specialised knowledge and a skilled workforce through premium research and development institutes at world-renowned local universities and higher education institutions. These institutions supply the stream of talent needed for large-scale commercialisation and manufacturing operations in the city. Research institutions and organisations in Brisbane’s innovation and technology sector, covering both the life sciences and clean technology sector, include:
Natural resources
Queensland has heavy reserves of coal and gas, which has strongly positioned the state as a world leader in clean coal technology. The sugarcane industry and other agricultural crops also equip the state for innovation in biomass and biofuels, including ethanol production and use.
Climate
Brisbane’s subtropical climate, combined with its robust economy, strong population growth, and large and growing energy market, make it an ideal location for a strong renewable energy industry. Brisbane’s climate is especially conducive to innovation in solar energy production and Brisbane is located in a region with an abundance of renewable energy resources including geothermal, bioenergy, wind, hydro, wave, and tidal.
Sustainably-focused government
Brisbane City Council’s Living in Brisbane 2031 vision aims to ensure Brisbane is carbon-neutral by 2031. Guided by sustainability-focused governments and world-renowned universities and research institutions, Brisbane is evolving as a leader in the innovation of clean technologies.
Digital Brisbane
Brisbane’s institutions, businesses and government all embrace and support the concept of a digital economy. Digital Brisbane is a hub to seed and nurture a thriving digital economy, identifying profitable business opportunities and helping to create a better lifestyle for locals. Digital Brisbane will: provide small-to-medium businesses with new ideas to digitally transform their businesses and improve business efficiencies, promotion, product innovation and collaboration through a greater digital footprint; build the capacity of Brisbane’s digital industries; increase Brisbane’s connectivity into the global digital economy and help position Brisbane as a digital leader, promoting the city’s wealth of digital capacity and opening the door to greater investment and collaboration.
New technology to serve a growing population
With a population of two million, Brisbane is the principal centre of Australia’s fastest-growing region, South East Queensland. By 2031, Brisbane’s population is expected to increase to more than 3 million (Source: Office of Economic and Statistical Research, Queensland Treasury, medium series). Rapid population growth has resulted in the emergence of several greenfield developments throughout the region providing opportunities for clean tech incubation and integration, demonstration projects and large-scale renewable energy projects.
Clean technology in energy and resources
Queensland’s resources and energy sector continues to drive a significant share of the state’s wealth creation. With more than $73 billion worth of resources and energy projects under construction, this presents significant opportunities for investment in clean technologies to support the evolving demands of large energy and resources companies (Source: Deloitte Access Economics, Investment Monitor, September 2014).
For enquiries
Nur Sidki Gomez, Senior Manager, Investment Attraction (Technology & Innovation)
P: +61 (0)7 3156 6312
M: +61 (0)466 440 696
Email
