Innovate Moreton Bay Impact Report 2022-2023

Innovate Moreton Bay

Innovate Moreton Bay exists to build and harness the collaborative networks of innovative communities across the Moreton Bay Region, by fostering an innovation ecosystem that seeks to be nationally recognised as a location of choice for investors, innovators, and entrepreneurs.

A key objective of the Innovate Moreton Bay brand is to be welcoming of all contributors and newcomers in the local innovation ecosystem and seek to maintain a high reputation for trusted and useful content serving the Moreton Bay Region innovation ecosystem.

Why did City of Moreton Bay Invest in Innovate Moreton Bay

In 2021, City of Moreton Bay embarked upon an ambitious agenda and adopted the Regional Economic Development Strategy (REDS). A new direction has been created that will drive a bigger and bolder region, and a brighter future for residents over the next twenty years. Growth targets were created with corresponding tactics and actions to make Moreton Bay a $40 billion economy by 2041. As well as creating 100,000 new high-value jobs and Moreton Bay becoming a top 10 regional innovation hub. With the innovation agenda in mind, Council put to market a tender to deliver innovation programming for the region. Moreton Bay Region Industry and Tourism (MBRIT) was the successful contractor. MBRIT had demonstrated a strong track record with their Innovate Moreton Bay program over the previous years and outlined a vision to further the regional economy and deliver upon the REDS strategy. This two-year impact report represents collaborative efforts by #TeamMoretonBay in delivering this significant investment. It involves numerous other stakeholders, community and business leaders, resulting in a genuinely collaborative #TeamMoretonBay effort! Our sincere thanks are reserved for City of Moreton Bay. This impact report represents deliverables under contract for both the 2022 and 2023 calendar years, and we hope that both current and future collaborators will continue the journey with us into 2024.

City of Moreton Bay is the primary funder of the Innovate Moreton Bay program, delivered by MBRIT. It exists to build and harness the collaborative networks of innovative communities across the region, by fostering an innovation ecosystem that seeks to be nationally recognised as a location of choice for investors, innovators, and entrepreneurs. A key objective of the Innovate Moreton Bay brand is to be welcoming of all contributors and newcomers in the local innovation ecosystem and seek to maintain a high reputation for trusted and useful content serving the City of Moreton Bay's innovation ecosystem.

The Early Days

In 2016, MBRIT coordinated and led a regional response to the Queensland Government’s Advancing Regional Innovation Program (ARIP) and was successful in securing $500,000 to deliver innovation services under the Innovate Moreton Bay program across four years. This program was governed by a group of volunteer committee members and outcomes were reported on a regular basis to the Queensland Government. In 2020, ARIP funding ceased, and this began the new chapter of Innovate Moreton Bay.

City of Moreton Bay Support

Innovate Moreton Bay's program is now funded by City of Moreton Bay and through collaboration, sponsorship and sweat equity of partners and volunteers. Knowledge, innovation, entrepreneurship, and business start-ups are important features in any modern economy. The strength of Moreton Bay’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem resides in the development of programs to support the REDS objective of becoming a top 10 regional knowledge and innovation hub. New business start-ups provide jobs and can expand exponentially, encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship, particularly in young people. This will help contribute to building a more dynamic and brighter economy across the City of Moreton Bay.

Learn more: https://www.moretonbay.qld.gov...

The RIC is tasked with:

• Identifying and providing support for innovative and high growth companies residing within Moreton Bay through both one-to-one services and useful up to date information via the Innovate Moreton Bay website
• Support and provide information such as connections and referrals to programs, events, information sources, mentors, government grants, customers, and capital sources both within and outside Moreton Bay
• Develop case studies showcasing highly innovative local companies and people
• Support a series of monthly networking events that are free to attend
• Provide specialised support and coordination for the delivery of speaker events, workshops and mentoring activities that will support local businesses develop the skills and networks required to succeed
• Play a key role in the identification of new opportunities for the region, supporting world’s best practice and research, as well as facilitate an inclusive and consultative culture that embraces diversity of thinking and expertise across the entire region, inclusive of our local innovation champions as an advisory and advocacy cohort

“ For many years I embarked on a start-up journey that took me to some exciting places, but also some very challenging places. Back then, I wish I had the opportunity to connect with an ecosystem of likeminded individuals that wanted to see me succeed and might even be able to lend a hand on the way.

For me, it’s this firsthand knowledge of the good, the bad and the ugly journey that founders, entrepreneurs and even established businesses go through, that makes me excited about what we’re doing here in Moreton Bay, and the difference we’re making.

With City of Moreton Bay leading charge, we’ve come a long way in just a few short years, to build a thriving and connected ecosystem of likeminded thinkers and tinkers. And it’s just the beginning.”

• Steve Butler, Regional Innovation Coordinator.