5 Ways the Sunshine Coast is Putting the Regional Startup Scene on the Map

It’s got more than just killer surf and great beaches. The Sunshine Coast Council weighs in on why it’s also perfect for startups.

The Sunshine Coast has a lot to boast about — from beaches to hinterland the idyllic location one hour north from Brisbane isn’t just a pretty face — it’s the perfect place for business.

1. Smart cities

The Sunshine Coast is Australia’s first fully integrated smart city; recipient of a Google etown Award and a Smart21 community award. The Sunshine Coast is also home to Australia’s only green field CBD development. Maroochydore — The Bright City — is a master-planned commercial, residential, retail and cultural precinct, with 40% made up of parks and waterways.

The vision for Maroochydore CBD is to create a nationally renowned centre for start-ups and a genuine city of the future.

International innovator Zach Johnson is the entrepreneur-in-residence for the Maroochydore CBD amongst his other titles, and chose to live in the Sunshine Coast as a lifestyle destination after working across Europe.

2. Business Confidence

The Sunshine Coast has the highest level of business confidence in Queensland: 60% of businesses expect a profit, 38% expect a capital investment increase and 33% expect to employ more staff. But it’s not just the sand and surf that lures savvy investors. The Sunshine Coast was independently ranked as Queensland’s second highest performing regional economy for 2014 and 2015.

As well as being one of the largest regional economies in Australia, the Sunshine Coast has a strong and innovative 20-year economic plan for investment and business growth. This is supported by the Sunshine Coast Council, which is the fifth largest Council in Australia and is winning regular national awards for supporting local business development.

3. Start-up Community

The Sunshine Coast has the largest percentage of entrepreneurs compared to any other city of its size in Australia (including Brisbane and the Gold Coast). Twenty-two per cent of Sunshine Coast residents run their own business compared to fifteen per cent across Australia. The Sunshine Coast also hosts a number of coworking spaces and innovation hubs like Spark Bureau and The Innovation Centre.

The Sunshine Coast is a full fledged startup ecosystem, with collaboration between secondary schools, TAFE, the University of the Sunshine Coast, and entrepreneurs to make sure the talent pipeline continues to support startups locally.

4. Major Projects

On the Sunshine Coast, billions of dollars in health care, professional services, education and construction projects are underway. They will triple the economy and create more than 100,000 high value jobs.

One of these projects, the development of the largest health precinct in the Southern Hemisphere, is attracting new business and medical specialists from across Australia and around the world. This precinct represents Australia’s single largest investment in health infrastructure. This includes the $1.8 billion, 738-bed Sunshine Coast University Hospital (SCUH) which will open in 2017.

5. Lifestyle

The arts, culture and entertainment scene is flourishing on the Sunshine Coast. Music, wellbeing, food and wine, arts, cultural and film festivals dot the calendar year-round. There’s also a vibrant live music, theatre and arts scene.

Craft beer and micro-breweries are fast becoming a modern subculture, with the Sunshine Coast and visitors from across the world frothing over the many new venues and crafty beverages on offer.

A short drive from the coast takes you into the lush, rolling hills of the Sunshine Coast hinterland. It’s like a new world, with a cooler climate, breathtaking views, secret waterfalls and fine artisan food, wine and creative offerings.

Jacqui Wilson-Smith, Head of Innovation for Gourmet Garden, says compared to when she lived in London — the Sunshine Coast naturally delivers an injection of mindfulness every day.

“I am in a global role, I travel regularly. I feel lucky when I return to such an authentic, creative environment.”

“As global headquarters, I feel like our location has established a foundation for authenticity and creativity within Gourmet Garden,” says Jacqui.

Interested in hearing more about regional startups? Don’t miss the regional showcase at Myriad 2017 — head to www.myriad.live for speakers, program details and tickets. Follow our journey on Twitter at @myriadlive