Start up city: Gold Coast

The Gold Coast is an entrepreneurial city where 20% of the workforce own their own business. 

The City of Gold Coast has fostered an innovation network and start-up ecosystem of entrepreneurs, tech start-ups, and incubators working together to establish the Gold Coast as an innovation capital.

Their long-term goal is to establish the Gold Coast as a globally recognised entrepreneurial hub where knowledge, innovation and commercialisation become key drivers of the growth and development of the local economy.

There are also other organisations on the Gold Coast supporting startups:

• Innovate Queensland helps small to medium enterprises grow through workshops and webinars on innovation, technology commercialisation, innovation planning and research, and design. The program supports the Government’s $755 million Advance Queensland initiative
• Gold Coast Innovation Hub operates a business incubator and event spaces designed by innovators, where startups can connect, collaborate, grow, raise investment and expand into global markets
• The Bond Business Accelerator is an incubator for early stage startups, combining formal training, practical skills, high level mentoring and investor introductions. It is a 12-week bootcamp where your business idea is researched, developed and commercialised into a ready-to-launch enterprise
• BeachCity Gold Coast is an informal networking group for startup technologists, investors and entrepreneurs, with a focus on web-based technologies
• Startup Apprentice is a business incubator, professional development and mentoring program tailored specifically for young people
• StartUp Creative aims to host regular courses, coaching sessions and resources to help businesses build, grow and succeed. 

Over the last few years, many startups have opened for business on the Gold Coast.

Fashion startup Adzurra is an app-based marketplace allowing users to shop from global boutiques. It saves shoppers time by comparing prices, filters to their values and includes click and collect. Shopify reported in May 2018 that its merchants had attracted US$55 billion in sales to date. Currently, 63% of shoppers start their shopping journey online. Adzurra fills this area of the market.

Uptek has set itself the task of demonstrating the muscular benefits of blood flow restriction training to reduce muscle loss associated with space travel. The solution is a digital and wireless blood flow restriction device controllable through Bluetooth from an app on your smartphone. 

Then, of course, there is Nimble- the loan platform making finance faster with an online application system, Australian call centre and 1.6 million loan customers and counting.

Along with companies such as Autoguru, HiSmile, Guvera, Minutiae, Nudipay, Boardcave and Evolve Skateboards, the startup community in the Gold Coast is set to take on the world.

Are you a Gold Coast startup in some need of digital marketing? Marketing Together is here to help you with whatever you may need.