With businesses throughout Australia facing challenging economic times, the Innovation Centre Sunshine Coast is throwing open its doors to support even more businesses throughout south-east Queensland.
The Innovation Centre Sunshine Coast, a University of the Sunshine Coast company which houses entrepreneurial businesses and operates business incubator and accelerator programs, is expanding its 2009 business development program, offering a mix of free and cost-effective events to help businesses grow.
Innovation Centre CEO Colin Graham said the Centre, located on the University of the Sunshine Coast campus, was dedicated to the support and growth of the region’s economy, and particularly the development of the ICT, Green Tech, Knowledge and Creative industries sectors in the area.
“That’s why we are opening up our business development programs, some of which have previously only been available to Innovation Centre tenants, to give entrepreneurs information and skills to help them face the challenges ahead,” Mr Graham said.
Mr Graham said the 2009 Business Development program, sponsored by Westpac Bank, would include monthly Enterprise Tuesday and Boardroom Briefing events.
He said since the Innovation Centre began presenting business development events in 2002 more than 4000 delegates had attended events.
“The feedback we get from participants is that our events offer relevant information from expert presenters, which benefits their businesses,” Mr Graham said.
The Enterprise Tuesday events run on the last Tuesday of the month and run for one hour with networking drinks from 4pm. The program of upcoming events includes:
• Tuesday 31st March 4pm – ‘Entrepreneurs: Characteristics of Success’
Speaker: Prof Evan Douglas, University of the Sunshine Coast
• Tuesday 28th April 4pm – ‘From ideas to action – spotting business opportunities and creating a successful business’
Speaker: Mark Leckenby, MD, Auzion Sustainable Solutions
• Tuesday 26th May 4pm – ‘The future is online – an opportunity to rethink your business model’
Speakers: Russell Bullen, Online Marketing Collective; Nigel Hall, innovation Centre; Trevor Holmes, ENACT Business Architects
The Boardroom Briefing program, which run for two to three hours each month, and has previously only been offered to Innovation Centre tenants, will also be opened up to business people throughout south-east Queensland. The program of upcoming events includes:
• Thursday 12th March 4pm-6pm – ‘Using integrated traditional and online marketing strategies to increase your sales’
Presenters: Marshall Vann & Gary Weis, Business Consultants, Realistic Business Solutions
Cost: $39.95 per person
• Wednesday 15th April – ‘Cashflow – the lifeblood of your business’
Presented by: Westpac
Cost: $39.95
For more information about the programs and the Innovation Centre Sunshine Coast visit
www.innovation-centre.com.au, phone +61 7 5450 2600 or email innovationcentre@usc.edu.au.
