Tag Archives: innovation

Redland City youth invited to innovation forum


March 21, 2017

Great achievements and big ideas will be the order of the day at Redland City Council’s RedGen <30 Youth Innovation Forum on Friday 7 April, when an exceptional line-up of successful young innovators will inspire participants by sharing their personal journey of how they turned their dream into reality.

The first in a series of Council forums to explore how innovative businesses can grow the local economy, RedGen will bring together current and aspiring young entrepreneurs whose vision will help shape the Redlands of the future.

Redland City Mayor Karen Williams said the forum would discuss the rate of young people leaving the Redlands in search for opportunities elsewhere, an issue that had been identified as a significant challenge to the City’s economic growth.

“It is no secret that one of our city’s biggest exports is our youth, and as our graduates, students and young workers leave our city they take with them the knowledge, skills and experience needed to build the Redlands of tomorrow,” she said.

“We want to find ways to arrest this exodus of youth and talent and the best place to start is by asking local youth what they think would make the Redlands a great place to live, work and play.

“While for many young Aussies travelling is a rite of passage, we want to make sure that when the wanderlust wears off for our young Redlanders, we can harness their spirit and that the Redlands is still the place they want to call home.”

Cr Williams said RedGen was part of a series of innovation forums being held in the Redlands to help generate innovative solutions to the city’s economic future.

“These forums were a suggestion from the Redland City Economic Development Advisory Board and are part of Council’s commitment to supporting a vibrant and innovative local economy,” she said.

Applications to attend RedGen are now open. Applicants must be 18 to 30 years old, and live – or have lived – in the Redlands. The entrants with the best big ideas to make Redlands a better place to pursue their professional or entrepreneurial goals will secure their seat at this prestigious event.

Cr Williams said that while places to attend RedGen were limited, Council was keen to make sure that no one missed out on a chance to have their say and so was inviting young Redlanders to complete an online survey.

“Within 24 hours of the survey going live, we received over 100 responses. This is a clear indication that our young people really do want to have a voice, and we’re hearing some great ideas on what they would like to see in the Redlands,” Cr Williams said.

Eighteen- to 30-year-old Redlanders can complete the survey and go into the draw to win an iPhone 7.

Innovation summits to drive economic growth


November 9, 2016

A series of summits will be held in the Redlands to investigate a local innovation hub and how innovative businesses can create local employment and training opportunities.

Redland City Mayor Karen Williams said the first summit would target local youth as recommended in a report from the Redland City Economic Development Advisory Board tabled in today’s General Meeting.

“This will be the beginning of a conversation about how we as a city can be more innovative and grow our economic opportunities through it,” she said.

“Redland City has some very talented and innovative people and these summits will be a chance to hear from them and harness their expertise in this area.

“One opportunity that will be explored through this summit will be establishing an innovation hub in the Redlands, a place where local innovators and businesses can meet and grow their ideas.

“We want to not only engage our current innovators but also our future business leaders, which is why the first summit will specifically target local youth.

“Currently our biggest export is our young people who have to leave the city for opportunity and I am committed to halting this trend by building economic opportunities locally.

Cr Williams said the youth summit would be run by local youth, with buy-in from local business and industry.

“This summit won’t be a Council event, it will be run by local youth because they are the ones who will benefit from growth in innovation and they are the ones already doing amazing things in this space,” she said.

“The summit will feature the Redlands best and brightest young innovators including Economic Development Advisory Board member Jordan Duffy, which no doubt will be exciting in itself considering what he has achieved in the innovation space as a young entrepreneur.”

Jordan said he was looking forward to hearing from local youth about innovation opportunities in the city.

“The Redlands has some very energetic and driven young people and this summit will be an opportunity to hear their ideas and how as a community we can turn those ideas into reality,” he said.

“This summit will be the start of the conversation, one that can then continue with help from the Redland City Economic Development Advisory Board which provides advice and recommendations on the economic direction of the city.”

Cr Williams said today’s Council decision also included a city-wide branding exercise to help the city attract visitors and business.

“The Redlands rivals any South East Queensland city for natural beauty and tourism attractions, but the Economic Development Advisory Board has recognised that as a city we lack a clear identity,” she said.

“A unique and targeted brand developed with help from local business and industry will deliver economic growth and create awareness with tourists as well as building on our local city pride.”

Both the innovation summit and city branding are expected to be delivered early next year.