Gosford is perfectly placed to be an innovation capital of the nation, according to one of the founders of the Central Coast’s first official innovation industries group.
“Gosford is the perfect place for innovation,” said Mr David Abrahams, one of the founders of the new group, called Central Coast Start IT.
The group formerly known as Coastal Connexions, which has been meeting for several years, will now be known as Central Coast Start IT inc.
“Gosford is an affordable place for disruptive idea makers to live,” Mr Abrahams said.
“And innovators enjoy the full force of fibre to premise NBN which is an incredible advantage that Gosford has,” he said.
“We know there are already lots of innovators around on the Coast but they are lonely and this will be an opportunity for them to come together.
“There are already investors in the group who have supported local innovators and state government authorities have expressed interest in supporting the new group.”
The group will hold monthly meetings and quarterly events to provide networking and mentoring opportunities.
Membership is open to companies, students and even innovators who have a start-up idea but haven’t done anything with it yet.
The yearly membership cost is $20 for students or $99 for individuals and businesses.
Central Coast Start IT is not intended to be for information technology businesses only.
“We want to use digital technology as a leveraging tool for innovation so local innovators can take their businesses to the national marketplace and to the world,” Mr Abrahams said.
The official launch of Central Coast Start IT will take place at an event on the top floor of the Central Coast Leagues Club on Tuesday, May 2 at 5:00pm.
SPEAKERS
The evening event will feature brief talks from two successful local start-up company co-founders.
Ms Claire Braund, founder of Women on Boards Australia, and Mr Graeme Johnston from the fast-growing telecommunications start up Central Telecoms, will share their success stories.
Graeme Johnston co-founder of Central Telecoms
Both businesses are based in Gosford CBD and utilise super-fast NBN connections to grow their businesses across the country and world.
Coastal Connexions has been around for some years as an IT, innovation, research and development group.
It has met monthly to discuss common issues, hear practice pitches from new members and network.
The group was responsible for the recent NBN Audit report and subsequent lobbying to improve telecommunications services on the Central Coast.
Invitations and registrations to the Central Coast Start IT launch event are open to interested parties by searching the Eventbrite website.
Students and Start Ups are welcome to register. The event is free to attend with a donation option for new supporters.
Source:
Media release,
Apr 19, 2017
Interview,
Apr 20, 2017
David Abrahams, Central Coast Start IT
Jackie Pearson, journalist