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The Innovation Centre Business Accelerator’s core focus is on supporting the growth of established technology and knowledge based businesses. The Accelerator can also allocate up to 30% of its space to support businesses such as professional service firms.
The Business Accelerator has a straightforward selection process to help identify companies that would most benefit from the Innovation Centre experience. The entry criteria and selection process are summarised below.
Entry criteria - Technology Businesses
The business will typically be:
- A growth oriented, for profit enterprise, typically with more than 4 and less 20 full-time employees
- A business developing or commercialising innovative new technological products or services
- Keen to be an active participant in Innovation Centre and university environment, including participation in networking activities
- Beyond the start-up stage, typically will have been in business for at least 2 or 3 years and have a sustainable business model, good quality management team and established income streams
- Keen to work with the University of the Sunshine Coast in the placement of work experience students and potentially in research activities
Entry criteria - Service business
This category includes businesses that can provide a service that will directly support a technology business. Examples of service businesses could include:
- Legal
- Patent attorney
- Accounting
- Venture capital
- Business angel group
- Business advisors
- Business development agencies
- Creative – design, branding, web development
- Market research
- Marketing consulting
- Management consulting
- Business Training
- HR consulting
- Recruitment
Selection process
The selection process - assuming successful progression at each stage - is straightforward:
- Initial contact: make an expression of interest, get in touch with the CEO by email or phone for an initial discussion and to provide a summary of your business venture
- Formal application – technology businesses to submit a business plan; service businesses to submit an application with details of the firms business, space required, summary of interest in Innovation Centre
- Business and Technical Review Panel: this panel will consider applications from technology businesses which may be asked to present in person
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