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Silicon Coast

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Five scholarships on offer for digital skills program

Digital literacy is the new financial literacy, according to ICT Woman of the Year Yvette Adams who is offering five scholarships to her successful Get Up To Speed program. More than 650 people from around Australia and New Zealand have already completed the 12-week online program, but this is the first time scholarships have been offered to help people increase their digital skills. “Whether you are a parent wanting to keep up with your children and their use of technology, a professional wanting to ensure your skills stay current and employable, you want to start an online business or are already running your own business,…
Silicon Coast
July 3, 2014
News

Google’s $2M Aussie NFP challenge

Global online technology giant Google is offering Australian Not for Profits a share in $2 million in grants to turn their technology-driven ideas into reality. Google’s Impact Challenge Australia will offer the four winning submissions mentoring and technical support from Google employees and $A500,000 grant funding to help bring their project to life. Applications are open for Not for Profits with DGR status who can apply online here. Google says it will announce 10 finalists in October. Australians will then be invited to learn more about the top 10 finalists and cast a vote for their favourite. “We believe technology can help…
Silicon Coast
July 1, 2014
News

The next big wave of disruption says Deloitte

As large and small organisations across the world respond to the big bang of digital disruption, how they grapple with the reality of disruption within short timeframes is increasingly the new measure of success, or failure, for investors, customers and employees. A new Deloitte report singles out six industries, representing one third of the $1.4 trillion Australian economy, that will be subject to the next big wave of disruption. The latest report is a follow up to the Digital disruption – Short fuse, big bang? Building the Lucky Country series, where Deloitte mapped how exposed Australia’s key 18 industries were to disruption. “Government…
Silicon Coast
June 26, 2014
News

IC Business Pitch Competition now open

New and high growth businesses on the Sunshine Coast are invited to pitch their innovative products and services for a chance to win a $20,000 prize package that could kick-start their early stage venture. The Innovation Centre Business Pitch Competition prize includes access to shared office space, business development services and consultations on legal issues, capital raising and marketing. There are two categories for the competition: Concept: businesses will focus their pitch on their venture's concept and business model. This category is for businesses who are looking to validate their concepts, test their models and gain some early stage feedback.…
Silicon Coast
June 23, 2014
News

Queensland leads digital revolution

Queensland is on course to become Australia’s most digitally interactive state, opening up Government information and services for more Queenslanders, with the release of GoDigitalQld. Information Technology Minister Ian Walker said the Queensland Digital Economy Strategy and Action Plan mapped how Queensland would move ahead and stake its claim in the global digital market place. “This is about helping Queenslanders, particularly in rural and remote communities, to connect with their friends, family and broader communities, and to grow their businesses. It’s also about developing our local digital industry and creating a modern Queensland Government. “Developing the digital economy is integral to…
Silicon Coast
June 19, 2014
News

NBN rollout gains momentum on Sunshine Coast

An additional  1255 premises across the Sunshine Coast are set to receive fast broadband with the roll out of fixed wireless technologies in the following areas: Doonan West (surrounds), Tinbeerwah (surrounds), Yandina (surrounds), Eumundi West (surrounds), Coolabine. The announcement follows the news of an additional 167,000 homes and businesses which were added to the ‘build preparation’ phase of NBN Co’s rollout maps earlier this month. Build preparation takes place after the start of design phase (preparation of maps, surveying and rodding and roping) and ahead of the physical build (build commenced). Detailed maps showing the areas to be covered by…
Silicon Coast
June 19, 2014
News

Hills Young Innovator Award

Nominations for the Hills Young Innovator Award are now open to outstanding achievers in the ICT industry under 25 years of age. The award recognises the most innovative ICT solutions and ideas with the greatest potential for impact in Mobile, Big Data and Cloud.  Cash prizes of $5000 are awarded to the winner in each of these three categories. Nominate here: http://ow.ly/y9Ymt Submissions close Friday, 1 August 2014.  Up to 15 lucky finalists will be selected and mentored by the industry’s top employers. They will work together to develop and refine their innovation or idea and then deliver a final pitch to judges at…
Silicon Coast
June 18, 2014
News

Disruption is the new normal

Excerpt from the Unicorn Report, by Georges Nahon (CEO, Orange Silicon Valley San Francisco, CA) "The Digital Economy is creating tremendous opportunities across every industry while simultaneously shifting value away from many traditional players. The speed and size of this shift is phenomenal, fueled by new industry Giants with large accumulations of stock and cash, young Unicorns with billion-dollar valuations shaping entirely new markets, and a glut of private capital lubricating the engine. More often than not, the risk for Incumbents is to be left on the sidelines using old models to understand a new world... Read more here.  
Silicon Coast
June 18, 2014
News

Creating virtually-connected innovation hubs to drive economic growth

In the last few years, virtually connected clusters have emerged in the United Kingdom, South-East Asia and everywhere in between – CNBC included Bangalore, Dublin, Hong Kong and Copenhagen on its list of up-and-coming global technology cities. Next Generation Clusters, a paper by networking and technology services firm Cisco, explores the idea that virtually-connected clusters shouldn’t be limited by geographical proximity. It also highlights the ways that these clusters can fuel the shift towards an open, borderless innovation and drive economic growth: Community trumps geography – Social networks and online collaboration tools have made it easier than ever for digital communities to form…
Silicon Coast
June 16, 2014
News

Small business is missing the mobile, social, cloud revolution

Most companies that live and breathe the online revolution are smart smaller firms that use online tools to run their core business better to cut costs, reach customers and suppliers, innovate and get more control. Many others, however, are falling behind, according to a new Grattan Institute discussion paper. If advanced online technology becomes the norm among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) - which employ two-thirds of private sector workers and contribute more than half of Australia’s private sector GDP - the productivity gains will spread through the whole economy. Businesses need to explore and exploit four online toolsets to…
Silicon Coast
June 12, 2014
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