Search

OUR programs

We run a variety of programs and workshops events driven by community needs, which are refreshed each year to ensure that they remain relevant and valuable to the community.

OPEN NOW
REGISTER YOUR INTEREST
PAST PROGRAMS
Applications Open Now

Ideation and Impact Micro-Credential

20251011

Turn Your Idea into Impact

Got a business or social enterprise idea? The Ideation & Impact Micro-Credential from the Gold Coast Innovation Hub is a hands-on short course designed to help you validate it.

Learn how to apply Lean Startup principles, assess opportunities, develop scalable concepts, and build an ethical foundation for your venture. The course aligns with the Certificate III in Entrepreneurship and New Business (BSB30220), with a Certificate of Completion that can contribute to formal recognition.

Included:

– Access to an interactive online training portal
– Facilitated live workshops from experienced entrepreneurs and mentors
– A Certificate of Completion from the Gold Coast Innovation Hub
– The opportunity to pathway your learning into a full Certificate III in Entrepreneurship and New Business

Help Shape the Program:
Register your interest and tell us what format suits you — online or face-to-face, intensive or extended. Get early access when enrolments open.

Learn More

AI in Education Hackathon - Register Now

20251016

 

🤖 Be Part of the AI In Education HACKATHON!

📅 October 16–17, 2025 | 📍 Gold Coast Innovation Hub & Southern Cross University

🎯 What’s it all about?

Join us for a 2-day innovation sprint where students, educators, startups, and industry leaders come together to reimagine the future of learning with AI. This is your chance to solve real-world education challenges while building solutions that could have immediate impact.

🏫 For Institutions & Companies

We’re looking for schools, universities, training providers and private companies to put forward challenges you’d like solved with AI. As a Challenge Sponsor, you’ll:

  • Help shape the problem

  • Mentor participants during the event

  • Be part of the judging panel

  • Unlock pilot and partnership opportunities

 

👩‍💻 For Students & Innovators

Calling all students, startups, and community innovators:

  • Form a team (or go solo!)

  • Get access to mentors & hands-on workshops

  • Build prototypes and pitch your ideas

  • Compete for prizes 🏆 and real implementation pathways

 

✨ Why get involved?

  • Work on real education problems

  • Gain skills in AI tools, business modelling & pitching

  • Connect with industry leaders and potential employers

  • Make an impact that matters

 

👉 Registrations for Participants are now open! Whether you’re submitting a challenge, mentoring a team, or joining as a participant,  don’t miss the chance to help shape the future of education with AI. This event is FREE to attend. Register to secure your space below.

Learn More
REGISTER YOUR INTEREST

Student UX Club - Expressions of Interest

20251031

 

🚀 Future Innovators: Join the UX Club at GC Hub!

Are you a student looking to work on real-world projects with emerging startups? Or a founder eager to get fresh eyes on your product? The GC Hub Student/Start-up UX Club is coming soon, and we’re inviting schools, universities, and startups to get involved in this exciting, hands-on innovation experience!

As part of this program, students become product testers, UX reviewers, and design collaborators for some of the Gold Coast’s most promising startups. This is being designed as a platform for emerging talent to gain industry-ready experience, sharpen user research skills, and build strong industry connections – all while helping founders shape better, more impactful products.

Whether you’re a:

  • 🎓 University or high school keen to give students access to innovation-driven experiences
  • 💡 Start-up ready for real user feedback and iterative testing
  • 👩‍💼 Educator or ecosystem partner looking to connect your community with live innovation pathways

…we want to hear from you!

The UX Club will be delivered through a hybrid model, involving some in-person workshop sessions, in addition to online activities. Included will be facilitated sessions, the use of industry-standard software, and a curated match between student teams and startup needs.

📣 Expressions of Interest Now Open
Help us shape the future of user-driven innovation on the Gold Coast. Register your interest below.

Learn More
PAST PROGRAMS

Pathways to Innovation Program

20250701

The Pathways to Innovation program creates structured engagement between startups and students, transforming education into experience through work-integrated learning, product testing, industry challenges, and events that foster collaboration, innovation, and diversity in tech.

We are currently accepting expressions of interest from interested educational institutions, startups, scaleups and industry partners to participate in the pilot programs in semester 1 2025.

Learn More

Advisory Board

20230430

With this program, the GC Hub will build you a professional Advisory Board to help growing companies meet strategic goals. The structured panel of experts help scale-ups and established businesses overcome challenges, launch new initiatives, and reach new levels of growth.

  • 6 or 12 months of business support
  • Gold tier member benefits
  • A certified advisory board chair
  • 2 independent advisors
  • Monthly Meetings
  • Formal Meeting Agenda
  • Minute taking provided

 

Access ongoing expert legal, financial, commercialisation, marketing and/or HR advice, plug ‘knowledge gaps’ in your business, develop understanding of business and market trends, enhance the governance framework for your business, and provide directors and executives with insights and ideas.

Minimum 6 month commitment. Only qualifying companies may participate in this program, and a strict application process is required. Contact the team if you have any questions.

Learn More

Business Health Check

20230228

How will your business grow in 2023? Update your action plan and discover new opportunities with a Business Health Check session.

Our expert team will guide you through goal setting, a 3 month action plan, and detailed feedback so that you can ensure your business will be prepared for the year ahead. With our customized roadmap, we’ll help you identify achievable objectives based on growth and sustainability.

Includes:

  • Business health check audit
  • 12 month goal setting
  • 3 month detailed action plan

Book using the link below or contact our team for more info.

Learn More

KOKO Matrix 10-Week Leadership Program

20250902

COMMENCING 2 SEPTEMBER 2025

IN-PERSON TRAINING TUESDAY MORNINGS @ THE HUB

Join instructor Kate Osborne and an enthusiastic cohort of fellow business owners, on this transformative, 10-week business and leadership mastery course. Learn AND implement the 8 Core Principles to collaborative leadership which to take your organisation to the next level of success, with less conflict and more collaboration!

Video Overview

View an outline of the program and its benefits through this brief introductory video.

Ten Weekly Focus Areas

Each Tuesday morning, you will meet with Kate and other business owners for a 90 minute session, to make progress through the following ten areas of your business:

  1. Administration
  2. Product
  3. Finance
  4. Culture
  5. Marketing
  6. Sales
  7. Production
  8. Distribution
  9. Strategic Plan Completion
  10. Presentation of Your Plan

 

What Will You Receive?

KOKO Matrix Roadmaps

Discover your strengths, areas for attention, and direct focus towards your passions. Work with tick sheets for the 8 operational sectors of a business – administration, finance, culture, marketing, sales, production, distribution and product coaching.

The roadmaps cover a thorough list of processes, agreements, contracts, insurances, analysis, policies, KPIs, audits, statements, guides and strategies you need for your business to be functioning at optimal capacity.

KOKO Matrix Strategic Plan

Each week Kate will unpack with you all you need to prepare a Strategic Plan that you will present at the end of the course. The Strategic Plan covers aspects such as mission statement, SWOT analysis, goals, strategies, actions and revenue projections.

The Strategic Plan helps you get clear on your business next steps and is a solid document to share with your team, investors and use as a resource to track your growth.

Soft Skill (Power Skill) Development

You will receive 10 soft skill workbooks throughout the course, which will teach you how to enhance your leadership, eliminate tension in your team, build culture, create alignment, enhance your effectiveness and unlock potential as a compassionate leader.

It has long been known that people don’t remember what you say, they remember how you made them feel. Each hand chosen soft skills workshop is designed to tap into the connection required to allow people to flourish under your unique leadership style.

 

Secure Your Place Today

Jump on-board this 10 week program and see your business – and your personal wellbeing – transformed. Enjoy the benefits of enhanced clarity around your own areas of focus, and what you should delegate or outsource to remove roadblocks on your path to growth.

The program includes 10 x 90 minute, in-person training sessions, as well as all of the benefits noted above. It’s available for a one-time payment of $1997 (inc GST), or via three monthly instalments ($800, $700, $700, inc GST).

We look forward to guiding you towards your next phase of growth.

Learn More

Investment Readiness

20231231

Companies that are seeking to raise capital are able to apply for our tailored Investment Readiness Program.

Delivered in conjunction with Scale Innovations and 42 Ventures Investments, this comprehensive program provides startups with templates, advice, and support in the areas of business structure, shareholder and customer agreements, financials, forecasts, market sizing, growth and staffing strategies, reporting metrics, and more.

Includes:

  • 6 months of business support
  • Investment readiness review session
  • Gold tier member benefits (up to $50k value)
  • Weekly mentoring sessions
  • Certificate of completion
  • Introduction to Angel Loop
  • This is an ESIC Qualified program

 

Only qualifying companies may participate in this program, and a strict application process is required. Contact the team if you have any questions.

Learn More

GC Hub Toastmasters Club

20231220

Since 1924, Toastmasters International has been recognised as the leading organisation dedicated to communication, leadership skill development and helping people with both their fears and gain confidence when speaking in front of small and large groups of people.

The Gold Coast Innovation Hub hosts the region’s only lunchtime club every Wednesday.

Learn More

Rapid RegTech Accelerator Program

20201231

The Rapid Regtech Accelerator is a new startup commercialisation program developed and delivered by the Gold Coast Innovation Hub (GC Hub), in collaboration with Refactor Software Development, Scale Innovations Growth Marketing Agency and 42 Ventures Investments and with the support of the GC Hub corporate network in response to rapidly emerging opportunities in the RegTech sector.

The program is designed to engage participants directly with the industries that they are developing solutions for and equip them with funding, services, skills and practical application of their technologies through funded proof of concept trials in order to achieve commercialisation outcomes and further investment.

Learn More

Student Startup Landing Pad

20191231

The Student Startup Landing Pad is an initiative delivered by the Gold Coast Innovation Hub in collaboration with Startup Apprentice and is co-funded with the support of Study Gold Coast’s Vision 2020 fund.

The project provides young innovators with the space, resources and support to continue working on their business ideas after participation in school and university led programs or competitions such as the Mayor’s Telstra Technology Awards and Startup Weekends.

Learn More

QODE Regional Showcase

20191231

QODE is Queensland’s largest Innovation and Technology gathering for entrepreneurs, investors, business executives, researchers, startups  and government in Brisbane.

Every year the Gold Coast Innovation Hub is supported by the Queensland Government to select 10 highly innovative businesses to receive fully funded places in the Regional Showcase.

Learn More

Hot DesQ Startup Attraction Program

20191231

The Gold Coast Innovation Hub is proud to be the Gold Coast host for Hot DesQ.

Hot DesQ is an Advance Queensland initiative that invites startups to move to Queensland, Australia. Up to AUD$100,000 equity-free funding is available to discover the perfect place for big ideas.

Learn More

JOIN THE GOLD COAST'S
LARGEST COMMUNITY OF STARTUPS

Become a Member