In what can be considered as a win for digital specialists, innovators, technology designers, researchers and students, a new home for digital innovation and entrepreneurship has officially opened in Ballarat.
According to a recent report, the dedicated digital start-up space at the Flecknoe Building of the Federation University is funded with A$ 4.3 million by the Labor Government.
The Runway Ballarat – The Workshop, as what the new space will be called, will house digital specialists, technology designers, researchers and students in one central location.
The place is designed to be a hub for collaboration, innovation and invention. Moreover, it will foster entrepreneurship, digital service and product development as well as support the commercialisation of Victoria’s brightest ideas.
It will house a state of the art Fabrication Laboratory that will provide entrepreneurs with the ability to manufacture almost anything, giving them the opportunity to bring to life and prototype their ideas and start-up concepts.
Furthermore, the Ballarat Runway Accelerator Program nurtures regional start-ups and entrepreneurs and has already guided 47 people through its Geelong program.
Ballarat is a natural home for this innovation lab.
Innovation is a key to the future of the economy and regional Victorians have shown their strengths in thinking outside the box time and time again.
The Victorian Government has invested in the project to help boost the region’s ICT enabled industries, attract new investment and generate regional jobs.
Ballarat is already home to over 100 ICT businesses and the sector employs more than 1,500 people, generating A$ 163 million for the regional economy.
The Runway Ballarat – The Workshop is set to capitalise on Ballarat’s strength as a centre for ICT and digital innovation especially since there are over 2,000 participants who are expected to take advantage of the facility over the next four years.
The facility presents a huge opportunity to build on Ballarat’s ICT and digital strengths and will help turn these skills into new industries, new jobs and grow the digital economy.
The State Government invests in projects that help grow innovative jobs and create new technologies.
It is proud to support Victoria’s growing digital tech sector by investing in the right spaces to accelerate their growth.
Thus, the Victorian Government invested in one of Ballarat’s most important enabling industries, and a sector that will help the State economy diversify and remain competitive in the future.
It is excited to partner with Federation University and the Runway facility in order to deliver this project that cements Ballarat as Australia’s leading regional centre for digital industries.
