The Palaszczuk Government has lured international event company Myriad with a three-year deal to stage an annual innovation and startup festival.
Speaking from the Startup Festival on the final day of the Advance Queensland Innovation and Investment Summit today, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced the deal with Myriad to call Brisbane home from 2017 to 2019.
"Following the booked-out success of the historic Advance Queensland Innovation and Investment Summit and Startup Festival, this deal is big news for Brisbane and for innovators and startups across Queensland," the Premier said.
"It allows us to harness the experience of the Myriad team in shaping technology events to deliver the best of global startup culture in a uniquely Australian way, right here in Queensland.
"Myriad will host an annual program of events and activities that generate global connections for Queensland entrepreneurs and investors."
The Premier said the Government had secured an exclusive six-year agreement for Brisbane to host the World Science Festival.
"This Myriad deal will again put an international spotlight on Queensland as a destination for innovation and investment," she said.
"The annual Myriad event has the potential to generate in the vicinity of $20 million over three years for the Queensland economy and it also presents significant opportunities for tourism providers as well as seasonal and permanent job opportunities."
The three founders of Myriad have international experience developing similar startup movements with global recognition and significant economic outcomes.
Martin Talvari is the former Chief Strategy Officer at Slush and has recently teamed up with Loic Le Meur, an early investor of Linkedin and founder of LeWeb event in Europe, developing a unique platform for leading global influencers, called Leade.rs.
Shawn O'Keefe is a former producer and strategist for the SXSW Interactive Festival in Austin, Texas, and Murray Galbraith is an award-winning creative director and event designer from Melbourne.
Minister for Innovation, Science and the Digital Economy Leeanne Enoch said the agreement aligned closely with the aims of Advance Queensland.
"As part of this agreement, Myriad will relocate their headquarters to Brisbane to run their Australian and Asia Pacific events – a significant coup for Queensland," Ms Enoch said.
"That's a strong focus of the Advance Queensland innovation and jobs plan – to attract the best and brightest minds from around the world and have them set up their enterprise right here in Queensland.
"This deal has the potential to deliver great benefits to our state – both economically and raising our global profile in the startup and innovation sectors."
Myriad's Martin Talvari said after travelling the world for the past three years and hosting premiere events, he believes Australia is the place to be.
"Startup attraction and support is a huge part of the Advance Queensland agenda – we want Queensland to be a place where entrepreneurs, investors and digital nomads from all over the world can collide, connect and create," Mr Talvari said.
"Queensland is strategically located a stone's throw from some of the fastest growing consumer economies in the world today – the opportunities quite literally are myriad.
"Myriad will showcase the best of regional innovation, turning Queensland into a tech hub, not just for Australia, but for the whole Asia Pacific region," Mr Talvari said.
Mr Murray Galbraith said Myriad would leverage global networks and create new ways to showcase Queensland's innovation.
"Our team have unparalleled experience in designing experiences and environments where digital tribes can thrive. I'm super excited to help bring those powerful insights and networks to Australia."
The inaugural 2017 Myriad startup and innovation festival is expected to include masterclasses; keynote sessions with high-profile, world-leading innovation and digital technology experts; chat sessions; tech showcases; pitching competitions and investor match-making opportunities.
This announcement is another key achievement of the Advance Queensland Innovation and Investment Summit putting Queensland at the forefront of new ideas, innovation and entrepreneurialism, and cementing Queensland's reputation as a hub for innovation in the Asia Pacific region.
JOINT STATEMENT
Premier and Minister for the Arts
The Honourable Annastacia Palaszczuk
Minister for Innovation, Science and the Digital Economy and Minister for Small Business
The Honourable Leeanne Enoch
