BY Danaella Wivell
The
Macquarie House Innovation Hub is set to bring local entrepreneurs together in
the heart of Launceston in order to help kick-start new businesses.
The Innovation Hub was approved in
July by Senator Whish-Wilson, who worked alongside a team from The Catalyst
Project in order to provide this unique opportunity to Tasmanian residents.
James Riggel is one of the masterminds
behind the Innovation Hub, which was brought to life through The Catalyst
Project.
Riggel previously taught at the
Human Interface Technology Laboratory at the University of Tasmania, and says
that there is a way of thinking embraced in universities that cannot be easily
found elsewhere.
“To succeed in innovation, you also
need a certain amount of infrastructure, and you need a certain culture,”
Riggel said in an interview on ABC’s Drive
program.
The building is set to have two
levels reserved for private business people, while the bottom two floors will
be open to the public.
Having the top floors open to
innovators and business-minded people is hoped to give impetus to Australian
projects. This increase in Australian projects will lead to greater economic opportunities
for all the entire country.
Through opening the bottom two
floors to public access, including a basement café, it is hoped that Macquarie
House will be given a new lease on life. The heritage listed building has not
been open to the public before the proposal from The Catalyst Project.
Redeveloping Macquarie House is
estimated to cost three million dollars. Riggel says that this sum of money
will flow back into Launceston’s city council, as they work to improve the
building for IT students and young business owners alike.
It is hoped that Macquarie House
will be a catalyst for heritage listed buildings to be transformed into similar
innovation hubs across Australia.
No comments:
Post a Comment