Victorian Innovation Hub launches
The Victorian Government has launched the new Victorian Innovation Hub at the refurbished Goods Shed North at the heart of Melbourne's Docklands.
The new innovation precinct will be home to the state's start-up development agency LaunchVic and will house 360 start-ups, accelerators and incubators.
This includes Asia's largest fintech innovation hub, Stone & Chalk, which has made the hub its new headquarters. Combined with its residency in the Sydney Startup Hub, the innovation hub now has an east-coast mega-hub representing over 80% of all fintech activity nationwide.
In addition, agtech accelerator SproutX, Australian national medtech accelerator The Accuator, technology accelerator Startmate and the CSIRO's data analytics arm Data61 will set up shop at the new innovation hub.
“This hub is the next step towards giving Victorian start-ups and entrepreneurs the help they need to expand, network and be in a supportive environment that will help them turn their dreams into reality,” said Victorian Minister for Trade and Investment, Philip Dalidakis.
"It's no accident that Melbourne is Australia's number one tech city, and this innovation hub will continue to strengthen our sector and deliver for our start-ups."
Stone & Chalk Melbourne General Manager Alan Tsen commented that because fintech intersects with a large number of other industries, being able to collaborate under one roof with a range of other industry verticals will be a major advantage.
"We've already partnered with other key parts of the Victorian ecosystem to bring this cross-pollination to life, and so are excited to bring our residents even more possibilities for collaboration across other verticals through our residency in the Hub. We believe that bringing all of these possibilities together into a national program will assist the continuing growth of the Australian fintech ecosystem as a whole," he said.
The launch follows the signing of the recent UK-Australia FinTech Bridge agreement, which will be a further boost to the local fintech sector.
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