“The whole premise of this announcement… is drawing the links between international education and training and innovation”

A joint initiative between government agencies Study Queensland and Advance Queensland, the India Innovators Experience competition will bring two Indian entrepreneurs to the state in April as part of the innovation festival, QODE.

“India has one of the fastest growing economies on the planet,” ministerial champion for international education Kate Jones said.

“It’s crucial that Queensland entrepreneurs form strong relationships with their Indian counterparts and that’s what this program is all about.”

Launched in late 2018, the competition seeks to promote the state’s education and innovation opportunities to India, which currently represents the second largest source of international students behind China.

“India is a key market for Queensland and a market that we’re continuing to focus on in terms of attracting the right talent,” SQ executive director Shannon Willoughby said.

“The whole premise of this announcement… is drawing the links between international education and training and innovation.

“We want proactive, engaged, influential innovators to come and share their stories and their experiences while they’re here to help us raise profile in that space.”

According to the latest Startup Muster, Queensland and its capital, Brisbane, host the second largest number of startups behind New South Wales and Sydney. Willoughby told The PIE News the state government wanted to increase support further.

“Talented entrepreneurs from all around Australia and the world are moving to Queensland because of not only the lifestyle but their access to talent, the infrastructure that’s here and the investment being made by Queensland government,” she said.

The India Innovation Experience is open to Indian university graduate entrepreneurs or start-up founders aged between 21 and 40 and closes on 11 February.