TY - JOUR T1 - Developing a Startup and Innovation Ecosystem in Regional Australia JF - Technology Innovation Management Review Y1 - 2016 A1 - Troy Haines KW - Australia KW - Cairns KW - ecosystems KW - entrepreneurship KW - incubation KW - innovation KW - mentorship KW - regional KW - startups KW - theSPACE AB - Technology is enabling change at an ever increasing pace, not only in urban contexts, but also in regional centres, where the Internet in particular is enabling entrepreneurs to compete in the global marketplace despite the size and remoteness of their home cities or towns. In regional Australia, the challenges of high unemployment, fading traditional industries, a lack of economic diversity, and a "brain drain" of talent to urban centres highlight the need for novel economic development strategies. Innovation and entrepreneurship are highlighted as potential solutions, but both require knowledge and support to be successful. In this article, the author shares lessons learned as an entrepreneur and through the ongoing development of a self-sustaining startup and innovation ecosystem in the remote region of Cairns, Australia. The model described in this article is now being applied to other regions in Australia, where trained champions are driving the development of startup and innovation ecosystems adapted to regional needs. PB - Talent First Network CY - Ottawa VL - 6 UR - http://timreview.ca/article/994 IS - 6 U1 - theSPACE Australasia Troy Haines is Co-Founder and CEO of theSPACE Australasia in Cairns, Australia. He is also a Startup and Innovation Coach who has worked with hundreds of entrepreneurs across Australia to help them commercialize their ideas. Amongst many awards, he was named Innovation Champion in 2014 by the Minister of Innovation and Premier of Queensland. He was also inducted into the Queensland Government Innovation Wall of Fame for his work in building the North Queensland startup and innovation ecosystem. Troy and the team at theSPACE have developed startup and innovation programs, which they deliver across a wide audience, from high school students and SMEs to government (and everyone in between). He holds a Bachelor's degree in Business (Marketing) from Australia's Charles Sturt University and is currently working towards a Master's degree in Applied Innovation and Entrepreneurship from the University of Adelaide. ER -