A teenage tech entrepreneur, the creator of a natural fruit-infused sparkling water and a founder developing a solution for chronic sinus-sufferers, are among the successful recipients of Lord Mayor’s Global Entrepreneur Program grants.
Lord Mayor Graham Quirk announced the nine recipients on Thursday 19 July, with each business awarded $5000 to help expand into global markets and reach new customers. “We are committed to helping local companies to grow and scale so they have the best chance of growing their customer base and employing more people,” Cr Quirk said. “We know this program opens doors for entrepreneurs, and the funds will help these businesses to finalise overseas contracts, meet with global investors and obtain professional advice for expanding. The nine businesses are representative of the wealth of talent in Brisbane and it’s crucial we embrace the entrepreneurs in our own backyard as they help to increase the city’s profile as a talent hub.”
Brisbane Chief Digital Officer Cat Matson said the recipients covered a diverse range of industries, validating Brisbane’s reputation as a great place to build a business. “Among those successful is Alexandra French of ALM Healthtech Solutions, a business that has developed a nasal health product for sufferers of respiratory issues,” Cat said. “Another recipient, Karen Foelz of Spring & Grove, has created a range of fun, fruit-infused sparkling water, which is now stocked throughout the east coast. It’s also great to award the teenage founder of BOP Industries. The company creates holograms for event marketing and is now looking to overseas advancements to bring back to Brisbane.”
Since 2012, more than 80 entrepreneurs have received funding to take their startup to the next level. The Lord Mayor’s Global Entrepreneur Program is part of the Digital Brisbane 2.0 strategy.
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