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Health and innovation precincts have long been recognised as vehicles for job and GDP growth, but the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct (GCHKP) might be playing an even weightier economic function.
According to Director Craig Rowsell, the 200 hectare site which employs 16,000 workers, is helping to transition the Gold Coast’s economy from one formerly based on tourism and construction.
“It’s cementing our reputation as a health, education and technology innovator,” he said. “It’s the product of a long term vision to diversify what we offer as a city.”
The vision appears to be working, with the Gold Coast last month recognised as Australia’s fastest growing economy, outperforming state and national projections.
Anchored by Griffith University, Gold Coast University Hospital, and Gold Coast Private Hospital, the GCHKP has been at the forefront of this growth and diversification.
Currently, the precinct is hosting more than 100 clinical trials and – through its research and commercialisation activities – contributes around $3.4 billion in value to the Queensland economy.
Grand ambitions
Looking ahead, Craig has bold ambitions for the GCHKP and would love to see the Gold Coast recognised as a global innovation leader, on the basis of its output and impact.
“The precinct of tomorrow is already coming out of the ground, with over $250million of private development completed or underway within Lumina, our 9.5ha commercial cluster of development-ready GCHKP sites,” he said.
Additionally, GCHKP recently announced the imminent launch of the NextGen Incubator – a three-year student entrepreneurship program, to be hosted at the precinct from 2025.
“The incubator is a QLD government initiative that will support entrepreneurial pathways for students and young innovators on the Gold Coast, and help bridge the gap between formal education and real-world entrepreneurship,” Craig said.
However, expansion is not the only focus of Craig, who is equally concerned with balancing challenges and opportunities.
He says having the right mindset will be key to bringing the precinct – which is backed by $5 billion in health, education, transport and residential infrastructure – to new heights.
“Innovation precincts are complex eco-systems, which brings many opportunities and challenges to the role.
“Each day I ask myself, ‘how is our eco-system bringing value to our partners?’ My mind initially goes to the immediate challenges involved. But I try to maintain equal focus on the longer-term strategic opportunities we have, and take steps towards these too.
“I believe this mindset is the reason we have has increased our reputation and continue to attract top-tier investment,” Craig said.
When asked what these long term opportunities look like, Craig said they range from ‘giving more people good careers in this lifestyle city’, to ‘solving some of the world’s greatest challenges’.
“Innovation precincts create jobs and prosperity, but their output is also vital for tackling environmental, economic and social challenges,” he said.
“For us, success at the both the micro and macro levels is important. We see the value precincts can bring to individual stakeholders and the surrounding communities – and we strive to increase both.”
Collaboration
Consistent with the ‘Queensland Innovation Precincts and Places Strategy 2022–2032’, Craig says he is also focussed on collaboration with other precincts, as he delivers on GCHKP’s strategic plan.
“This strategy has provided direction and funding to dig deep into the state’s existing capabilities.
“Through conversations with other precinct leaders, we can map out areas of global expertise and align on commercial opportunities.
“Ultimately, this will help the whole of Queensland attract investment and allow our precinct sector to thrive.”
This reasoning also drove Craig to be involved with the National Health and Precincts Summit 2024, at which he is a confirmed panellist.
This three day event includes a discovery day on 2 December 2024 at the Gold Coast Health & Knowledge Precinct, and a two day conference on 3-4 at the QT Gold Coast.
Delegates attending the Summit will have the opportunity to see the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct facilities and meet the leading precinct experts for themselves if they attend the GCHKP Discovery Day on 2 December.
Craig will feature on the ‘Attracting Investment’ roundtable, where discussion points will include:
• Working out points of distinction and strengths
• Putting together a strong value proposition
• What attracts private sector to invest in precincts?
Joining Craig on the panel are Ashlie Hartigan, Associate, Science & Innovation, Wentworth Capital and Lance Chia, Director, Investment & Innovation, Liverpool Innovation Precinct.
Learn more and register your tickets here.
About Craig Rowsell
Craig Rowsell was appointed Director of Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct in 2022. Prior to this role, he led large scale economic development initiatives for the City of Gold Coast and was employed in the federal government in Canberra for eleven years. He holds a Masters in Business Administration and a Bachelor in Applied Science.
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