Queensland start-up hub River City Labs to double in size

Australia’s start-up sector is going to strength to strength with Brisbane-based co-working space River City Labs announcing a relocation to the heritage listed TCB Building that will see it double in size.

General manager Peta Ellis said the start-up hub, a non-profit aimed at fostering Queensland’s start-up ecosystem, has grown substantially over the last three years — hosting the likes of Uber, Tappr, Orange Digital and Technology One — and has outgrown its current home in Fortitude Valley.

“We love working in the Valley, and are excited at the prospect of setting up in the redeveloped TCB Building and continuing to expand our offering and collaboration with key partners in the sector,” she said, adding there is 10,500m of space available at the new location.

Ms Ellis said current membership sits at over 100 members ranging from early-stage start-ups and founders to more established businesses who have successfully raised capital in the last 18 months.

Black Sheep Capital director Daniel Gavel said the Brisbane start-up ecosystem was maturing at a rapid pace and it was therefore important for River City Labs to plan for the future.

“We feel that Fortitude Valley is a natural choice as well, close to transport, infrastructure, the heart of Brisbane’s creative scene and part of a precinct that is undergoing considerable urban growth,” he said.

“A large portion of the Brisbane start-up community is already in the area, so it is fantastic news to hear that one of the cornerstone’s won’t be relocating.”

Collin Kinner, the director of Spike Innovation and Project Director of the Startup Catalyst Program said the start-up ecosystems in most Australian cities suffer from fragmentation and lack of scale, and Brisbane was no different.

“I think doubling the size of River City Labs is a great step towards addressing these limitations and is fantastic news for the local start-up community,” he said.

In June River City Labs announced a partnership with Telstra’s start-up accelerator muru-D to deliver the inaugural ‘River City Labs Accelerator’ program.

The program kicked off in September and will run over 14 weeks, delivering seed capital, co-working space, training and access to global networks for five local technology companies.

Author: David Swan, The Australian