Australia

Brisbane

#31-40

Emerging Startup Ecosystem
Members: Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation

#3

Oceania Ecosystem in Talent & Experience

#3

Oceania Ecosystem in Funding

#3

Oceania Ecosystem in Performance
Our team is fortunate to be backed by high-caliber investors whose unwavering support has led to the development of Australia’s first orbital rocket, built by an Australian-owned company, and supported by a local space supply chain.
Mr. Adam Gilmour
Mr. Adam Gilmour
CEO and Founder of Gilmour Space Technologies

Highlights

Brisbane is a vibrant and thriving startup and innovation ecosystem. Positioned centrally, it includes the emerging tech hubs of the Gold and Sunshine Coasts. In 2032 it will welcome the world for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Health, Biotechnology, Food, and Agribusiness sectors are forging ahead powered by world-class universities, Boggo Road Innovation Precinct, the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct, and the Sunshine Coast Centre for Bioinnovation.

The ecosystem’s collaborative stakeholders leverage government-led programs, government and private capital investment funds, and commercialization-focused researchers and universities. The government is committed to making Brisbane an innovation powerhouse. The focus on funding, business support, and resources to build its innovation economy, drive growth, and create jobs means Brisbane is ready to take its startups and scaleups global.

The new $150 million Innovation Economy Fund is boosting infrastructure and equipment improvements in precincts focused on priority industries and growth sectors. The Female Founders Co-investment Fund is improving access to early-stage capital and assisting the scaleup of Queensland innovation businesses founded by women. The Queensland Investment Corporation manages the Queensland Venture Capital Development Fund (VCDF), to accelerate Queensland’s venture capital industry. The fund nurtures local VCs while also attracting interstate and global funds, like Brandon Capital and Antler, to accelerate investment in local startups. The VCDF also delivers accelerator programs designed to expand the pool of investment-ready businesses in Queensland. 

In June 2026, Brisbane will host Global AgInvesting, the world’s premier agriculture investment event, cementing the ecosystem’s strategic location for market access and expansion.

Brisbane is where founders love the lifestyle and benefit from growing the connections, customers, and capital they need to start, scale, and shine.

Ecosystem by the Numbers

ECOSYSTEM VALUE

A measure of economic impact, calculated as the value of exits and startup valuations from H2 2022–2024.
(H2 2022 - 2024)
$4.7 BN
GLOBAL AVG. $20.4 bn

NUMBER OF UNICORNS 

The number of startups that meet our definition and have been valued at more than $1 billion and have not exited.
(ACTIVE UNICORNS)
1
GLOBAL AVG. 4

SOFT. ENGINEER SALARY

Average software engineer salary informed by data from Glassdoor, Salary.com, and PayScale, as well as local sources when available.
(2024)
$78.5 K
GLOBAL AVG. $52 K

TIME TO EXIT

The average age at the time of exit in the ecosystem in 2020–2024.
(2020 - 2024)
12.6 YEARS
GLOBAL AVG. 11.2 years

TOTAL EARLY–STAGE FUNDING

The total seed and Series A funding in tech startups in H2 2022–2024.
(H2 2022 - 2024)
$212 M
GLOBAL AVG. $514.8 m

MEDIAN SEED ROUND

The median of seed rounds in tech startups in the ecosystem in H2 2022–2024.
(H2 2022 - 2024)
$300 K
GLOBAL AVG. $889 k

EARLY-STAGE FUNDING
GROWTH

Early-stage funding growth is based on number of seed and Series A rounds raised between 2021-20222 vs. 2023-2024 and calculated on a scale of 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).
(2021 - 22 VS. 2023 - 24)
2
Scale of 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest)

EXIT AMOUNT

The total value of exits from the ecosystem.
(2020 - 2024)
$3.9 BN
GLOBAL AVG. $8 bn

ECOSYSTEM VALUE GROWTH

Ecosystem Value growth (CAGR) is calculated based on companies founded in the ecosystem in H2 2020–H2 2022 vs. H2 2022–H2 2024.
(H2 2020 - H2 2022 VS H2 2022 - H2 2024)
-28%
GLOBAL AVG. -14%

MEDIAN SERIES A ROUND 

The median of Series A rounds in tech startups in the ecosystem in H2 2022–2024.
(H2 2022 – 2024)
$7.5 M
GLOBAL AVG. $6.8 m

TOTAL VC FUNDING

The total VC funding (seed, Series A, Series B+) in tech startups in H2 2022–2024.
(2020 - 2024)
$2 BN
GLOBAL AVG. $5.2 bn

EXIT COUNT (#)

The number of exits from the ecosystem.
(2020 - 2024)
122
14
2020
21
2021
34
2022
23
2023
30
2024
GLOBAL AVG. 86

Sub-Sector Strengths

Aerospace
Aerospace

The innovation corridor has nation-leading capabilities in the space sector – with industry, research and development expertise in autonomous systems, robotics, sensors, AI and machine learning, hypersonic technology, and drones. Brisbane’s innovators have a wide reach outside the corridor enabling them to bolster Australia’s sovereign Aerospace capability. Gilmour Space Technologies and Hypersonix Launch Systems are at the forefront of the nation’s Aerospace industry, while innovative Brisbane company EPE is co-leading the mission to launch Australia’s first Lunar rover.

Health and Medical
Health and Medical

Brisbane is a leading hub for health and medical innovation, with world-class research institutions (Translational Research Institute, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute), collaborations (Sanofi Translational Science Hub) and significant government, university, and private funding for medical research. Established companies including Vaxxas and dedicated precincts (Boggo Road Innovation Precinct, Herston Health Precinct, and Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct) provide expertise and infrastructure that drives a bench-to-bedside approach to health and medical innovation.

Sportstech
Sportstech

Local capability in healthtech, AI/Big Data, sustainability, and immersive technologies creates increased opportunities for the emerging Sportstech sector.  Brisbane’s innovation corridor will be home to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, delivering opportunities that extend beyond athlete performance technologies to fan engagement, major event management, logistics, broadcasting, sustainability, and circular economies. Innovative partnerships between government and national/international sporting organizations, including the National Rugby League and World Rugby, are also delivering world-class opportunities for local startups.

Reasons to Move Your Startup to Brisbane

Economic momentum and strategic location

A flourishing Australian economy, Brisbane offers unparalleled business confidence and is a strategic gateway to Asian markets. This is where startups and scaleups accelerate, leveraging our history of innovation, infrastructure, highly-skilled workforce, and pro-business environment. From world-class universities and research precincts to transparent regulatory frameworks, the innovation corridor provides the stability and support needed for groundbreaking ventures to thrive.

Quality of Life and Future Vision

Brisbane is home to vibrant inner-city precincts and is the gateway to the beaches, tropical islands, and World Heritage-listed rainforests of the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and hinterlands, together offering a significant drawcard for talent and work-life balance. Buzz around the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games is creating positive momentum and countless opportunities for all.

A Collaborative and Connected Ecosystem

Brisbane’s genuinely collaborative innovation community leverages a strong willingness to connect, share knowledge, and partner across startups, researchers, universities, and industry. Our Corporate Innovation Network provides a mechanism to connect corporates to leading-edge technologies developed by scaleups. This in turn creates new commercial pathways for these local businesses.  Hundreds of events, incubators, and shared workspaces are fostering these connections.

Selected Startup Organizations

Startup Genome Members

MEMBER

We are driving innovation initiatives and the promotion of investment in startups and scaleups. We support the creation, scaling, and international success of innovative Queensland startup and scaleup businesses, VCs, researchers, and universities.

Key Ecosystem Players

Work with us

If you are interested in working with us to drive global attention to your ecosystem, please get in touch with Marina Krizman, Director of Business Development.

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