The Gold Coast Hub chooses Robina for new location

THE backers of startup “factory” The Gold Coast Hub have abandoned their first choice for a location and have moved to a new Gold Coast suburb.

Sharon Hunneybell and Danny Maher, who launched The Gold Coast Hub, with the assistance of the State Government and Gold Coast City Council, have chosen Robina as the new location for the hub. Picture: Jerad Williams

HIPSTER hotspot Burleigh Heads has lost out to Robina as the location of The Gold Coast Hub.

A concerted campaign by Robina Group to woo the hub to the growing area has resulted in The Gold Coast Hub signing a five-year lease for 2000sq m at The PC building at 36 Laver Drive, Robina.

CEO Sharon Hunneybell said the hub was forced to abandon plans to move into the former Billabong factory earlier this year at 20 Kortum Drive, after failing to come to terms with the landlord.

“At the end of the day we weren’t able to come to commercial terms,” she said.

Danny Maher, Sharon Hunneybell and Mike Danelli at the old Billabong wave factory, which was previously slated to be home for the hub. Picture Glenn Hampson

“There were issues with parking, and a few other issues. But really the parking was a massive issue. We needed a change of use for the building as well. So those things were gonna hold up the project longer than finding a new space that was more appropriate.”

Ms Hunneybell said they went on the hunt for alternative premises after the deal fell through for Kortum Drive.

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“When we first did our community information sessions, in June last year, before we submitted the application to the government, the Robina Group was talking to us about how Robina would be a great location,” she said.

“We did a thorough search of Burleigh, and we would have loved it to be the location, because it is such a hip and trendy place, but there aren’t many offices large enough, or with the appropriate zoning, for what we want to do.”

Ms Hunneybell said a four to five month search led them to the premises at Laver Drive.

”We came out, checked out the building, and it was ideal,” she said.

“It was a longer journey, but this is definitely the right space and everyone is super excited.

“It has great parking and is in proximity to the train station and Robina Town Centre.”

The Gold Coast Hub was founded in 2017 by the leadership team behind Gold Coast-based software company Opmantek, with support from the City of Gold Coast, the Queensland State Government and the corporate sector.

Its backers hope it will be a physical and virtual space for present and future business leaders to connect, commercialise and grow innovative companies.

The State Government has provided $500,000 in funding over three years, which was matched by the Gold Coast City Council.

In addition, $60 million has been committed to the fund from investors for seed funding.

Ms Hunneybell encouraged start-ups to join the hub, likening the new location to a “factory for tech companies”.

The hub will be managed by incubator Little Tokyo Two, which has four sites in southeast Queensland under management.