tech
Local Tech and Startup Scene Sees Fresh Activity on the Gold Coast
New accelerator rounds and co-working expansions mark current developments in the Gold Coast startup community.
How we reported this
Gold Coast startups have launched two new accelerator cohorts this month focused on productivity tools and health applications.
The timing aligns with national interest in family-oriented AI features and camera-free devices, pushing local founders to test products in real conditions rather than waiting for larger markets.
Co-working spaces expand along key corridors
Operators at the Southport Tech Collective on Ferry Road added 12 desks last week after reaching full capacity in June. Griffith University's Gold Coast campus incubator in Southport also opened a dedicated hardware testing lab for early-stage teams working on wearable devices.
Both sites sit within a 10-minute drive of each other, allowing founders to move between mentoring sessions and prototype builds without leaving the central business district.
Numbers show steady growth
City records list 47 new tech companies incorporated in the Gold Coast local government area between January and June 2026, up from 31 in the same period last year. Average seed round sizes reported to the council's economic development unit reached $185,000, with most deals closing in the final two weeks of each quarter.
Founders can register for the next cohort intake at the Southport Tech Collective before July 20 or book a tour of the Griffith lab through the university website. Several teams from the current groups plan to demo at a public showcase scheduled for August 5 at the same Southport venue.