For 20 years, The Idea Furnace has been my way of giving back to the Hunter and Central Coast innovation ecosystems. I’ve mentored founders, organised conferences and awards, and advised businesses and governments, all to help our local startup scene thrive.
I’ve watched our region transform. Two decades ago, innovation happened in secret, hidden away in dark rooms and factories. Today, our entrepreneurs are sharing their stories out in the open. The conversation is finally happening.
But a frustrating problem remains.
After all this time, we still lack a clear view of our own grassroots landscape. We know there’s momentum and a few names, but we can’t easily visualise it or prove how far we’ve come to the rest of Australia.
For 20 years, I’ve been the go-to person for this knowledge. Whether from government, universities, or solo entrepreneurs, to answer the same questions (without compensation): Who is doing what in our region? Who are the key contacts? How is the government actually helping entrepreneurs?
It’s a question I’ve answered hundreds of times, and it’s the reason The Idea Furnace is evolving.
Introducing the new The Idea Furnace
I’m combining my industry knowledge with my passion for technology to build something long overdue: an AI-powered platform that collects, analyses, and visualises our region’s industry information.
The technology will:
- Aggregate available industry data from across the Hunter and Central Coast
- Identify trends, connections, and gaps using artificial intelligence
- Map our ecosystem visually, showing exactly who is doing what and where
This is my own startup journey now, and I’ll be following the same commercialisation principles I’ve taught for two decades. It will take time (a year), but the mission is clear: to shine a light on our incredible region (and other regions…just contact me) and finally prove how far we’ve come.
Stay tuned. The furnace is heating up.
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