Start-up making impact on reef

WORLDWIDE marketing opportunities and sponsorship have rolled in since Far North start-up Reef Restoration Foundation took part in a statewide innovation program.

The foundation has set about establishing coral nurseries in high value sites throughout the Great Barrier Reef, partnering with research projects and educating the public about the reef’s importance.

Chief executive Stewart Christie took part in the inaugural Horizons event, a tourism industry accelerator run by Slingshot and backed by the State Government’s Advance Queensland initiative, last year in Cairns.

The event will be held again during September in Brisbane and Cairns.

“We ended up really focusing on our process, which helped us accelerate what we were doing, what our potential customers were and where investment could come from,” Mr Christie said.

“From that we were able to secure $400,000 every two years from NAB, secured a sponsorship from JTB and Small World Journeys and last week we secured sponsorship from Swiss watch manufacturer Oris.

“What they will bring to us is brand awareness and they will showcase what we’re doing in a worldwide market. They have a big presence in the dive watch market, so their customers are wanting to know how they are helping the reef.”

Mr Christie recommended the event to those who had a well-developed idea and were willing to commit a large chunk of time and effort to the project. The 12-week Horizons program will be led by Slingshot chief program director Ben Hutt, a renowned entrepreneur with over a decade of experience working with highgrowth technology-based companies.

He said every industry faced disruption and the tourism industry was no exception.

“We’ve already seen the effect of start-ups like Reef Restoration work to preserve the future of the Great Barrier Reef and therefore visitors to this site,” he said.

“We are looking to invest in up-and-coming start-ups and scaling businesses that can move the needle.

“With the tourism industry employing nearly 10 per cent of people in Queensland, there is a huge opportunity to crosspollinate a range of products and services, like accommodation, leisure, retail, recreation services, transport and hospitality.”

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