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QUEENSLAND: WHERE STARTUPS GO TO GET SUNBURNT AND OCCASIONALLY FUNDED

In what can only be described as a shocking revelation to absolutely no one outside of Sydney and Melbourne, Queensland is apparently more than just theme parks, retirees, and people who think putting pineapple on pizza is acceptable. Our intrepid Tidal intern, Desiree "I'm Building My LinkedIn Network One Coffee Meeting At A Time" Louis, recently spent several gruelling weeks touring Queensland's so-called "startup ecosystem" – which mostly involved drinking flat whites in air-conditioned co-working spaces while nodding thoughtfully at people using the word "disruptive" without irony.

THE GREAT STARTUP SAFARI: WHAT WE FOUND IN THE WILD

After meticulously counting every LinkedIn profile with "Founder" in the title and every WeWork desk with a succulent on it, we've identified over 150 SaaS and AI startups that claim to be "changing the world" but are mostly changing their business models every six months. That's right, we're only counting the companies with actual code and algorithms – not the ones that just have an Instagram page and a dream. Our groundbreaking research reveals that 42.5% of startups are based in Brisbane – shocking news to the 57.5% who thought they were the only ones crazy enough to launch a tech company in Queensland.

The dominant species in this tropical startup habitat include:

• HealthTech and Marketing/AdTech startups (9% each): Because nothing says "innovation" like finding new ways to make people click on things or telling them they're not healthy enough

• FinTech and HR Tech (6% each): Revolutionising the way we move money around and fire people, respectively

• Various other Tech sectors (too many to count without falling asleep): Spanning across 38 different industries, proving that Queensland entrepreneurs will slap "tech" onto literally anything

And let's not forget the criminally untapped opportunities:

• Renewable Energy Tech: Which creates what VCs call a "massive opportunity" and what everyone else calls "why is it still so hot here?"

• Construction Tech: Still stuck in the "guy with clipboard" era, despite construction being Queensland's official state sport after surfing.

If you don't see your startup on our map, don't worry – we probably mistook you for another coffee shop or thought your AI solution was just another Instagram filter.

THE QUEENSLAND ADVANTAGE: SUN, SURF, AND STARTUPS THAT SURVIVE LONGER BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT BLEEDING CASH

Queensland's startup ecosystem has discovered a revolutionary concept: not spending all your money on office space and smashed avocado toast. The benefits include:

• Operational costs lower than a snake's belly (approximately 40% less than Sydney, where renting a broom closet requires a second mortgage)

• Office spaces so affordable you can actually hire people instead of just promising them equity

• Living costs that allow founders to occasionally eat something other than two-minute noodles

The state is rapidly transforming from "that place with the big pineapple" to a legitimate global startup hub, attracting serious investors who realised they could do Zoom calls from the beach. Queensland's innovation spaces like The Precinct, Lumina X, and The Capital aren't just offices – they're elaborate sets designed to make visitors think they've walked onto the Silicon Valley TV show.

The Queensland government, in a surprising twist that shocked even the most optimistic founders, is actually offering useful support through startup-focused contracts, tax breaks that don't require a PhD in accounting to understand, and funding that arrives before your business idea becomes obsolete.

CALL TO ACTION FOR THE ATTENTION-DEPRIVED

If your groundbreaking startup isn't mentioned in our market map, it's either because:

1. Your SEO is terrible

2. You were at the beach during our research

3. We genuinely couldn't tell if you were a tech company or a particularly ambitious lemonade stand

Either way, let us know and we'll grudgingly add you to our map while muttering about how no one appreciates good journalism anymore.

The Rocket Advocate Paper: Celebrating Queensland's tech scene – where the unicorns have sunscreen and the pitch decks mention beach proximity as a competitive advantage.