While Silicon Valley has long been the North American epicentre of tech innovation, there’s a new contender on the horizon that tech companies should seriously consider in the Southern Hemisphere: the Sunshine Coast, Australia.
This stunning location was recently voted #3 most loved travel destination in the world yet offers far more than prestine beaches and a laid-back lifestyle.
The Sunshine Coast, Australia is a fast-growing tech hub, qualified to allow companies to test and trial their tech in a real world environment.
Unleashing next generation digital services: Sunshine Coast’s urban testbed
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The Sunshine Coast, Australia is not just another pretty face – it’s a region that has invested heavily in its digital infrastructure. The master-planned CBD is a smart city, equipped with the latest data networking technology including WiFi 6, a city-wide deployment of fibre broadband, LoRaWAN wireless network access points and multi-function pole infrastructure.
The CBD is home to the Sunshine Coast International Broadband Network (SCIBN) cable landing station and NEXTDC’s SC1, a Tier 3N+1 Edge Data Centre, providing unparalleled options for low-latency connectivity between the region and destinations in the USA.
This makes the Sunshine Coast CBD an ideal location for tech companies to test and trial their new technologies. Whether it’s IoT devices, sports-tech applications or next-gen consumer electronics, the city centre’s robust digital backbone ensures that companies can run real-world tests without any hiccups.
Let’s not forget the lifestyle advantages. The Sunshine Coast, Australia is recognised as a UNESCO Biosphere and offers beautiful beaches, ancient rainforests, world-class food and agribusiness industry and thriving cultural scene.
It’s even been dubbed Australia’s craft beer capital, with more craft breweries per capita than any other region!
For tech professionals who value work-life balance, the Sunshine Coast is an unbeatable location. Companies setting up shop here will find it easier to attract top talent who are drawn to the lifestyle as much as the work itself.
While places like Silicon Valley offer immense opportunities, they also come with sky-high operational costs. The Sunshine Coast offers a more cost-effective alternative without compromising the quality of resources or infrastructure.
Lower costs for office space, utilities and even talent can translate into significant savings, allowing companies to allocate funds to R&D, commercialisation and other critical functions.
The Sunshine Coast operates in the Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST), which has its advantages for US companies.
With just a few hours of overlap with the US workday, companies can effectively manage 24/7 operations and customer support. This time zone compatibility is particularly beneficial for SaaS companies that require round-the-clock service availability.
The Sunshine Coast, Australia, is not just a tropical paradise but a tech testing ground with a focus on sports tech innovation. With its cutting-edge digital infrastructure, proximity to talent, quality of life, cost-effectiveness and strategic time zone, it offers a compelling package for tech companies.
As the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games approach, the Sunshine Coast is poised to become a beacon for tech entrepreneurs looking to make their mark in the sports tech industry. So, if you’re a tech company in the US looking for the next big opportunity, don’t just look west to Silicon Valley; look across the Pacific to Australia’s Sunshine Coast.
This video features a case study called “The Connected Worker” in which Sunshine Coast Council, has successfully tested augmented reality wearables and software using the Maroochydore City Centre’s high speed/low latency WiFi 6 Network. It’s ready now for you to test and trial.
In this video, The AVR Lab discuss the benefits of testing and trialling new tech for their business and their experience of working with Sunshine Coast Council.
