If necessity is the mother of invention, could the father be collaboration?
Many of the more recent notable inventions and innovations only came to being via collaboration. The founder had an idea but only by working with others did the idea (or a metamorphosis of it) gestate into something of commercial value. Would Apple have ever got out of the garage without Wozniak. A quote attributed to him indicates his support for collaboration, “wherever smart people work, doors are unlocked”.
As a region seeking to encourage innovation to strengthen our economy, shouldn’t we all therefore actively support ways to collaborate that could lead to outcomes that have commercial and/or community value.
One such collaborative exercise is GovHack. As the name suggests you hack government data. Not the way you may have read about or seen in movies; the data is provided and the Government wants to hear other ways this data can be used to benefit the community and/or start a new enterprise.
This is the 2nd year Startup Capricorn has hosted GovHack and with thanks to the sponsorship of the Rockhampton Regional Council, Livingstone Shire Council and CQUniversity and support of the Qld Government it is being held July 28-30. It is a full-on weekend and involves teams looking at the available data, deciding for what other purposes it could be used for, then demonstrating its application.
GovHack may sound it’s only for geeks, but a team with a diverse skill set will arguably conceptualise and develop a more complete commercially and/or community valuable idea.
As an ice-breaker to the weekend Startup Capricorn is holding a Meetup this Tuesday night at the Criterion Hotel to explain GovHack. From last year’s winning team Jason Foss will tell of their idea and experience. Examples of ideas from other GovHack events will also be featured. It’s an opportunity to find out more about GovHack and possibly meet others who could be interested in forming a team. Who knows you might meet the co-founder of your next business at the Meetup.
Events like GovHack don’t get media attention and are organised by committed but time poor volunteers. If you know anyone; young, old, geek, accountant, artist, budding entrepreneur, who this challenge could appeal to please tell them about it. We need to get the word spread.
Innovation no matter who its parents are is just a tool. It will and can happen anywhere in the world. It is only when jobs are created from its application that the economy is strengthened.
Capricorn needs an eco-system that supports the continual conception of innovation; as we need the off-spring from it, jobs, to be created here.
Any offers of support to help with the significant costs of holding GovHack are very welcome. Please indicate on the Startup Capricorn Facebook page your support and come along to the Meetup this Tuesday night and be a part of building a stronger local economy.