By Webfit News | 14 October 2026
Queensland technology founders will have the chance to meet investors from across Australia and overseas at a Sunshine Coast summit aimed at turning emerging ideas into commercial opportunities.
The University of the Sunshine Coast will host Capital Coast: Queensland Deep Tech Investment Summit on Thursday, 15 October, at its Innovation Centre in Sippy Downs.
About 200 people are expected to attend, according to the university, with more than 20 venture capital firms and investors confirmed. These include QIC, Main Sequence and Investible, alongside angel investor groups.
The event aims to attract interstate and international investment into Queensland and give technology ventures outside Australia’s major southern cities greater exposure.
Matching Founders with Potential Backers
A key feature of the summit will be one-on-one meetings between a selected group of investment-ready Queensland ventures and investors.
Rather than leaving those connections to chance, organisers will match participants according to their sector, stage of development and investment interests.
The wider programme will include a Queensland technology capability briefing, panel discussions, live venture pitches, technology showcases and networking opportunities.
The summit is open to technology founders at all stages, as well as researchers, industry representatives, students and the broader innovation community.
Helping Research Reach the Market
UniSC Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Helen Bartlett said the event would showcase the state’s advanced and emerging technological capabilities.
“I look forward to the summit strengthening Queensland’s broader innovation ecosystem and further positioning the region for deep technology entrepreneurship,” Professor Bartlett said.
The university’s areas of expertise include artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, mechatronics and satellite technologies.
For founders and researchers, the summit offers an opportunity to demonstrate their work and discuss how it could develop into commercially viable products and services.
Professor Bartlett said the university had an important role in encouraging collaboration and helping research find a pathway into the market.
“To see the number of potential investors who are supporting Capital Coast already is a real positive,” she said.
Queensland Government Backs the Event
Capital Coast is supported by a A$25,000 Queensland Government Innovation Events Fund grant.
Professor Bartlett welcomed the funding, saying it recognised the university’s ability to attract investors to the region.
The event forms part of a broader effort to connect Queensland’s research and technology capabilities with businesses and investors who can help them develop.
Future Skills Labs Planned for 2027
Professor Bartlett also highlighted five Future Skills Labs that UniSC expects to bring online in mid-2027.
The labs are intended to support commercial pathways in robotics, automation, computer vision and autonomous systems.
According to the university, they will help local companies access new technologies and explore new markets.
Regional Innovation in the Spotlight
For Queensland’s emerging technology businesses, the summit’s immediate value will be the opportunity to meet potential backers, present their capabilities and build industry relationships.
Whether those conversations lead to investment will become clearer after the event. For now, Capital Coast is putting the Sunshine Coast’s technology and research community in front of investors looking for their next opportunity.
Further information and registration details are available through the University of the Sunshine Coast website.
