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Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2015-03-17 Daily Xml
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Base64

The Hon. T.T. NGO (15:16): My question is to the Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation. Can the minister inform the council about the new technology incubator Base64?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation, Minister for Automotive Transformation, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (15:16): I thank the honourable member for his question.

The Hon. R.L. Brokenshire interjecting:

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: I think I am hearing voices in my head, Mr President, but I will try to plough on nonetheless. I recently had the opportunity to visit Base64 with my colleague the member for Reynell, and parliamentary secretary to the Premier, and was very impressed with what I saw.

Base64 was founded in 2012 by Simon Hackett, a South Australian entrepreneur and innovator. Members may know of Mr Hackett's previous entrepreneurial success with his technological company Internode. Following the success of Internode he established Base64. Base64 is a new technology incubator offering technical facilities and support for a number of compatible technology-related businesses, and is located on North Terrace in Kent Town.

The extensive refurbishment of the site includes an almost entirely new approach to office design and includes shared spaces, reflective space, outdoor rooms and a 50-person capacity function room with state-of-the-art IT capacity, much of which was designed here in South Australia. As Base64 opens its doors to many new and exciting ventures in the coming weeks, a curated community of technology companies from different industries will engage with each other and share experiences right in the heart of the city.

It is my understanding that accommodation will be offered at reasonable rates to assist companies in managing their costs during their start-up phase. With 70 per cent of the facility already let, the technical facilities and support offered are clearly in very high demand. Many of these initial tenants are software developers who will service a range of industry sectors, and there is currently a waiting list for the remaining 30 per cent of the facility. To complement the facilities on offer, staff will be on hand to provide advice and to leverage the connections of the Base64 team to tenants.

I can inform the chamber that the Data to Decisions Cooperative Research Centre, which commenced operating in July 2014, will also operate from Base64. The centre is a collaboration between the University of Adelaide, the University of South Australia and industry. It has been set up through a CRC program to research and develop tools that maximise the benefits of big data for Australia's defence and national security sector, as well as other industries. The government is pleased to have contributed $200,000 to the Data to Decisions Cooperative Research Centre, and there could not be a better setting in South Australia for it to be located.

I commend the spirit of innovation and creativity demonstrated by the Base64 team and, in particular, I pay tribute to Simon Hackett and his team's commitment to investing in South Australia. I am looking forward to continuing to learn of the progress and success of the many emerging entrepreneurs who will come to call Base64 home, as they create new products and new processes and increase penetration into new markets. I will keep the chamber updated as to what happens.

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