Ideas Lab Connectivity Café

No matter if you are a student with a great idea, an early career researcher, or an entrepreneur looking for funding – the Connectivity Café is the best place in Far North Queensland for access to fellow innovators, industry contacts and funding.

Connectivity Café for early career researchers and entrepreneurs

If you are an early career researcher or a student with a great idea who is struggling to put it into action, then JCU Ideas Lab Connectivity Café is for you – especially if you are looking for opportunities to connect with industry.

The Ideas Lab team brings in investors, venture capitalists, entities across government and others that are offering access to grants, industry programs and fellowships. This includes, for example, the Industry Growth program that is offered by AUS Industry and the JCU Alumni Angels Innovation Fund.

Connectivity Café for students

The Connectivity Café is also a good place to go to for talented students who are looking for placements. The Ideas Lab is cooperating with the JCU placements team that sends a representative to every Connectivity Café. Students may find placements and gain industry experience with industry partners or more than 40 Founders In Residence that are based at the Ideas Lab.

Contact for presenters

If you're interested in pitching your research, your great idea or your startup at one of our Connectivity Cafés reach out to innovation@jcu.edu.au. The Ideas Lab has an advisory committee that collects all submissions and will get in contact with you. You can present in person at the Ideas Lab in Cairns or via Zoom.

Come to the Connectivity Café

The Connectivity Café is every Wednesday from  2 May until 3 December 2025, from 10am to 11am at the JCU Ideas Lab (Building D4) on the JCU Cairns, Nguma-bada campus in Smithfield.

All presentations are also live-streamed to JCU Townsville, Bebegu Yumba campus (HDR Hub, Building 41, Ground Floor). We are planning to connect Brisbane and Singapore by the end of 2025.