Our Purpose

Welcome to the JCU Ideas Lab, a place of creation, connection and collaboration.

The JCU Ideas Lab transforms the innovation ecosystem in Far North Queensland by enabling regional digital transformation. This will translate JCU’s teaching and research expertise into innovations that generate jobs and foster economic growth for Cairns and the broader region. The ultimate aim is to create products and processes with real commercial application that can drive economic growth and diversity for northern Australia.

Our Culture

At our very core, we are innovators who are driven by the goal of making a global impact through leveraging world-leading research and state-of-the-art technologies. Within this space we nurture a culture to:

Meet the JCU Innovation Team

Dr Samantha Horseman
JCU Innovation Facilitator

Sam is a globally recognised inventor, innovator and venture growth entrepreneur spanning a two decade career at Aramco in Saudi Arabia. She is a global thought leader as a result of her IoT human-machine interface portfolio of 60 granted patents, 15 prototypes, 22 publications, and 25 regional & global awards.

Sam led the Innovation Ecosystem Vertical for the Aramco Entrepreneurship Center, launching deep-tech incubators and accelerators, and most recently deploying the Venture Growth Portfolio for 40+ startups invested by the Wa'ed venture capital fund. She was President of the MENA Institute for Health & Productivity Management (IHPM-MENA), Founder & President of the Innovation Ecosystem Society, Member of the Advisory Board for the MoH - National Vision Realization Office, and Director for the ‘Google for Startups’ Dhahran Chapter.

Sam is passionate about integrating science, research and innovation together to develop impactful business ventures. As a futuristic thought leader, she is motivated and committed towards developing next-gen talent, innovative processes and critical systems thinking for a better future.

Get in contact with Sam: samantha.horseman@jcu.edu.au