The Illawarra is a robust and growing region with a demonstrated ability to nurture inclusive communities whilst focussing on continuous innovation. The UOW Innovation Campus is a $500 million research, development and technology precinct where innovative businesses can develop collaborative relationships with some of the University’s leading research teams and industry partners. Port Kembla is home to one of NSW’s three major ports. It’s located just a ten-minute drive south of Wollongong’s CBD. Each year it contributes approximately $418 million to the regional economy. The port is managed by the Port Kembla Corporation and has recently undergone a major expansion. It has road and rail transport links and is the main grain port for businesses based in southern and south-western NSW. It’s also used for general cargoes, containers and motor vehicle imports.
The Shellharbour Marina development is earmarked for completion and is poised to become the biggest boat harbour in NSW providing superb liveability. Wollongong is hailed as a globally connected City Of Innovation with an extremely supportive, multi-cultural business environment. Renowned for its world class steelmaking and mining industries, Wollongong is also an important knowledge services centre, international trade hub and a leading university city. Key growth sectors driving this momentum include advanced manufacturing, defence, trade and logistics and knowledge intensive industries in ICT, financial and shared services.
Research is indicative that there is ‘NO’ local/regional company providing, facilitating and executing an event platform which is ‘single-mindedly’ focussed on the growth and sustainability of Regional Australia (Illawarra).
The Founder graduated from the University of Wollongong in 1999 and though he invested the next 17 years of his career working with event multinationals, in Sydney, Perth, Singapore, Indonesia, Prague, Berlin, London, Hong Kong- he has always maintained strong ties and now resides in Shellharbour.
Passionate about events, the positive outcomes they enable and in line with the ‘Illawarra-Shoalhaven Regional Plan’, smg is launching both its company and its inaugural set of events in the ‘Illawarra-Shoalhaven Region’.
smg will research, produce, partner, market and execute its range of expert events in the Illawarra around topics focussed on ‘creating a robust, diversified economy, including access to high quality jobs, delivering greater housing choice to suit the changing population needs, growing the capacity of the port of Port Kembla as an international trade gateway, developing strong and vibrant communities through improved public transport and urban design protecting the landscape and environment, growing the national competitiveness of Metropolitan Wollongong to provide more jobs, housing and lifestyle opportunities, increasing capabilities of key sites in Nowra and Shellharbour City Centres, Illawarra Regional Airport, Albatross Aviation Technology Park and the Waterfront Shell Cove’.
smg will execute these events in a variety of formats so that we cater to the specific requirements of the region and deliver these ‘inclusive’ events across the Illawarra-Shoalhaven Region.
Smg’s event formats and business units include, but are not limited to:
- Technology Festival Series
- Large Scale Conferences
- SPEX Exhibitions
- Customised Training Road Shows
- Digital Publications
- Targeted Product Launches
- Management Consulting
- Sales Strategy, Training and Coaching
Foreground: ‘The First Cab Off The Rank’
Numerous discussions with senior executives of the WCC, SCC, ICC, UOW Innovation Campus, Destination NSW etc together with our partners and overseas contacts / steering committee has generated more than adequate support for our inaugural event to focus on SMART CITIES in 2018.
Illawarra Smart Cities World Summit will kick off on Wednesday the 6th of September 2018 and conclude on the 8th of September.
The event format includes a pre-conference site-tour showcasing the achievements of the region {Shellharbour Marina et al} followed by a two day conference with five thematic streams focussing on pertinent topics for evolving SMART CITIES.
There will be a SMART AWARDS ceremony at the end of the Conference which will take form of a Gala Dinner.
Additionally, there will also be an EXPO organised concurrently with the Conference where Vendors and Practitioners can engage in live demonstrations for products and services from world leading organisations, which will, further add value to the region by positioning it at a focal point. The expo will be free of charge and open to the communities.
Event Attendee Breakdown:
- 60 International & National Speakers – Five Thematic Streams
- 30 Sponsors
- 50 Exhibitors
- 250 Delegates
- Total: 380 – 400 Participants i.e. C Level Executives & Government Officials from local and global organisations.
Attendee Demographics:
- Illawarra 15%
- Rest Of Australia 40%
- Asia 30%
- Europe & North America 15%
SMART WORLD TOPICS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE FIVE THEMATIC STREAMS:
POTENTIAL TOPICS
The five thematic streams that will facilitate growth enablement through best practice sharing and inward investment for the Illawarra are:
- Stream One: Maritime Development & Tourism Shellharbour Marina is going to be the biggest Boat Harbour in NSW when completed.
- Stream Two: HR Tech – The Future Of Work & Play
- Stream Three: IoT – Infrastructure & Development
- Stream Four: Defence & Aviation
- Stream Five: Aged Care
smg envisages to engage a mix of Local, State, Federal and International Speakers from councils all over the world and pair them up with vendors focussed on HR TECH, Infrastructure Development, Maritime & Tourism, Aged Care Innovation, IoT et al.
One-To-One Business Meetings: The event will use cutting edge event technology to organise, mutually agreed one-to-one business meetings between key vendors, governments and investors at the event itself.
The venues we are considering are Win Stadium / Novotel / Sage / New Hotel In Shellharbour which will be confirmed shortly.