HACKCQ returns in August 2019 to bring young people, entrepreneurs, start-up business and people with bright ideas together to enable participants to enhance skills in the process of taking a concept through to viable business plans. Hosted by CHDC, the 54 -hour weekend hackathon will be held on 16-18 August 2019.

This interactive, informative and inspirational event fosters entrepreneurship and the creation of new, high-growth start-ups by rapidly testing business ideas, guided by an expert team of mentors, investors, business founders and sponsors.

The aim of HACKCQ is to foster innovation and technology development to power future economic growth and industry opportunity within the region. More specifically, it complements AgTeCH: Build it, Use it, Profit in supporting knowledge-intensive and high-tech industries and communities within the Central Highlands and wider Central Queensland region.

To achieve this, HACKCQ is set in an environment in which participants can test ideas and take the first steps towards launching their own real, working start-ups. It aims to be interactive, informative and inspirational - this is about achieving tangible outcomes (rather than being a talkfest only).

HACKCQ is based around the themes of technology-aided resources, agriculture, advanced manufacturing, environment and service provision.