When the winners and alumni of the inaugural Queensland 40 Under 40 Awards are announced next week, Committee for Brisbane CEO Barton Green is likely to be taking notes.

As a former journalist who is strong on storytelling and narrative, Green said South East Queensland and Australia as a whole need to more vigorously promote innovators and startups.

“I don’t think we’re very good at telling the stories of the achievements of entrepreneurs and innovators,” Green said.

“It’s critical for our city and region to understand just what great work is going on here because success attracts success.

“The more we know about what we’ve got here, the stronger those parts of the economy will become.”

Celebrating the passion, vision and achievements of Queensland’s young entrepreneurs and leaders, the Queensland 40 Under 40 Awards is expected to also highlight the state’s newer industries and innovations in more traditional industries.

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Last minute tickets are still available for the gala event on July 20 at Brisbane Powerhouse.

Green said, while he has “concerns” about generative artificial intelligence “coming at us at an enormous speed”, it offers a huge economic opportunity for SEQ and is driving some of the state’s newest startup ecosystems.

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“In our part of the world, sports tech is a massive opportunity for growth. It’s a billion-dollar new industry sector, for our city and region, with about 10,000 potential jobs just in sports tech alone,” he said.

“The blending of sports tech with health and medicine is also an incredibly exciting area. The transition from devices and programmes that are primarily for sports people and elite athletes, to being able to assist the health sector has enormous potential. It’s another billion-dollar opportunity.

“They’re two really big ones, I think, for this region. And that’s why the innovators and the entrepreneurs are critical to grow and basically exploit those opportunities and technologies.”

Through its Brisbane 2033: Legacy Project, Committee for Brisbane has produced an action plan for SEQ to prepare for and capitalise on the economic impact of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Green said identifying and engaging with young leaders now is vital if the region is to deliver on this and the Committee’s vision for Greater Brisbane to be the world’s most liveable place.

“Both of those visions are relevant to young business leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators and the people who are, in fact, going to be setting the agendas and making the business decisions by the time the games are here,” he said.

“We’ve got to be able to know who’s in our own backyard, talk about them and learn from their experiences.”

Green said there is an “obligation” to support and promote the state’s young leaders to the wider community.

“The entire economy will benefit from it,” he said.

“And if we don’t harness and celebrate the power and influence of our next generation of leaders, we are doing a disservice from my generation.”

Committee for Brisbane in partnership with the Office of the Chief Entrepreneur runs an Innovation Mixer program in support of this.

Green is keen to stoke the fires of the generational change.

“I’ll be retired and looking on [the Games] with glee in 2032,” he said.

“Until then, it’s really important that we engage as best we can with those people who will in fact, be running our city and region, then.”

The Queensland 40 Under 40 gala event offers a superb opportunity to network with the state’s best and brightest. The ticket price includes a 3-course dinner and premium beverages.

Purchase last minute tickets.