The Swinburne Fire Station has provided a platform for the emergence of many new business initiatives through its programs and connection to networks. Perhaps one of the most profound of these is a start-up business that now acts as a key pillar of activity within the Fire Station itself, The Data Experience. The brain-child of two Swinburne staff, this business was built on an idea sparked at a conference they attended in the US just over 2 years ago. It has rapidly grown in the Swinburne Fire Station and is now looking at ways to expand on the initial model. The Data Experience has developed an innovative way of working with students in the 3rd year of their degrees at Swinburne, that combines a boot camp, certifications, and industry placements, to develop data analysis and visualisation skills, problem solving, communication, presentation, team building and leadership skills, that better equips students with skills for their digital work future. Students are considered employees of The Data Experience acting as junior consultants following their 10 week boot camp program, progressing to real world work placements with collaborating industry partners. The Data Experience is a great example of innovation and creating real world impact through growing work ready and industry relevant employees and collaborating with industry and across the university to deliver wonderful results.

Set a clear vision for what you want to achieve from the outset and track you progress closely.

Be ambitious and innovative, collaborate and take risks.

Seek out partners that align with your vision and build relationships on trust and integrity. Work together as a team not as a transaction.

Lead with passion, positivity and openness. All are contagious and people will want a part of it.

All of the pieces are now in place and are already achieving great results. We will now work to expand networks locally and globally to achieve greater impact and continue to build internal collaboration across the university and reaching out to community.

The Swinburne Fire Station has rapidly grown in reputation leading to the harnessing of two new global innovation programs for 2020 and 2021. In July 2020, Swinburne in partnership with the United Nation Association of Australia (UNAA) will launch the first Asia Pac UN SDG Accelerator Program to advance innovation in social impact. Eight teams will be selected from universities across the Asia Pacific region to develop businesses that focus on solving SDG challenges. In 2021, the Fire Station will host the Codex World’s Top 50 Innovators Conference, the first time the event will be held outside of London.