One of Australia’s most successful tech entrepreneurs, Steve Baxter, will deliver the Geoff Shadforth Memorial Lecture at the University of the Sunshine Coast on Monday 27 August from 5.30pm to 8.30pm.

Those attending will hear Steve’s quick wit, while gaining tips on just what it takes to create successful businesses and how to unleash the potential of Queensland’s entrepreneurs and innovators.

Mr Baxter is well-known to the audiences of Channel Ten’s Shark Tank program for his incisive questioning of budding innovators. He is also Queensland’s Chief Entrepreneur and is currently championing Queensland's startup eco-system in all parts of the state.

At the age of 23, Mr Baxter put his life savings of $11,000 on the line to launch his first startup from the spare room of his Adelaide home. His second startup eventually sold for $373million. He also spent a year working with Google in California and, in 2010, he became a major early stage investor in startups, leading to the founding of Brisbane tech startup hub River City Labs.

His role as a ‘Shark” on Shark Tank sees him offering advice and sometimes investment to entrepreneurs and innovators looking to take their businesses or startup ideas to the next stage of development.

The USC lecture is held annually in honour of Shadforths Civil Contractors co-director Geoff Shadforth, who died tragically in 2013, and is aimed at continuing Geoff’s passion for creating growth and opportunities for the Sunshine Coast.

Tickets are available online at the USC website at $80 each, $40 for students or $700 for a group of 10 or more. The event includes the lecture, refreshments and finger food. For more details, contact USC’s Development Office on 07 5430 1104 or development@usc.edu.au.

Steve Baxter’s Sunshine Coast visit is being coordinated by the Sunshine Coast Regional Innovation Pipeline Team (SCRIPT) to allow local innovators, business owners and youth the opportunity to learn from his experience and insights.