This year’s event showcased the pitches of eight business owners chosen from a pool of 22 applicants. They presented to industry-leading judges and guests representing local and state government and private sector. Charlie Cush, CEO of Brisbane Festival, hosted the 2023 Creative Industries Demo Day.
Paul Szep from Blind Bats and his game-changing Beeping Ball was unanimously voted the judges' choice. His project aims to empower the blind community by enabling participation in sports and social events many take for granted.
The battery-operated cricket ball emits a continuous sound to help vision-impaired players participate in the sport. It has the potential to become the new international standard for blind cricket. It's no wonder this innovative product has captured national and international attention and support from representatives at all three levels of government.
Paul was awarded a 1:1 mentoring session with a matched Queensland AI Hub expert and a 12-month Queensland AI Hub membership.
Before Demo Day, the eight successful participants had the opportunity to attend a workshop hosted by world-class trainer and workshop facilitator Jacqueline Nagle of Any Given Tuesday. This half-day workshop helped finalists fine-tune their pitches and improve their communication skills and business strategy.
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