Finalists announced for $1 million Ultimate HQ competition
Published 07 January 2026
- Five competition finalists from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and USA will attend an Investor Safari in February 2026, connecting with local business leaders and UniSC at Moreton Bay Central
- Combined, entries represent a potential of more than $500 million capex and 1,000 jobs
- The competition attracted global interest reaching more than six million people and attracting entries from six countries
- The winner of the $1M Ultimate HQ will be announced on 27 February
Strong global interest for City of Moreton Bay’s $1 million Ultimate HQ prize has seen an impressive array of entries from around the world resulting in five standout finalist scale-ups who are now preparing to pitch for the win at an Investor Safari event in February 2026.
The competition, a collaborative brainchild between City of Moreton Bay and the University of the Sunshine Coast, aims to embed a high-potential scale-up business in the heart of Moreton Bay’s innovation ecosystem, unlocking industry–research collaboration, and creating high-value local jobs close to where people live.
Mayor Peter Flannery said the message to investors is simple - City of Moreton Bay is Australia’s next investment hotspot, proven by turning ideas into jobs and jobs into prosperity.
“The calibre and international breadth of entries is a clear signal that City of Moreton Bay is being noticed for doing things differently and backing scale-ups with real, practical support,” Mayor Flannery said.
“Frankly, I’m not surprised that entrepreneurs want to be part of the opportunity City of Moreton Bay offers. We have the assets, partners and momentum to help great companies become bigger, bolder and brighter.
“This innovative competition aligns with our vision to significantly increase the density of local high-value jobs and accelerate innovation to build a stronger, smarter economy.”
In addition to five years of rent-free headquarters space with fit-out support, the winner of the Ultimate HQ prize will also capitalise on a brand-new space in the UniSC Moreton Bay campus allowing incredible opportunities for collaboration with researchers and emerging talent.
UniSC Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Helen Bartlett, said the winning business would benefit through collaborations with UniSC researchers who have expertise across business, engineering, technology, and more.
“By being based at our Moreton Bay campus, the winning business will have access to researchers and experts, plus facilities to help with business development and innovation, while our students will also benefit from the opportunity to network with industry and learn about employment opportunities,” Professor Bartlett said.
An Investor Safari in February will give finalists a curated immersion into City of Moreton Bay’s business and innovation ecosystem. It will introduce finalists to successful local businesses, economic stakeholders and competition partners, and showcase the City’s unique blend of innovation assets, partner networks and lifestyle advantages.
Finalists will also be introduced to industry and receive hands-on engagement with UniSC’s growing campus before they pitch at a gala event where the overall winner will be announced.
The five finalists are:
- One Model: A cutting-edge people analytics platform designed to help companies understand their workforce better.
- GN Corporation: A Canadian advanced manufacturer specialising in high-precision robotics and automation serving the Forestry, Aerospace, Automotive, Defence, Oil & Gas, & Technology Industries.
- Future Maintenance Technologies: An autonomous technology business providing AI powered robots to automate railway and aviation maintenance.
- Pultron Composites: A New Zealand based advanced manufacturer that specialises in the research, development, and manufacturing of customised fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) pultrusions.
- Motorola Solutions: A Chicago headquartered global technology business, that builds and connects technologies to help protect people, property and places, enabling the collaboration between public safety agencies and enterprises.
The winner of the UltimateHQ competition will benefit from access to competition partners including BDO, Constant Contact, K&L Gates, Telstra, and Westpac.
The Ultimate HQ winner will be announced on 27 February 2026, an exciting start to the year for City of Moreton Bay and our partners.