I often talk about the City of Logan punching above its weight, and the sky really is the limit for what can be achieved in our great city.
This week the international media reported that “Logan is fast cementing its place as the drone delivery capital of the world”.
That’s a big vote of confidence in the city and our willingness to harness and support technology.
Council has worked closely with Wing – the Google-backed drone company that delivers goods to locals.
Wing is one of many companies that continues to soar since landing in the City of Logan.
It has made 50,000 deliveries in the last two years, spanning 19 suburbs. The company has employed 15 new people in the last two months on top of the current staff, and this number is growing as their operations grow.
During the most recent COVID-19 lockdown, there were almost 4,500 drone deliveries in a single week.
In the past year, Wing customers have ordered more than 10,000 cups of fresh barista-made coffee and received around 1000 loaves of bread via drones.
There has also been more than 1200 flying hot chooks arriving just in time for family dinners.
The business confidence that Wing has in our city cannot be underestimated. This investment helps to build city reputation and inspires further investment.
While we’re a long way off from becoming the next Silicon Valley, the commitment by this progressive Council to foster and attract innovators is gaining traction.
Local companies such as Black Sky Aerospace, akunah, and National Drones have signed up to Council’s entrepreneurial initiative coLab Growth Hub at Underwood.
The coLab was launched this year in collaboration with the City of Logan’s own global edu-tech company Go1 as a place where fast-scaling ventures can grow in a supported and globally-connected environment.
These ventures will boost our region’s economy and establish the city as a world-leader in supporting fast-growing and innovative entrepreneurs, while creating the next generation of employment in our city.
Council’s Attraction Incentive Fund is also proving successful.
The fund, which supports businesses to relocate to the City of Logan or set up significant operations here, has attracted 15 businesses, and is estimated to generate more than 940 new and retained jobs, and inject around $120 million into the local economy once all projects have been completed.
With a global giant such as Wing leading the way, it’s exciting to think what the future might bring as other trailblazers see our city as a choice destination to launch their companies.
