Townsville software keeps workers safe in seven countries
October 07, 2016
JOINT STATEMENT
Premier and Minister for the Arts
The Honourable Annastacia Palaszczuk
Minister for Innovation, Science and the Digital Economy and Minister for Small Business
The Honourable Leeanne Enoch
Journey management software developed in Townsville, with the support of the Palaszczuk Government, is helping to keep resource and construction workers, nurses, teachers, social workers and sales representatives safer across seven countries.
JESI Management Systems, who developed the mobile phone-based B2B software to monitor workers movements between sites, was the first regional company funded under the Government’s Advance Queensland Business Development Fund. It operates in the USA, Canada, UK, UAE, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Australia.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Innovation Minister Leeanne Enoch and Queensland Chief Entrepreneur Mark Sowerby visited JESI Management Solutions at their INQ (Innovation North Queensland) headquarters in Townsville today and met with founder and CEO Joe Hoolahan.
“JESI is a great example of innovation creating jobs and opportunities in regional Queensland,” the Premier said.
“JESI’s clever use of software proves that good ideas are not confined to the south-east corner and that Queensland innovation is world-class.
“This is a Queensland solution to what started as a Queensland problem and it has quickly gained appeal in workplaces around the world.”
JESI, which stands for Journey Events Safety & Innovation, allows employers to monitor journeys in real-time and respond immediately in the event of an emergency or a person’s failure to check in. It has already proved ideal for workers in remote areas and even for people going into potentially dangerous situations in urban settings, such as social workers making home visits.
JESI received $500,000 in funding from the Advance Queensland Business Development Fund along with a co-investment of the same amount from Future Now Ventures.
Joe Hoolahan said the funding had helped JESI to scale up and reach more customers.
“Being the first regional recipient has also brought greater awareness and helped open doors for us. After all, a paying client is the best investment a startup can get,” Mr Hoolahan said.
The Advance Queensland Business Development Fund is a $40 million program offering between $125,000 and $2.5 million in matched funding, alongside private sector co-investors to assist Queensland businesses to turn ideas and innovation into commercial realities.
“Already we’ve announced $3 million in investment through the fund to create high value jobs right now and sustain new knowledge-based jobs into the future,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“Queenslanders have always had great ideas and now Advance Queensland gives them a real pathway to get those ideas to the global market place.”