Smart idea wins Premier's scholarship

Friday, 28 January 2000

A sharp-minded Adelaide arts graduate with a bright new multimedia idea is the first winner of the Premier's Enterprise Scholarship.

The $45,000 scholarship will allow Stephen Watt, 29, to develop his multimedia product at the renowned Austin Technology Incubator in Texas.

After a year in Austin he will return to the entrepreneurial program at Adelaide University's Commerce and Research Precinct at Thebarton.

Although relatively new to information technology, Stephen's creative idea for a new multimedia product, deliverable over the Internet, won the judge's attention.

Premier John Olsen congratulated Mr Watt as the inaugural winner of the scholarship.

"The Government is committed to ensuring that South Australia is at the forefront of the new information economy," Mr Olsen said. "To be at the forefront we need innovative and skilled individuals. That's what the Enterprise Scholarship is about - expanding those skills and encouraging innovation."

Stephen, who leaves for Texas on Monday, is an arts graduate who has spent much of his career in youth arts. He recently undertook a course in interactive multimedia at Torrens Valley Institute of TAFE, during which he formed his entrepreneurial idea. He now has his own company called Golden-Haired Boy Multimedia.

"The Austin Technology Incubator will be a very exciting environment to work in," he said. "Of course, my plan is to develop this product, but I am also aware that I will be developing skills and a knowledge base that will sustain me will beyond the life of this project. The program is not just about developing ideas ­ it's about developing entrepreneurs."

While Stephen can't say too much about his idea, given the highly competitive nature of the IT industry, he says the team environment of Austin will be very useful.

"As a youth worker I cultivated the idea that shared experience and the strength of a team is more valuable and balanced than the stumblings of one person," he said.

The Vice-Chancellor of Adelaide University, Professor Mary O'Kane, congratulated Stephen and acknowledged the Premier's foresight in supporting the scholarship.

"An investment in this sort of scholarship will not only contribute to new, successful high technology business for South Australia, it can also create entrepreneurs out of outstanding young people like Stephen Watt," she said.

MEDIA CONTACT: : , or Media Officer David Ellis: 8303 3173.

Contact Details