EXCLUSIVE: TMN tours Sydney’s first Media and Creative Tech incubator

Tucked away on the sixth floor of the NSW Government’s Sydney Startup Hub is The Studio, NSW’s first Media and Creative Tech incubator for the media, entertainment, music, games, design and creative industries.

TMN took a tour of the facility with CEO Chantal Abouchar while it was still under construction, ahead of The Studio opening its doors to occupants tomorrow (March 1). 

Abouchar explained that the space offers state-of-the-art broadcast studios (including green screen, sound and AR and VR facilities), a lounge, kitchen and meeting areas, as well as access to a multitude of events and business minds.

“This is about creating the next generation of businesses, products and services that are using technology as a key part of their offering to help create global and sustainable businesses.

“That’s what we’re about – where are the next Australian business across the sector gonna come from, and helping them be successful.”

As one of four anchors in the York Street building – alongside Fishburners, Stone & Chalk and Tank Stream Labs – all you have to do is look at the four pull-up banners in the foyer on Level 6 to know that The Studio is bringing flair and creativity to the venture.

But it’s this pairing of creative-tech and media-tech offerings with the more traditional fintech and startup incubators that offers the most opportunity.

“The Startup Hub is just full of activity; already there are different events happening, different panel discussions happening. It’s really about a community and having that intensity of having all these people in one space, so people aren’t just at home working out of their bedroom on their next idea.”

Not only did The Studio call upon matched funding from the Federal Government as part of their initiative to support incubators, but also the support of 20 partners, including Animal Logic, Dolby, ARN, APRA AMCOS and AFTRS.

Abouchar has been involved in the media and entertainment industry for the last three decades, and established not-for-profit organisation The Studio in 2015, which has now transformed into “a startup for startups”.

“We’re a startup ourselves. We’ve lived the journey. It is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, and I’ve done really hard projects in my life, and this is hard.”

“I interviewed a lot of people from the startup ecosystem for my research [in 2013]. And I was saying, ‘Look, I really believe there is a value in a sector-focused vertical’. People were poo-pooing me big time, but I said, ‘Well, I don’t think so. I think the research that I’m doing is actually showing there is a value to this.’”

From humble beginnings as a Meetup group, The Studio plans to take things globally as well, working on establishing reciprocal partnerships with The Hospital Club in London and the Made in NY Media Center by IFP.

In terms of what Abouchar hopes The Studio will achieve, it’s all about future-proofing the creative industry by thinking globally.

“We want to be a real conduit for global connections. In Australia, we’re highly talented, highly educated… I always see Australia like a boutique nation, and we need to leverage the qualities that we’ve got, and to really be able to connect ourselves globally.”