Ariana Margetts - innovation maven - is on a mission to diversify and power the Gold Coast economy by attracting and supporting startups and SMEs from emerging sectors like Medtech, Biotech, Sportstech and AI. As the Chief Operating Officer of CoSpaces at Southport, she works with landlords, governments and developers to activate co-working commercial communities, including the Cohort Innovation Space in the Gold Coast Health & Knowledge Precinct and the Queensland AI Hub. And that's not the only hat she wears; Ariana is also the first ever female President of the Southport Chamber of Commerce, Co-Director of Startup Grind Gold Coast, a Griffith University academic and a mentor for Global Shapers Gold Coast Hub, a network of young people driving dialogue, action and change. Tune in for an inspiring podcast on how and why the Gold Coast is rapidly transforming into a world-class, knowledge-based economy.

As the Chief Operating Officer of CoSpaces, Ariana oversees the delivery of facilities management, commercial management, communications, marketing, public relations and events for all individual spaces under the CoSpaces umbrella, including Cohort Innovation Space, The Station, Queensland AI Hub and The Residence. Ariana is the President of the Southport Chamber of Commerce, the first female President in the Chamber's 109-year history. Ariana is also the Co-Director for Startup Grind Gold Coast, is a practice-based academic at Griffith University with the Griffith Business School and is a mentor for the Global Shapers Gold Coast Hub, an initiative of the World Economic Forum.