Samantha Horseman

Current role:  Leading JCU Ideas Lab ($30 million Investment) and the award-winning CAVE as the HDR Innovation and Industry Lead at James Cook University, specialising in AI and Deep-Tech innovation, STEM entrepreneurship, and research translation. With over 25 years as a researcher, inventor and industry leader, I have developed 60 patents, 47 publications, and multiple award-winning innovations. I lead programs and ventures that integrate industry and research to develop high-impact HDR candidates and industry-ready graduates that drives regional job creation and economic growth. Resulting in three successful portfolios: Founders-in-Residence: (>$450 million valuation and >$120 million grants + VC + angel investment), Industry-in-Residence: Anchor Organisations (Valuation: $16.7 Bn), CAVE Portfolio: testbed for $35 million investment NQ Spark. I continuously drive national engagement through initiatives such as Impact10X (License + commercialisation), Australian Creative Electronics Society (ACES), AI Consortium, Cairns AI Hub and launch of the JCU PhD@Work Initiative (outcome = 34 EOIs). My work spans learning and teaching innovation, applied research, and strategic engagement to deliver economic and societal impact. My mission is to enable research excellence with real-world impact, fostering a pipeline of researchers and innovators who contribute to economic growth, job creation, and societal advancement. I integrate learning, research, and engagement to create a cohesive and impactful academic profile aligned with JCU’s strategic priorities.

Take a peak inside the CAVE