Our work
Over fifty projects globally. One consistent standard.
Every project we undertake is built on the same foundation: rigorous methodology, independent analysis, and a commitment to producing findings that are genuinely useful and defensible.
Every project we undertake is built on the same foundation: rigorous methodology, independent analysis, and a commitment to producing findings that are genuinely useful and defensible.
Client
NSW Productivity & Equality Commission / NSW Treasury
Year
2025
Location
New South Wales, Australia
Services
NTE Economic Analysis | International Benchmarking | Policy Evaluation
The challenge: The NSW Government needed rigorous, independent economic evidence on the scale and contribution of NSW’s night time economy to underpin the Productivity Commissioner’s review of regulatory barriers.
Our approach: Ingenium applied its established NTE methodology to estimate turnover, employment and value added across NSW and Sydney. We conducted detailed international benchmarking against the UK, US and Japan to identify regulatory conditions enabling stronger NTE performance elsewhere.
What we found: NSW’s NTE represented approximately 6.9% of Gross State Product, which while significant, fell behind comparable international economies. NSW’s NTE could be worth an additional $3.7bn to $9.4bn if it could match Japanese or US NTE performance.
The impact: The findings directly informed the Productivity Commissioner’s recommendations on licensing, planning and transport investment reform, and were publicly released as part of the Commission’s final report.
Client
Visa
Year
2025
Location
National, Australia (88 x SA4s)
Services
NTE Economic Analysis | Consumer Spending Data | Index Development
The challenge: Visa wanted to develop the first comprehensive national benchmark of after-dark economic activity in Australia – combining their transaction data with rigorous NTE methodology.
Our approach: Working with Visa’s Chief Economist, Ingenium developed a four-dimensional index framework assessing night-intensity of spend, vibrancy, safety and accessibility, and business environment, applied across 88 metropolitan, regional and suburban areas.
What we found: Significant variation in NTE vitality across Australia’s cities and regions, with strong performers in inner-city areas and substantial untapped potential in many regional centres.
The impact: The Vibing the Night report was publicly released by Visa, received national media coverage, and has been used by local governments to benchmark NTE performance and make the case for investment.
Client
Council of Capital City Lord Mayors (CCCLM)
Year
2012-2026 (ongoing)
Location
Australia (national, state & territory and 88 x LGAs)
Services
NTE Measurement | Annual Monitoring | National Benchmarking
The challenge: Australia’s capital city lord mayors needed a consistent, comparable annual measure of night time economic activity to track NTE performance over time and provide an evidence base for national advocacy.
Our approach: Ingenium developed the original methodology for measuring Australia’s NTE in 2012 and has delivered every annual iteration since. The programme covers 88 LGAs across all states and territories, tracking establishments, employment and sales revenue annually.
What we found: The programme has tracked Australia’s NTE through lockout laws, the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent recovery – providing the most comprehensive longitudinal NTE dataset ever assembled in Australia.
The impact: Used by capital city councils, state governments and national bodies to make the case for NTE investment, design policy interventions, and benchmark performance against peer jurisdictions.
Client
Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner (O24HEC)
Year
2023-2025 (ongoing)
Location
New South Wales, Australia
Services
Geospatial Analysis | Trading Hours Data | Business Intelligence
The challenge: The NSW Government’s Data After Dark platform needed high-quality, geocoded trading hours data for businesses operating outside standard hours to accurately map night time intensity across NSW.
Our approach: Ingenium provided trading hours data and analytical support drawn from our proprietary database of business trading hours built through Google Maps business intelligence research.
What we found: Ingenium’s data significantly expanded the platform’s coverage of after-hours business activity, enabling more accurate precinct-level intelligence across NSW.
The impact: Data After Dark launched as a publicly accessible platform used by NSW councils, the Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner, and industry stakeholders.
Client
City of Stonnington
Year
2024-2025
Location
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Services
NTE Measurement | Geospatial Analysis | Trading Hours Analysis
The challenge: The City of Stonnington needed a detailed understanding of its NTE to support a refreshed strategy, including economic scale, precinct performance and the impact of changing consumer behaviours.
Our approach: Full NTE measurement using the NMI methodology, complemented by geospatial analysis of business clusters and trading hours across Chapel Street, High Street Armadale, and the South Yarra entertainment district.
What we found: Significant variation in night time intensity across Stonnington’s precincts, with some areas demonstrating strong evening economy activity and others showing a more limited after-dark offer.
The impact: Research provided the evidence base to support Stonnington’s Place-Led Economid Development (PLED) strategy, informing precinct investment priorities, licensing policy and activation programming.
Client
City of Parramatta
Year
2025
Location
Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia
Services
Visitor Economy Analysis | Local Music Sector | Economic Modelling | Cultural Strategy
The challenge: The City of Parramatta needed rigorous economic evidence across two strategically important sectors – its visitor economy and local music sector – to inform its Cultural Strategy, Night City Framework and forthcoming Events and Festivals Strategy 2025–2030.
Our approach: Ingenium delivered two complementary studies. The Visitor Economy report combined ABS business and employment data, NIEIR economic modelling, CommBank iQ transaction data and DSpark mobility insights to profile tourism, hospitality and entertainment activity across the city. The Local Music Sector report provided the first holistic view of Parramatta’s music sector, encompassing professionals, educators, venues and community participants.
What we found: Visitor economy businesses contributed $3.3 billion in output and $1.6 billion in value added – around 6% of Parramatta’s total economy. Over 60% of local consumer spending came from visitors. The local music sector employed 1,135 people, engaged 50,400 residents in music activity, and generated $99 million in annual economic output.
The impact: Together the studies established a robust evidence base guiding Council’s investment in creative infrastructure, events and night time activation – reinforcing Parramatta’s emergence as Greater Sydney’s second city and a leading 24-hour destination.
Client
City of Canterbury-Bankstown (CBCity)
Year
2022-2024
Location
Canterbury-Bankstown, New South Wales, Australia
Services
NTE Measurement | Trading Hours Analysis | Night Time Intensity Mapping
The challenge: Canterbury-Bankstown Council needed detailed, sub-LGA economic evidence to support its Night Time Economy Action Plan 2021–26, understanding where night time activity was occurring across its 23 Statistical Area 2s and identifying its eleven key NTE precincts.
Our approach: Ingenium facilitated a workshop with Council representatives to identify relevant data and contextual information, then collated, prepared and analysed economic, spend, crime and opening hours data across all 23 SA2s. The team articulated trends and distribution of night time activity within each of the eleven agreed precincts. The study was updated in 2024 with the latest available data.
What we found: Clear variation in night time activity across Canterbury-Bankstown’s precincts, with detailed precinct-level insights enabling targeted investment and policy decisions. The analysis generated a new set of combined measures to rank specific economic activity across the LGA.
The impact: Ingenium’s data supported the successful delivery of an action-oriented plan to facilitate safe and vibrant night life across Canterbury-Bankstown. The council recommissioned the study in 2024 – a strong signal of the value placed on the ongoing evidence base.
“The team at Ingenium Research are up there with the very best consultants I have worked with in my over 30 year career. They know their stuff and brought a clear distinguishable dedication to exceeding my / our expectations. Their work was professional to a very high standard, accurate, and timely. They are very easy to work with and nothing was ever too much trouble. The team and I also appreciated the manner in which they approached the engagement with us. They looked at it from lots of different angles and were able, in one example, to conceive a new set of combined measures for us to rank specific economic activity in our area. This has generated a new tool for us to use to help better plan and roll out future strategies and actions. I would highly recommend Anna, Andrew and the team and would be more than happy to answer any further direct questions. They were an absolute pleasure to work with and should be considered as front runners in any deliberation of options”
Mike Thomas, Manager City Business and Engagement, May 2022
Client
Newcastle NE1 Ltd
(UK Business Improvement District)
Year
2025
Location
Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
Services
NTE Measurement | Economic Analysis | Trading Hours Analysis
The challenge: Newcastle NE1 commissioned Ingenium to deliver a comprehensive analysis of Newcastle’s night-time economy, building on earlier research from 2012 – providing a robust updated evidence base on the city’s economic performance after dark.
Our approach: Ingenium combined Office for National Statistics (ONS) data with trading hours information from the Google Places API, mapping business activity, employment and turnover within Newcastle’s NTE. The methodology introduced a trading-pattern analysis to identify when and where businesses co-locate at night, revealing new insights into the dynamics of the evening and late-night economy.
What we found: Newcastle’s night-time economy remains a major local employer and generates approximately £359 million in turnover annually. The study also identified a relative decline in city-centre activity compared with surrounding areas – providing NE1 with critical intelligence for future revitalisation efforts.
The impact: Findings were presented to NE1 and partners through a detailed report and data workbooks to inform future policy, investment and revitalisation strategy.
Client
City of Gold Coast Council
Year
2020-2024
Location
Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Services
NTE Measurement | Precinct Analysis | Stakeholder Research | Strategy Development
The challenge: The City of Gold Coast needed to understand where night time activity was occurring across its unique multi-precinct geography, and to translate that evidence into an actionable strategy supported by both industry and Council.
Our approach: A three-phase programme: first, comprehensive NTE measurement covering economic performance, live music, crime, trading patterns, consumer expenditure and people movement across twelve distinct precincts. Second, stakeholder research capturing perceptions of locals, visitors, workers and businesses through surveys and one-on-one consultations. Third, collaborative development of the Activate the Night Action Plan with a steering group of industry thought leaders.
What we found: Twelve unique NTE precincts identified and analysed across the Gold Coast, categorised as Prime, Growth and Distinctive. Significant variation in precinct characteristics, strengths and needs, with clear evidence of where investment would have the greatest impact.
The impact: The Activate the Night Action Plan 2023–2027 was delivered in partnership with Council and industry, with collaborative night time governance identified as a key outcome. The project established one of the most comprehensive multi-precinct NTE evidence bases of any Australian city.
Ingenium’s current work stands on foundations laid over more than 15 years. These landmark projects established the methodologies and evidence base that everything else is built on.
City of Sydney Council. The world’s first full cost-benefit analysis of a night time economy, commissioned as part of the OPEN Sydney 2030 strategic vision. Set the template for all subsequent NTE CBA work globally.
Auckland Council. The first economic measurement of New Zealand’s NTE, covering Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington, compared against Australian capital cities using Stats NZ data.
Westminster City Council. Major cost-benefit analysis of the West End’s NTE plus research for the GLA Night Time Commission, informing the Mayor of London’s NTE policy recommendations.
Brisbane City Council. Deep-dive analysis of NTE activity in Brisbane CBD, Herston/Fortitude Valley and West End, the first sub-LGA NTE analysis for Brisbane.
We’d be glad to talk through what a project might look like for your organisation.
Reach out for an informal conversation, no commitment required.