Announcing our 2021 South West CONNECT
Regional Innovation Hub cohort!
|
|
|
Ten innovative businesses have been selected to spend the next 5 months immersed in the CONNECT Hub where they will be supported to grow and scale their businesses through unique opportunities brought to their region including expert led fortnightly master classes, individual mentorship, and connections to networks of investors, industry and government.
Congratulations to Amanda Gardiner from Deep Walking Australia, Marion McRae from Movement Solutions/Building Bulletproof Backs, Stepan Libricky from Stepladder Consulting, Charlotte O'Beirne from Swimming Women, Joanne Edmond and Crystal-lee Dragicevich from Core of Wellbeing, Claire Parker and Rod Marsh from Cowaramup Brewing Company, Kate Barrett from Beaming Beaver, Jodie Bright from Amaresense, Jodie Richards and Darren Lee from Get Pickled & Get Shucked, and Brendan Earl from Keip Filtration.
The cohort met for the first time at the recent two-day CONNECT Business Bootcamp and revealed themselves to be a vibrant and engaged group, already demonstrating their collaborative approach to business including strategising how they can work together, sharing contacts and showing mutual support.
Sincere thanks to our program partners RLG, NBN Local, Origins Market, and Busselton and Dunsborough community bank branches of Bendigo Bank.
Find out more about the 2021 CONNECT businesses here: https://bit.ly/3bHaFLL
CONNECT Regional Innovation Hub is delivered by Innovation Cluster and supported by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development through the GroundSwell program.
|
|
|
Australian agtech founders chosen for Startup Network
Nine Australian agritech startups have been selected for the Startup Network, a program created by evokeAG. and Innovation Cluster/AgriStart aimed at fostering the growth of Australia’s agrifood startups and strengthening links with producers to support the adoption of new technologies.
The participating founders will go head-to-head at the Startup Network’s Showcase pitch event, followed by an exclusive networking dinner with growers, investors and industry professionals, held in the heart of the Riverina, Wagga Wagga, NSW on Tuesday, 20 July 2021.
In the lead up to the premier event, the founders will receive access to exclusive webinars, one-on-one mentorship from industry experts, attend a face-to-face pitchcraft workshop and a half-day producer technology uptake workshop to learn more from the grower’s perspective.
Find out about the selected startups and events here
|
|
On 2nd June the QuantumTX 2020-21 innovation, technology initiative culminated in a showcase of Western Australian SMEs that are leveraging their advantages in automation, remote operations, data, Ai, gamification and environmental technologies, into the global space sector supply chains. Innovation Cluster's Tash Teakle introduced the pitches and Atomic Sky's Managing Director and Innovation Cluster co-founder Peter Rossdeutscher who leads the QTX program gave the opening address and stated
"As open innovation is transforming the USD 314B global space sector, Australia is positioned to benefit from our technology leadership in the Clean Energy, Minerals, Agriculture, Advanced Manufacturing & Defense Industries. W.A. is a fantastic place to grow & scale a global business with leadership in research, technology & commercial collaboration.”
|
|
|
|
Photo: MD of Innovation Cluster Tash Teakle, Hon. Don Punch MLA, Minister for Innovation and ICT, Peter Rossdeutscher and Innovation Cluster's Melanie Timms.
|
|
|
|
It was pleasure to have our HARVEST program alumni member Chris Baudia from GeoMoby facilitating our CONNECT Collie Tech and Innovation Series masterclass on Business Apps. Chris joined Stuart Kidd from Apps People to give the attending business owners detailed insights from concept to launch.
|
|
|
We asked Chris about his tech entrepreneur journey since his first days in Australia when he created AussieLoo, Australia’s first toilet locator!
Chris went on to set up GeoMoby, a now patented enterprise location technology platform, and we met Chris early in this startup journey as part of the HARVEST program.
|
|
Chris said that HARVEST opened the door to the agricultural sector with introductions to the big players and taught him how to talk to farmers, bringing them in at a time when creating the foundations of the technology to discover their pain points to help he and his team to construct a roadmap to provide a range of solutions to drastically improve farmers’ locations based services.
|
|
|
Since HARVEST GeoMoby has grown steadily to 15 team members across 3 continents. Head over here to read more of his story and how they are shaping the future of location intelligence.
|
|
|
Geomoby was the Technology Partner for the 10 year anniversary round of the Mining Emergency Response Competition.
Photo credit: MERC
|
|
|
We are pleased to announce our new partner for the CONNECT Regional Innovation Hubs, Origins Market.
Origins Market is an landmark destination set to open on the 4th of November in Busselton. It is nothing like Australia has ever seen before; a unique and highly curated market hub set on showcasing the very best that WA has to offer.
|
|
|
|
Consisting of over 100 local vendors offering everything from fresh fruit and vegetables to dairy, meat and seafood, health food, arts, crafts, fashion, wine and more, this sustainable and produced-focused venue will blur the lines between production and consumption, providing as a place for locals and visitors alike to celebrate food, place and culture in a friendly and like-minded community.
|
|
|
As part of this year’s CONNECT Hub program participants will have the opportunity to be selected to receive a free retail space at Origins Market to produce, test and retail their products through:
- a showcase and retail site
- a fully licensed commercial kitchen
- cold storage and frozen storage on site
This is an amazing opportunity to produce and package product and increase exposure and sales in the destination for both locals and visitors to the south west region of WA.
|
|
Western Australian food and beverage manufacturers are now featured in a series of interactive, online Food and Beverage Capability Guides. The guides can help restaurants, retailers, consumers and other buyers source fresh and value-added products from each of the nine regions of Western Australia.
Mid West and Great Southern guides have been released so far and it's great to see our CONNECT alumni members feature: BredCo, Beck and Call Coffee, Stash Coffee, Gloria Dieu Apricot Orchard and Dorper Lamp, and Futari Wagyu.
Register your interest to be included in the capability guide for your region. The Guide is produced by the Food Industry Innovation program of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.
|
|
|
|
|
Are you a WA based startup focused on the production of alternative protein or functional foods?
The 6-month X-Protein Lab Program includes:
> mentoring by the Precinct’s Experts in Residence on R&D, technology readiness, markets, investment including Innovation Cluster's Managing Director Tash Teakle.
> Interact with international startups
> Receive three-months access to the WAFIP Innovation Centre
The WA Food Innovation Precinct is also offering a $3.85M competitive grant program Enterprise Support Program (ESP) in a partnership between the Shire of Murray, Development WA and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD).
The ESP provides up to $200K in 1:1 co-funding for agri-businesses seeking to pursue business development and innovation opportunities, through the leading-edge research capability, incubation space and technologies available in the Precinct.
|
|
EMPOWERED BY AGRICULTURE APPLICATIONS OPEN
Western Australian Cindy Dowdell, 2021 ABC Heywire Winner, has created Empowered By Agriculture, which will provide women a stepping stone into the beef industry that will grow their passion, knowledge and confidence through real life hands on experience and workshop sessions. Participants will explore different careers in the industry, have chance to learn from industry professionals and inspiring women in the ag industry, and be part of amazing networking opportunities.
Find out more and view the 2021/22 Online Application Form.
|
|
|
Innovation Cluster is proud to be a Partner for the InnovationAus Awards for Excellence, which will shine a light on Australian innovators, and the contribution they make to build the future of the nation. This new, exciting platform will identify, highlight and reward the creators and companies underwriting the future of Brand Australia; and celebrate the best of Australian innovation in the nation’s unique technology landscape. Early bird entries are now open.
Find award information and categories here.
|
|
We share news and more opportunities on our Innovation Cluster socials. Connect with our new Innovation Cluster pages below.
|
|
|
|
|
|
