Congratulations to the latest recipients of the X-TEND WA program.
The six recipients will see a share of $474,000 to deliver workshops and education programs to entrepreneurs, investors and startups across the State.
This includes four regional businesses based in the Kimberley, Geraldton and the South-West which will see a share of $346,000 in grant funding.
X-TEND WA is part of the State Government's $25.8 million New Industries Fund (NIF) for 2021-2025 which supports the State’s Innovation Strategy and associated Innovation Action Plan.
The NIF aims to accelerate new and emerging businesses and support projects that build entrepreneurship, innovation and commercialisation to accelerate venture creation, economic diversification and support WA jobs.
These recent recipients are the first to be announced since applications changed to an open-year-round model.
The successful projects were:
| Organisation | Program | Project Overview | Funding Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broome Chamber of Commerce and Industry | Broome’s Innovation Catalyst Program (Regional; based in Broome) | Broome’s Innovation Catalyst Program consists of several interconnected initiatives designed to nurture entrepreneurship, investment and innovation. It will deliver entrepreneurship and small business growth, investor education and confidence building, and regional innovation ecosystem growth and promotion. | $100,000 |
| Impact Seed Pty Ltd | Impact2Innovate Investor Series | Impact2Innovate Investor Series will bring together impact investors to learn more about impact investing and participate in live pitches from enterprises undertaking capital raises. | $88,000 |
| Innovation Cluster | CONNECT Sustainable Industries (Regional; based in Busselton) | CONNECT Sustainable Industries is comprised of a six-month regional startup incubator program for 8 scale-ready businesses with a sustainability focus. It will include a bootcamp, online and face-to-face masterclasses and a Regional Innovation Summit. | $96,000 |
| Pollinators Inc | Geraldton Entrepreneur Support (Regional; based in Geraldton) | Geraldton Entrepreneur Support will deliver regional business support services including event management, bookkeeping, marketing, and business advisory support. | $50,000 |
| Startup WA | StartupWA: administration support | Executive Officer support assists in delivery of a range of StartupWA initiatives including educational forums, panel sessions, pitch nights, WA Pulse ecosystem updates and roundtable forums. | $40,000 |
| Make It Happen HQ | Make It Happen HQ Digital (Regional; based in Broome) | Make it Happen HQ Digital will build the capability of First Nations entrepreneurs in the Kimberley through the creation of a First Nations e-learning platform. This will form a digital hub, servicing entrepreneurs in a culturally safe way. The First Nations learning platform will improve digital literacy, market accessibility, skills and knowledge. | $100,000 |
