Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, Adam Crouch, is promoting the NSW Government’s regional emerging industries program through the Accelerating Regional Innovation Fund.
The new fund is designed to assist established business incubators and accelerators with capital to boost their capability and competitiveness to drive economic growth by assisting regional entrepreneurs with the skills they need to lead change.
“The Accelerating Regional Innovation Fund supports the 20-year Economic Vision for Regional NSW and the NSW Government’s priorities and plans to achieve long-term economic success for regional NSW communities, including here on the Central Coast,” said Crouch
There is no established business incubator on the Coast however local groups are considering partnering with other incubators to deliver a Central Coast based program.
Central Coast based Industry Connect is considering applying for the fund in partnership with an established business incubator.
Frank Zammit of Industry Connect said: “We’ve been helping established businesses across the Central Coast innovate for many years and this program looks good and may help us grow our capacity to assist start-ups in the region”.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW, Paul Toole, said regional entrepreneurs face additional challenges to their metropolitan counterparts, including ready access to supply chains, partners, funding, and even customers.
“We know our regional and rural areas are places where you can turn a dream into reality, and I’m so pleased this fund is helping these pipeline ideas come to life,” Toole said.
The Accelerating Regional Innovation Fund will provide grants of between $300,000 and $700,000 to accelerator and incubator programs in regional NSW.
Applications are now open and close on September 30 at 2pm.
For further information, including program guidelines and eligibility criteria, go to: www.nsw.gov.au/ARIF.
David Abrahams