Business innovation in the North-West has been given a boost with almost $200,000 in grants from the McGowan Government’s Regional New Industries Fund.
The latest grants from the fund have been awarded to two recipients to drive innovation and economic diversification in the Kimberley, Pilbara and Gascoyne.
The grants are designed to accelerate small to medium enterprise growth and economic development in the regions, where scale and diversity are limited.
The WEB Business Hub and Port Hedland Chamber of Commerce will receive $100,000 to develop a ‘shark tank’ program to foster innovation and assist new emerging business enterprises in partnership with Pilbara innovation hubs and chambers of commerce in Karratha, Hedland, Newman and Onslow.
Impact Seed will receive $92,000 to develop a pilot to incubate emerging and Aboriginal social enterprises in the West Kimberley and the Gascoyne.
For more information about Regional New Industries Fund grants, visit https://www.drd.wa.gov.au
As stated by Regional Development Minister Alannah MacTiernan:
“Supporting emerging businesses in the Kimberley, Pilbara and Gascoyne is absolutely critical to diversifying our northern economies.
“These investments will help small to medium sized enterprises overcome some of the challenges in the region to pursue opportunities that will generate flow-on benefits in their communities.”
As stated by Innovation and ICT Minister Dave Kelly:
“I congratulate the recipients, all of who have shown incredible entrepreneurship and commitment to the regions. These projects will have a multiplier effect in their communities and I can’t wait to see how they progress.
“By working together and building lasting relationships between industry, the research sector and Government, WA’s regional businesses will be well placed to compete in a global market.”
