The partnership now provides participants in Hub Adelaide’s Spark program with added enrolment in the award-winning business incubator program, Venture Dorm, delivered through Flinders University’s New Venture Institute.
Renewal SA General Manager for People and Place Management, Georgina Vasilevski, says the partnership is collaboration between two of Adelaide’s best start-up programs to provide entrepreneurs with increased support and training.
“This new partnership helps to strengthen Adelaide’s start-up community by providing an interconnected program which builds networks and capacity,” Ms Vasilevski said.
“Through increased support for entrepreneurs we can ensure that our brightest thinkers continue to use Adelaide as the test market for their innovative ideas and products.
“We encourage collaboration and continuous dialogue with entrepreneurs so we can continue to provide opportunities for start-ups to thrive here.
“The state government, through Renewal SA, vigorously supports entrepreneurs through its Small Venues Case Management program and City Makers Grants program.”
Spark Adelaide Community Manager James Findlay says the Spark program provides a unique launch-pad for innovative South Australian entrepreneurs with a focus on collaboration.
“To date we’ve mentored 29 Sparks through the program to successfully launch a series of technology, creative and social businesses across a range of fields,” Mr Findlay said.
“The Spark program provides a global network of mentors and community business leaders to assist first time entrepreneurs and start-ups to launch their business ideas.
“This new partnership between Hub Adelaide’s Spark program and Venture Dorm provides substantial increased value to the start-up community in South Australia.”
Kathryn Anderson, Deputy Director Enterprise at New Venture Institute, says the Venture Dorm program is delighted to partner with Hub Australia and the Spark program.
“NVI is committed to continuing to support and foster a robust entrepreneurship scene and through this new partnership we can deliver an immediate and lasting impact on the start-up scene in South Australia,” she said.
“The Venture Dorm program alone has already supported 136 start-up and 270 entrepreneurs in the early stages of the entrepreneurial journey.
“Venture Dorm participants are backed by the resources of Flinders University and a global network of entrepreneurs and business experts which means mean start-ups can be born globally.”
Venture Dorm celebrated its most recent graduates at the eNVIes Awards last month, where the top seven participants from the current crop of aspiring entrepreneurs live pitched their ideas for a prize pool in excess of $85k including two overseas travel scholarships to the USA to visit Silicon Valley in San Francisco the SXSW Festival in Austin Texas as well and New York City and Philadelphia.