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All-star support for Start-ups coming to Geraldton

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Anyone starting a new venture, business or community project will have access to an all-star line-up of advisers, funders and mentors at the “Growing Good” event on Tuesday 26th November at CityHive.

Pollinators Inc is bringing together some of WA’s most dynamic advisers across the fields of digital technology, ethical investing and community finance for this event. The highlight of will be an evening ‘panel and pitch’ session, where local entrepreneurs will pitch their idea or venture to the panellists. Further details and registrations are via the website: growinggood.floktu.com

Pollinators Inc, a local non-profit social enterprise, has worked with more than two hundred entrepreneurs and innovators in the past two years. A common challenge across many of these is how to ‘start up’ and ‘scale up’. Thanks to the support of the City of Greater Geraldton, Mid West Development Commission and Bendigo Bank, there will be three opportunities for training, mentoring and seeking investment on 26th November at Growing Good.

Sam Birmingham is one of the guests for the day, and will be presenting at a free presentation on Tuesday morning at 9:30am at CityHive, as well as providing training and mentoring in the afternoon and evening. Having launched (and crashed) startups of his own, Sam now shares his learnings with aspiring entrepreneurs as the Chief Organiser of Startup Weekend Perth — an intense, 54-hour event to take technology ideas from concept to realisation.

Sam has big hopes for Geraldton’s startup and technology scene: “I would love to see Geraldton host the first regional host Startup Weekend event in 2014 AND establish the first regional CoderDojo to boot!”. Sam’s experience from lessons learned in the technology sector will be shared with participants in “Growing Good” training which will run from 1-5pm on 26th November.

Coder Dojo Mentor and Ninjas

Coder Dojo Mentor and Ninjas

Startup Weekend in Perth

Startup Weekend in Perth

Pollinators Inc Executive Officer, Andrew Outhwaite: “There’s valuable lessons to be learned from Sam, Jane and the other trainers and mentors on this day. Whether you’re doing something with technology that could have a global impact or trying to solve a social problem in our local community, the steps, relationships and kills required to start and scale can be very similar”.

Co-presenter for the afternoon training, Jane Garrett, will add her 20 years of global experience in mentoring innovators and entrepreneurs. Jane returns to the UK yearly to mentor on Cambridge University Judge Business School Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning’s ‘Ignite’ programme, is a regular mentor to pitch coach the finalists of the State Government’s ‘Innovator of the Year’ competition and, most recently has brought ‘Ignite’ to Australia, where it runs annually through Curtin Centre for Entrepreneurship.

Brooke Darlington from Fast and Female Australia pitching at CityHive opening

Brooke Darlington from Fast and Female Australia pitching at CityHive opening

The finale of the “Growing Good” activities will be the evening ‘panel and pitch’ session where local entrepreneurs will have 3 minutes to pitch their idea to a panel if investors, funders and mentors. As well as receiving feedback, advice and potentially building new long-term relationships, the entrepreneurs will also be in the running to receive one of two $250 cash prizes thanks to Bendigo Bank.

Bendigo Bank Branch Manager Jody Beven said “I hope this event will create some traction for some cool new social enterprise businesses and the opportunity to discuss new ways to have new initiatives funded in Geraldton. Its also a great chance to meet with and network around exciting people looking to do good & make good change happen.

As well as Jody Beven, the panel will feature:

  • Lisa Greeve, Ethical investment adviser from Greeve and Associates,
  • Renee Doughty , City of Greater Geraldton’s Treasury Officer and former business banker,
  • Rob Houwen, a well-known and generous community leader and supporter of new social ventures.

Andrew Outhwaite, said: “The entrepreneurs we’ve got coming along are as diverse as they are interesting. And as of today there are still a few places available in the training and to pitch to the panel. To give you a taste, we’ve got two local entrepreneurs with rapidly growing ‘app’ ventures, a local charity supporting women in sport that’s on a real growth trajectory, several new ventures in the creative industries. Their all remarkable people and ventures, and this is a rare opportunity for anyone with ideas to gain skills, confidence and support to take their idea to the next level”.

Full details of the event are available online: http://growinggood.floktu.com/ or on Pollinators Facebook page: http://www.fb.com/PollinatorsInc

Event sponsors and partners include:

Related links include:

Media contacts

Andrew Outhwaite, Executive Officer of Pollinators Inc: 0466694702 who can provide phone numbers and further details for all the presenters.

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