BIIA National Forum & Previous Year Highlights
BIIA 2019 Forum:
BIIA 2019 Forum Highlights:
OVERVIEW:
Melbourne Innovation Centre hosted the 2019 Business Innovation & Incubation Australia Member Forum at MIC Greensborough. The forum provided a range of speakers sharing their experiences across a range of relevant areas for incubator managers, including sustainable business incubator models. Contemporary business support programs, regional industry clusters and broader regional economic development strategy
OUTCOMES:
Over three days, 22 BIIA members and prospective members absorbed five business incubator and economic development program case studies, in addition to discussions and knowledge exchange on best practice strategy and operations, marketing, advocacy as well as a fruitful workshop on the key activities for BIIA approaching 2020.
Hosted at Melbourne Innovation Centre, members toured facilities of two MIC Incubator sites (Greensborough and Alphington), interacted with incubator client businesses and visited the Banyule Nilumbik Tech School.
2019 National Forum Melbourne
BIIA Forum Tours.
Alison Fitzgerald from Yarra Ranges Enterprise Centre entering Mushroom World at the MIC incubator in Alphington.
BIIA Forum Tours.
Truly a mixed use incubator at Alphington including the ultimate onsite Brewery: Thanks to La Sirene for the gift packs!
BIIA Forum Tours.
Some of our Forum Delegates touring the impressive MIC site at Greensborough in Melbourne.
BIIA Forum Tours.
The Polytechnic – An intergrated partner to the MIC incubation program delivering Youth Entrepreneur and STEM programs.
2018 Forum Highlights
For all that attended, I’m sure you would agree that our National Forum, held in Canberra this month, was a very successful event.
Our program theme was Building Technology, Innovation and Economic Networks, and we certainly hit the mark with our guest presenters and innovation and technology showcases.
We kick started the presentations with an overview of ‘best in class incubation management practices’ based on work recently commissioned by the World Bank.
Our presenter himself is probably ‘best in class’ when it comes to incubation and Julian Webb (Managing Director CREEDA Projects/Consultant to the World Bank, and a member of the BIIA Board) provided us with an in-depth perspective on where trends are heading.
He discussed the different approaches required within incubation and acceleration to affect meaningful impact on our communities and the challenges this may present in achieving financial sustainability.
Julian has been extensively involved in the BADIR Technology Incubator program in Saudi Arabia and, with Thea Chase from the USA (our international presenter at our Townsville forum last year), authored the paper ‘Business Incubator and Accelerator Sustainability’ which he presented at our forum.
The forum award presentation evening was also a highlight of the event and we would like to congratulate our two finalists for the year;
Business Station is a not for profit provider of enterprise development services to the metropolitan area of Perth. Business Station also operates two business incubators at its centres in Gosnells and Joondalup.
The organisation also hosts an Aboriginal/Maori tourism and business exchange program based on the experience of both the Chief Executive Officer Kim Charles and the General Manager Mark South.
The Van Diemen Project: Propel Business Incubator based in Launceston Tasmania (Karina Dambergs – Director of Operations) is a new facility providing a range of entrepreneurial services to help accelerate business through mentorship and business advice.
Their 5 day Ideation Startup program ‘Propel’ is an initiative that they hope will help launch many start-ups businesses.
Congratulations to our winner for 2018 – Business Station
Special congratulations to our Tasmanian finalist Van Diemen Project: Propel – this was a great achievement for such a new initiative.
award and certificate
Award winners 2018 forum
Congratulations to our winners.
We look forward to another successful Forum next year with you all.
Theme: “Leveraging Business Incubators for Economic Growth”
The 2017 Forum focused on International, National and Local issues affecting business incubation, innovation programs and economic development strategies that work. Australia has a mature business incubation ecosystem. Substantial assets operate in regional Australia and outer metropolitan suburbs. This year’s Forum showcased incubation programs at work and supported delegates to realise new business opportunities.
View the presentations below from the key note speakers who contributed to the program.
Mr Julian Webb: Director, CREEDA Projects and World Bank InfoDev Incubation Program
Mr Phil Kemp: Business Foundations and BIIA Liaison to the Asian Association of Business Incubators
Ms Thea Chase: Director, South West Innovation Corridor.
Ms Laura Rahn: Manager – Accelerating Commercialisation Strategy, AusIndustry – Innovation Programmes
Global Trends & Directions: Incubators, Accelerators, Co-Working Hubs & More!
Mr Julian Webb, Managing Director CREEDA Projects & Consultant to the World Bank, InfoDev Program
Local Growth through Innovation: What a Business Accelerator Can Do
Mr Mark Corrie Chief Executive Western Business Accelerator & Centre for Excellence, City of Melton Victoria
Innovation Competitiveness Across Australia
Assessing & Mapping a Region’s Innovation Capacity: LGA & RDA results so far: Dr Kim Houghton, General Manager Policy & Research, Regional Australia Institute
Incubator, Corporate & Government Partners: Sustainable Evolution of the Melbourne Innovation Centre
Mr David Williamson, Chief Executive Officer, MIC
National Leadership & Global Reach in Technology Incubation
Ms Petra Andren, Chief Executive Officer Strategy & Business Development, Australian Technology Park Innovations, NSW
Measuring the Local Entrepreneur & Small Business Ecosystem: A role for Hubs & Govt.
Results for Detroit Vs Adelaide: Mr Russell Lornie, National General Manager, QLBS