August 20, 2024

Regional entrepreneurs pitch circular economy, sustainable food, and tourism solutions

Bega and Southern Highlands-based businesses benefit from iAccelerate RISE Pitch Day 2024

Twenty regional entrepreneurs have impressed a panel of judges with their business pitch at the recent iAccelerate Rise Pitch Days held at the University of Wollongong (UOW) Southern Highlands Campus and UOW Bega Valley Campus.

From sustainable homes to queer community spaces, Indigenous cultural tours to an online garden support platform, a diverse range of businesses were on show addressing pressing issues in the circularity, high quality food and tourism sectors.

The iAccelerate RISE program provides regional entrepreneurs with the knowledge and tools to pursue new innovations in their current business, or start-up, to develop the necessary skills to bring their ideas to life. The Pitch Days are the culmination of the eight-week RISE program for each cohort.

This program was delivered in partnership with the NSW government’s Accelerating Regional Innovation Fund (ARIF).

“It has been a dynamic group of business owners, dedicating themselves to learning a new approach to their business ideas including our brand-new circular economy module” Tamantha Stutchbury, Director of iAccelerate said.

Prizes were awarded for the Judge’s Choice, People’s Choice, and Highly Commended at both pitch events.

The winners of the Judge’s Choice in Bega were Jason Yip and Jem Green with their business Wurly, a sustainable housing solution that will serve landowners’ needs from agritourism to emergency accommodation for communities impacted by natural disasters to housing for FIFO workers.

“Throughout RISE we were able to start developing a website and start developing our mission statements. Every time we uncovered a new customer segment, it became clearer what we wanted to do with the business. We really know where we want to take this, who we want to take it to and what our goals are now,” Jason Yip said.

^{iAccelerate RISE Southern Highlands participants pitched to a panel of judges (Deniz Kilic, Tamantha Stutchbury, Director of iAccelerate and Randall Walker from Randall Walker Marketing) during the RISE Pitch Day. Photo: Bodhi Todd Photography.} 

RISE offers practical workshops, online learning and a network of regional and international experts to help businesses grow and scale.

Pip Treloar of Far South Coast Queer Collective received the People’s Choice award for her pitch and Paul Brown of Djiringanj Gunjerung was awarded Highly Commended for his tourism business pitch.

Southern Highlands’ Judge’s Choice winner, Melanie Ison of The Brickworks Farm said that the RISE program “helped us develop a better understanding of who our primary customer base was and how best to communicate with them”. Melanie participated in the program alongside cofounders April Love and Maria Sakellariadis.

Helen Lynch of Wylen House Artisan Village Farm received the People’s Choice award for their pitch on a specialist cold climate gardening community and mentoring program.

RISE will be running again in the second half of the year with another cohort of regional entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs and businesses interested in the program are encouraged to reach out to iAccelerate to discuss the opportunities available.