As we wrap up 2023, Meshpoints is looking back on the past 12 months and the amazing, collective achievements made by our 110+ Partner Network.
Launched at Spacecubed’s 10 year anniversary in July 2022, Meshpoints is part of the Innovative Society Initiative, supported by Lotterywest through a $5.9 million grant. The initiative exists to foster collaboration across the WA innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem through a collaborative network of entrepreneurial support organisations, grants to support new ecosystem initiatives and an online platform for mapping and measuring the impact of the ecosystem activities.
Highlights from 2023
In just 15-months the ecosystem has collectively achieved a lot, advancing our ecosystem and providing better support to local entrepreneurs. This includes:
- $1.43 million in grants across 51 projects
- 97 early stages ideas supported
- 21+ sub-constellations formed
- 15,000+ data points mapped in the Innovative Society Index
- Over 4,000+ people impacted through projects and events
What We've Achieved
$1.43 million in grants across 51 projects
Through the Inspire, Create and Ideastarter grant streams, over $1.43 million has been provided across 51 projects to support and encourage entrepreneurship in WA. Funded projects support innovators and changemakers across all sectors and regions of WA, creating new opportunities for Western Australians to engage in innovation and explore innovative ideas.
One notable initiative supported is the Young Entrepreneurs Academy of WA (YEA WA). Created as a collaboration between Curtin, the Malka Foundation, Meshpoints, St Catherine’s College, All Saints’ Beyond Boundaries Institute and the Education Department, YEA WA exists to coordinate and enhance entrepreneurial education across Western Australia.
Funded 97 early-stage ideas through Lotterywest IdeaStarter
The Lotterywest Ideastarter funding stream exists to provide support to innovators and entrepreneurs validating early stage ideas. A total of 97 ideas have benefitted from Ideastarter grants providing critical support to entrepreneurs advancing innovative ideas. This support has been provided across a diverse range of accelerator and incubator programs, including Bloom, Curtin Accelerate, IDEA Academy, UWA Venture and more.
Formed 21+ sub-constellations
Throughout the year, Meshpoints supported the formation of more than 21 sub-constellations. Sub-constellations exist to foster collaboration across the ecosystem, supporting organisations to work together to develop new ideas and initiatives in response to challenges and opportunities to better support entrepreneurs. Over the last year, sub-constellations have formed around a diverse range of topics and sectors, from ESG, decarbonisation, female founder support and encouraging entrepreneurship in our education system.
Mapped 15,000+ data points in the Innovative Society Index
The Innovative Society Index is a first-of-its-kind online platform for mapping and measuring the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in WA. Developed by the Innovative Society team, the Index has collected over 15,000 data points spanning more than 10 years, including mapping all historic accelerator participants, grant recipients, awards nominees and more. This data allows the ecosystem to understand the trends, gaps and opportunities to better support entrepreneurs and innovators and help inform decisions on what new initiatives need to be developed.
What’s Coming Next?
Through the above achievements, the Meshpoints Partner Network has impacted 4,000+ people across the last 12 months. Moving into 2024, we are excited to see the ecosystem continue to grow and more collaborative initiatives developed to support local innovators and changemakers.
Third WA Innovation Leaders Congress in August: Save the date for a great event!
Mark your calendars for our Third WA Innovation Leaders Congress in August 2024! Join us for a day filled with engaging discussions, networking opportunities, and the chance to explore the latest trends in the innovation landscape.
Index Expansion: We'll make it easier for you to navigate the ecosystem.
We will be introducing our new ‘entrepreneur copilot’ functionality in the Index to allow our ecosystem to better find the support it needs.
Growth of sub-constellations
In 2024 we will be working with our Partner network to develop new ‘Communities of Interest.’ These networks will support new collaborations across diverse stakeholder groups that encourage sharing of best practice, lessons learned from past programs and identifying opportunities for new entrepreneurial support programs.
Thank you to our 110+ partners for making our innovation community in WA stronger. Your collaboration is integral to creating a vibrant network of individuals and organisations dedicated to enhancing the skill sets, toolkits, and mindsets of Western Australians.
Learn more about Meshpoints and its extensive Partner Network here. If you have any questions or would like to explore partnership opportunities, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
