In July 2022, Spacecubed launched its Innovative Society Initiative, supported by Lotterywest, to create a pipeline of thriving resilient entrepreneurs, innovators and changemakers, and build a thriving, resilient and sustainable Western Australia innovation ecosystem.
The Innovative Society Initiative was established through a $5.9 million Lotterywest grant that was presented to Spacecubed by Innovation and Digital Economy Minister Stephen Dawson.
Just 12 months on, the Initiative has supported over $1,000,000 in local innovation projects from growing indigenous businesses in new industries and creating a diagnostic tool that measures entrepreneurial mindset in students, to supporting over 87 early-stage innovative ideas through incubator programs and implementing circular economy practices.
In addition, the Initiative has brought together over 80 individuals from industry, government, universities and not-for-profits through Meshpoints, a multi-stakeholder collaboration model. Through this model, 13 new sub-constellation projects have been created to tackle some of the industry's biggest challenges.
A key outcome from this Initiative is providing scholarships for local-WA innovators, entrepreneurs and change-makers to attend the Global Entrepreneurship Congress in Melbourne, this September. 24 fully-funded entry tickets were made available to this year's event, valued at $995 per ticket.
Examples of other funded projects include, but are not limited to:
- IPS Foundation; a program designed to connect and grow Indigenous businesses in new industries.
- The Fogarty Foundation; is an initiative to raise the entrepreneurial aspirations of 46,000 regional students in WA, and decrease the barriers facing regional educators in providing meaningful entrepreneurship education to their students.
- Business Foundations Ltd; an initiative to create capability in the WA innovation ecosystem by investigating how to implement circular economy practices and reduce greenhouse gases within existing industrial estates.
- Noongar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI); scoping work to create an Aboriginal Innovation Hub and development of a stronger understanding of the Aboriginal innovation ecosystem.
- South West Angels; collaborative approach to designing a strategy and framework for (Angel) investment across regional WA.
- St Hilda's Anglican School for Girls; the creation of a diagnostic tool that measures entrepreneurial mindset aimed at school students.
A full list of funded projects can be found here.
To find out more about the Innovative Society Initiative, click here.
