Image: Team photo of the inaugural CDH Cremorne Challenge as part of the DIF2023 Festival on 6 September 2023 [Credit: Cremorne Digital Hub] Tech companies in Victoria are about to receive a significant boost to help them grow and create local job opportunities. The Cremorne Digital Hub (CDH) Scaleup Program is primed to support fast-growing tech firms, particularly in talent acquisition, operations and business development. This new and exciting program is now accepting applications, and is scheduled to commence in February 2024. Beyond industry-specific guidance, successful ventures will have the opportunity to engage with potential investors, corporate partners, and customers all within the tech and startup community. Victoria's startup ecosystem has experienced substantial growth, surging from $50 billion to an impressive $91 billion in the last three years. The CDH Scaleup Program is designed to nurture these tech scaleups and encourage them to thrive across the state. Collaborating with Artesian's Boab AI, Cremorne Digital Hub aims to deliver an unrivalled program. Boab AI boasts a remarkable track record in supporting AI scaleups, resulting in a collective company value of $365 million. Image: CDH in Balmain Street Cremorne is undergoing a transformation ready to open in 2024 [Credit: Cremorne Digital Hub] The Cremorne Digital Hub (CDH) is Victoria’s digital gateway, bringing together business, industry, education, research and technology to generate new pathways for innovation, opportunity and growth in the digital economy. The Director of Cremorne Digital Hub, Matthew Clunies-Ross, emphasised the program's adaptability to tailor to each scaleup’s unique challenges. "All companies in scaleup mode have different challenges and require the most time and cost-effective solutions to meet those challenges. The CDH scaleup model identifies each company’s critical needs and delivers bespoke services." - Matt Clunies-Ross, CDH This initiative promises to invigorate Victoria's tech landscape, foster innovation and strengthen the local economy. With a commitment to addressing the diverse needs of emerging tech businesses, the CDH Scaleup Program is poised to become a cornerstone of Victoria's flourishing tech sector. The Scaleup Program has been created for companies with an existing product that has demonstrable traction. Companies can be based in Australia or anywhere in the world. Applications for the Cremorne Digital Hub (CDH) Scaleup Program are now open. Hurry, as they close the 8 December 2023, 5pm (AEDT) and February 2024 is just around the corner. Find out more at scaleup.cremornedigitalhub.com.au
Photo: AIME 2019 Knowledge Session Source: Visit Victoria / Melbourne Convention Bureau Creator: Rob Blackburn Planning a business event in Victoria this year? Whether as part of this year's DIF2023 Festival or another of the 50 weeks - grants programs open for a limited time. Victoria’s calendar of major events delivered $2.5 billion in economic value for the state in 2019 and this year we're back to business Applications are now open offering eligible event organisers grants to offset costs for hosting events anywhere in Victoria. Victoria’s National Business Events Program Designed to give a helping hand to domestic business event organisers. With a focus on domestic association conferences, trade exhibitions, workshops and seminars, as well as corporate meetings and incentive group events with a business event program, funding is available to offset actual costs for hosting their events in Victoria. Cash grants offered can be put towards accommodation, venue hire, transport and other event cost such as marketing and promotion. There are two funding streams available – for events to be held in Melbourne and for events held in regional Victoria. Applications are now open. Grants are available for a limited time with applications closing 5pm (AEDT) 3 March 2023. For events to be held in Melbourne Supported by the Melbourne Convention Bureau, the Melbourne events stream of the program provides eligible event organisers funding up to $80,000 to support actual costs for hosting their event in Melbourne, including accommodation, venue hire, transport and other event costs. Grants of up to $80,000 ($80.00 per delegate for up to 1,000 delegates) are available to event organisers that commit to holding a business event in Melbourne For further details please refer to the National Business Event Program Guidelines – Melbourne. For events to be held in Regional Victoria The regional arm of the program supported by Business Events Victoria, will provide funding to event organisers for hosting new business events held in regional Victoria. The program provides eligible event organisers funding up to $40,000 to support actual costs for hosting their event in regional Victoria, including accommodation, venue hire, transport and other event costs. Grants up to $40,000 ($80.00 per delegate for up to 500 delegates) for a business event held in regional Victoria. For further details please refer to the National Business Event Program Guidelines – Regional Victoria.* For events to be held in Melbourne suburbs Applications for the Small and Medium Events Program are now open, encouraging more spending across the city and surrounds to help drive the state’s economic recovery. Building on the significant success of Victoria’s blockbuster major events calendar, the program provides grants to support suburban events and helps organisers to cover the costs associated with them – including venue hire, performer fees, staffing and marketing. The Victorian Government is backing more events across Melbourne’s suburbs, with a $3 million grant program to attract more visitors to local events, support more jobs and boost local businesses. Grants are available from $5,000 to $25,000 for organisers of small events (1,000 – 4,999 attendees) and from $25,000 to $50,000 to support the staging of medium events (5,000 – 10,000 attendees). Backing local communities by attracting more visitors to experience the best Melbourne’s suburbs have to offer, the initiative will see more small and medium sized events taking place across the city. This program will support a diverse range of activities including cultural, sporting and creative events, helping create ongoing jobs across the industry and connecting organisers with local businesses and suppliers. To be eligible, the event must be outside Melbourne City Council in a Local Government Area in Greater Melbourne and be held between 1 June 2023 and 31 December 2023. To find out more about the Program and to apply, visit business.vic.gov.au/small-and-medium-events-program. Applications close on 28 February 2023. Find out more information and apply via the Business Victoria website.+ Be part of this year's DIF Festival Melbourne and regional events are all eligible to be part of the annual Digital Innovation Futures Festival. Schedule your event between 23 August and 6 September and be part of the DIF2023. This is the 8th year we bring together tech leaders, entrepreneurs, and digital innovators from across the country. Start Here to find out more or submit an EOI today and let us know your plans. All are welcome to make the DIF. Material originally published *Melbourne Convention Bureau on 8 February 2023+DJSIR News on 1 February 2023
More support for regional startups with program funding now available through Victoria’s startup agency LaunchVic. Expressions of interest are now open with grants of up to $300,000 on offer for programs that promote startup entrepreneurship to regional Victorians. Local councils, business chambers and regionally based innovation hubs are encouraged to apply with the aim to harness more startup activity in regional communities. The programs should champion regional innovation, consider the challenges and opportunities that exist for regional startups and also look at ways to build and connect with local communities. For more information and application guidelines, visit LaunchVic. Building a Vibrant Regional Victorian Startup Community The Victorian Government through LaunchVic has supported more than 160 regional entrepreneurs across a range of areas, such as agtech, food, energy, b2b and enterprise software, to make the leap into the startup world through programs including Startup Shakeup, Startup Gippsland and Runway. Victoria’s startup industry is growing rapidly, more than doubling in value in the past year to $23.6 billion. The Government is also supporting the startup sector through several key investments including the Victorian Startup Capital Fund and the $10 million Alice Anderson Fund. Supporting Victorian startups is one of the Government’s strategic priorities highlighted in the Innovation Statement released in November 2021, with the aim to increase competitiveness and attract national and international investors. Key Timings Indicative timings for this program include: EOI Open: 16 June 2022Information Session: 12pm 23 June [Watch the recording]EOI Closes: 10am 21 July 2022EOI Outcomes: advised via email w/c 1 August 2022RFP Outcomes: announced via LaunchVic Website as contracted