A special partnership signing to support Entrepreneurship in the region happened in Bathurst last week between ‘Upstairs Startup Hub’ (Upstairs) and ‘Regional Development Australia Central West’ (RDA Central West). This partnership becomes part of a wider pool of resources initiated by the Upstairs Startup Hub. The ‘Regional Innovation Ecosystem Partnership’ (RIEP) is all about supporting Entrepreneurs and business innovation in the region with shared resources and access to facilities, mentors and expertise.
Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Upstairs Startup Hub, Mark Genovese was in Bathurst to meet with Sam Harma, CEO, RDA Central West to sign an agreement to collaborate on and work towards creating pathways and shared resources through the Central West to support Entrepreneurship, business and economic growth.
RDA Central West CEO Sam Harma said the ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ (MoU) represented the next step in the evolving partnership between Upstairs Startup Hub and RDA Central West.
Mr Harma said, “We are proud to be supporting Upstairs and other local startups across the Central West. A new business today could be the new industry of tomorrow.”
“Engaging entrepreneurs and exploring new opportunities is at the core of what underpins RDA Central West’s objectives. There is no better vehicle to support this ambition than continuing to foster closer relationships with Bathurst’s Upstairs and other leaders in this space,” said Mr Harma.
“Upstairs is delighted to enter into a partnership with RDA Central West, as we are both committed to enhancing the opportunities for job creation in the new, more digitally driven economy. Collaboration is at the heart of what Upstairs is built upon, and we are extremely grateful that RDA Central West have entered into an MoU with us, strengthening our capacity to assist and develop new businesses in the region,” said Mark Genovese.
About Upstairs Startup Hub, Bathurst
Founded in 2017, Bathurst’s Upstairs Regional Incubator was set up as an independent not-for-profit born from seed funding from four organisations: Bathurst Regional Council, Charles Sturt University, Reliance Bank and the Department of Premier and Cabinet.
Our members have the opportunity to engage with courses, mentors, national and international business resources, and each other in a specifically designed co-working space that includes: fast Wi-Fi, desk space, media room, boardrooms, a break-out space and pitch venue. Find out more at: www.upstairs.org.au
The Upstairs Startup Hub won the 2019 Peak Connect Carillon Business Award for ‘Best New Business’ and they were Finalists in the ‘Excellence in Not-for-Profit’ category.
About RDA Central West
Regional Development Australia Central West (RDA Central West) is a not-for-profit organisation working in partnership with governments, local communities and other stakeholders to develop initiatives that enable the Central West region to grow sustainably.
The organisation is overseen by a Committee of dedicated local leaders who possess a wide cross section of professional expertise, skills and experience. RDA Central West is administered by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development and is an Australian Government initiative.
Read more about our ‘Strategic Framework for Regional Development Priorities 2017-2020’, here and visit our website: rdacentralwest.org.au for a snapshot of other RDA Central West initiatives.