Propel Fremantle has selected nine ventures to receive funding as part of its inaugural program.
The Propel initiative, coordinated by the City of Fremantle alongside local partners, aims to grow Fremantle's capacity for innovation and provide support to aspiring founders and entrepreneurs.
The inaugural program managed by Enkel Collective is supported by Spacecubed, Lotterywest and the City of Fremantle with the objective of helping innovators turn their ideas into reality.
The nine ventures all sit within three of Fremantle's growth sectors of Blue (Marine) Economy, Sustainability and Immersive / Creative Technology.
Fremantle Mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge said the City was committed to investing in innovation.
"Fremantle has always been a great place to grow ideas and we're excited about the potential of these ventures to create jobs both right now and into the future," Mayor Fitzhardinge said.
The nine ventures are:
Anelo
An EV charging platform that gives users centralised information on charging availability, type and accessibility.
Conifir Technologies
A carbon emission tracking platform leveraging AI to extract and classify information, offering visualised insights to help clients track their emissions in near real time.
Freo Creative
A creative studio with an extensive network of collaborators delivering 3D, VR and AR projects to a broad target market ranging from government agencies to resource companies.
How I Started
A membership organisation dedicated to providing education, planning, career development and coaching for aspiring or current screen professionals.
Kelp Island
A marine venture committed to decarbonising the global construction sector with its innovative Sea Brick - made of seaweed that is stronger than concrete.
Ludic Learning Lab
A healthcare tool providing medical professionals with creative learning solutions using XR technology and wellness training.
Mantle Marine
A new marine brokerage business leveraging established relationships to connect vessel owners, construction companies and international clients.
OLi Systems
A marine tech dashboard that measures a vessel's weight in water to assist with safety and cargo management, primarily aimed at bulk cargo carriers and defence.
Sensorium D-Lite
A venture deploying XR and other immersive tech to work with small and medium-sized enterprises in Australia, USA and the UK that are engaged with AUKUS pillar 2 initiatives.
The ventures have been offered a share of a total $50,000 grant, to access business coaching, mentoring, access to coworking memberships, legal and accounting services and other support that was identified during an assessment phase managed by Propel partners Enkel Collective and For Blue.
The nine ventures were recently invited to listen to industry leaders and network with other emerging businesses at Freo Startup Fest (part of WestTechFest), an annual event sponsored by the City of Fremantle in which startups pitch their ideas to a panel to win the Golden Ticket.
"Freo Startup Fest showed yet again the energy in our entrepreneurial sector, with a record number of attendees and some amazing projects. It gives great confidence that Fremantle can meaningfully contribute to the diversification of the WA economy," Mayor Fitzhardinge said.
