- Nine investor and entrepreneurship education programs throughout the State to receive share in over $680,000 in X-TEND WA funding
- Successful recipients of Round 4 of X-TEND WA to deliver investor-ready workshops and education programs to WA entrepreneurs and startups
- X-TEND WA funded through Cook Government's $25.8 million New Industries Fund which supports projects that build entrepreneurship, innovation and commercialisation
The Cook Government's X-TEND WA program will distribute a total of $680,000 to nine organisations helping them deliver education programs to a diverse range of Western Australian entrepreneurs, founders and investors.
X-TEND WA is part of the State Government's $25.8 million New Industries Fund (NIF) which aims to accelerate new and emerging businesses and support projects that build entrepreneurship, innovation and commercialisation to accelerate venture creation, economic diversification and support WA jobs.
The fourth round of X-TEND WA aims to help emerging local founders and start-ups to become investor ready, and stimulate private investment in innovative WA projects.
The following nine entrepreneur and investor education programs will be delivered in various formats over the next 12 months:
Organisation |
Program |
32 Degrees South Group Pty. Ltd |
First Nations X |
Agristart Pty Ltd trading as Innovation Cluster |
The SET |
Australian Sports Technologies Network |
ASTN Entrepreneurship Education Program |
Curtin University |
Curtin Invest WA |
Gloss Digital Pty Ltd t/as We Are Emersyn |
The Scale Advisory Female Founders Program |
Oceania Indigenous House of Ecommerce Ltd |
Oceania DigitalX Skills Program |
University of South Australia |
Australian Centre for Business Growth |
Westmark Pty. Ltd. |
IP Reach |
Purpose Ventures Fund Management P/L |
Venture Capital Education Series |
A number of the programs are aimed at supporting Indigenous entrepreneurs, others are designed to help female founders and some are hosted in regional WA.
The State Government has committed $16.7 million to the NIF over four years (2021-2025) with an additional $9.1 million provided for 2023-25 to support the State's Innovation Strategy and Innovation Action Plan.
Since establishing X-TEND in 2019, the State Government has awarded more than $2 million to 19 education programs for sectors including health technology, regional innovation, export market entry and impact, and angel investment.
X-TEND WA will continue until 2025.
For more information on the X-TEND WA program, including how business operators can access a range of education programs, visit: https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-jobs-tourism-science-and-innovation/new-industries-fund-x-tend-wa-program-grants
As stated by Innovation and the Digital Economy Minister Stephen Dawson:
"The Cook Government recognises how difficult it can be for emerging innovators to scale up and secure investment, which is why we're supporting investor-ready education programs through X-TEND WA.
"These programs will give a diverse range of businesses the guidance and help they need to take their ideas to the next level, with some programs catering to Indigenous entrepreneurs, female founders and innovators in our regions.
"X-TEND WA will also offer support to organisations delivering programs designed to further educate current and potential investors, providing further confidence for private investment in innovative projects throughout the State."
