Hubs to grow innovator ecosystem

Amidst the giant resources and energy projects that dominate the north-west, Seed Innovation Hub is a very small venture.

But for its founders Eliza Carbines and Brigette McDowell, its recent establishment is an important step in creating new opportunities in the region.

The hub’s goal is to connect entrepreneurs and businesses in the region to the broader innovation ecosystem.

“Right now there is no facility in Karratha that can tell you what venture capital is and how to connect to it, or how to employ a remote team,” Ms Carbines said.

“All the things you need to know in order to run a startup or develop an innovative product, there is nothing there.”

Another organisation pursuing similar objectives is CORE Innovation Hub, which describes its role as building ecosystems and innovation infrastructure for the resources and energy sector.

Established in Perth with backing from Spacecubed, CORE is best known for its co-working space on St Georges Terrace and the seminars and events it hosts, linking suppliers, researchers, entrepreneurs, and industry.

What is less well known is that CORE expanded to Adelaide in 2020 and to Newman in 2021, as it seeks to build a national ecosystem.

The push to promote innovation in the Pilbara extended to two recent events.

The annual West Tech Fest widened its scope last month when Karratha played host to West Tech North.

Backed by Curtin University, the event included a ‘fireside chat’ with Derek Gerrard, the founder of Perth-based venture capital firm Purpose Ventures.

Ms Carbines said it was a big milestone for Karratha.

“To get the attention of Curtin University and to get someone of Derek’s experience does not happen often,” she said.

Ms Carbines said the aim was to build a deeper understanding of what innovation was all about, starting a new conversation and introducing a brand-new language.

She emphasised that her goal was not to try and build a mini-Silicon Valley.

“It’s not niche to tech, innovation can be anything; it’s simply a new way of doing things,” Ms Carbines said.

“We’re a small region, we’re not limiting seed to any industry. The innovators will tell us what they want to pursue.

“Our job is to make sure they can hook into an ecosystem.”

Ms Carbines’ own career provides a case study on what is involved.

She is the founder of consultancy Tender Relief, which helps clients around Australia complete tender documents.

Ms Carbines has sought to build on that by creating an automated version of the business.

That project has put her in touch with many people n Perth’s tech ecosystem.

She has also become a director of the Small Business Development Corporation and joined a small group of people in Perth participating in the Regional Entrepreneurship Acceleration Program run by the renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Ms Carbines said the participants in the MIT REAP program were all seeking to promote the innovation ecosystem.

“But we can’t mark down anything we do as a success unless all of Western Australia comes along with us,” she said.

Mr Gerrard said he spoke at West Tech North to help support local innovators.

“If you look at where the Pilbara is at, in some ways that is where Perth was 10 years ago,” he said.

“I wanted to encourage people. It might be small beginnings, but that is really important.”

Mr Gerrard recalls a decade ago when people on the east coast used to ask why he was trying to develop an innovation ecosystem in Perth because it was a mining town.

“After ten years of coordinated effort we are only just starting to see the critical mass that has the flywheel turning,” he said.

Mr Gerrard is an example of someone who has come through the ecosystem, establishing a startup, selling the business, and now setting up a fund to reinvest and support other founders.

Purpose Ventures has raised $45 million and is seeking to invest in primarily WA startups.

So far it has committed $3 million to four investee companies.

“We are WA focused but we wanted to make it clear that we are open to interesting opportunities in the regions,” Mr Gerrard said.

“We live in an age where success can come from anywhere.”

Mr Gerrard observed corporate venture capital – which accounts for just more than 50 per cent of global VC investing – could play a big role in regional WA.

The likes of BHP, Rio Tinto, Woodside, and Chevron all have venture funds.

“If you look at the big resources companies, they could direct venture capital to that region,” he said.

CORE Innovation Hub has also sought to build bridges between startups and big resources companies.

Some of the emerging companies CORE is working with across the Pilbara include Magellan Power, Techenomics, Red Dog Renewables, Cheeditha Energy, and Solar Energy Robotics.

An initiative it hosted last month was the Pilbara Innovation Exchange, held at Technology Park in Bentley.

The aim was to showcase the diversity and depth of businesses operating across the region and create opportunities for collaboration and connection to industry.

As well as presentations on topics as diverse as cyber security and decarbonisation, the event featured a tradeshow with 18 businesses with strong Pilbara connections, including contractors CORPS and Karlka Fencewright, stationery supplier Kulbardi, Red Dog Renewables, and events company Wrapped Creations.