Hopes Coffs Harbour's thriving start-up culture will create jobs of the future
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A start-up boom in a New South Wales town has community leaders thinking about how they can leverage bright business ideas to create local jobs.
Nearly a quarter of Australian start-up businesses are built outside metropolitan areas and have the potential to create tens of thousands of jobs, according to a 2017 report from Universities Australia.
Capitalising on this trend, the city of Coffs Harbour is encouraging innovation through an annual competition called Startup Coffs Harbour, which aims to educate, inspire and connect entrepreneurs from the region.
"We're in an environment where people are talking about automation, robotics and unmanned vehicles, and the key question we should be focussed on is where are the jobs in the future coming from," the council's Industry and Destination Development leader Stephen Saunders said.
"It's all about creating jobs for our kids, this is all about inspiring potential entrepreneurs."
Winning idea almost abandoned
Coffs native Sarah Pryor won the competition this year for her business idea Thrive — an app that connects individuals, groups and organisations to local volunteer opportunities.
Ms Pryor went head-to-head with the region's brightest innovators on June 2, pitching her idea live to a panel of expert judges.
"I feel really elated and surprised," Ms Pryor said.
"I love the Coffs Coast, I live here, I work here, I want to stay here and just have an opportunity to develop my business idea and see it create opportunities within the community."
Ms Pryor, who was awarded a $33,000 prize package, admitted she almost did not enter the competition.
"Self-doubt crept in and I thought is it good enough? Have I got far enough to pitch it? I'm not sure," she said.
"I sat down with council and went through my idea and they said it absolutely fits the criteria, enter, and I'm so glad I did."
Last year's winner at Startup Coffs Coast was local environmental scientist Louise Hardman, who produced a machine that shreds and extrudes marine plastic into usable items.
Ms Hardman's goal to reverse the tide of marine pollution in the Asia-Pacific region attracted international and royal interest with organisations like Coca-Cola and the World Wildlife Fund coming on board to collaborate.
Crafting a killer pitch
While a strong pitch can lead to investment capital and invaluable mentorship, Dr Saunders said the process was not for the faint of heart.
"It's tough, because the real world is tough," he said.
"If you're going to come up with an idea, think about what problem it solves for a customer ... because more of the same isn't going to cut it."
Sarah Nolet, the chief executive of innovation consulting firm Agthentic, has served as a judge at more than 10 start-up pitch competitions around the country, including Startup Coffs Harbour.
She said punctuality and a clear understanding of the target market were essential parts of a strong pitch.
"People don't pay enough attention to staying on time because it really can make that difference in terms of sharp professionalism," she said.
"It's also important to make the judges understand there is someone out there for whom you can really make a difference and hopefully they're willing to pay for that solution.
"The worst thing is when pitches end and at the end you go, sorry what do you do? And they really haven't explained what's in their head," she said.
Greater access to resources
Robyn Simon is a business advisor with Nortec Coffs Harbour, which helps budding ventures develop and grow.
She said the view that entrepreneurs had to go to a capital city to be successful was changing, and with the right support, start-ups could change the regional landscape.
"There's a distinct air of confidence and a lot of people are willing to give it a go," she said.
Through organisations similar to Nortec, entrepreneurs in the region have access to State Government-funded advice about business planning, budgeting and the steps involved in applying for a business loan or grant.
"I think the momentum is building [in Coffs Harbour]. We're in an age where there are more Gen Y and Z, coming into the workforce, they've got lots of bright ideas," Ms Simon said.
"I can't tell you the number of successful businesses in this region that have started with $5000–$10,000."
Topics: small-business, regional-development, regional, social-media, coffs-harbour-2450
