AEDA's Strategic Partnerships Program assists Startup Week

_SOUTHSTART, Australia’s leading innovation festival, will collaborate with the Adelaide Economic Development Agency (AEDA) to host Startup Week next month.

_SOUTHSTART has joined forces with AEDA through its Strategic Partnerships Program (SPP) to host the event that boasts 17 events over five days. 

The event, which is on between 14 – 19 November, will coincide with Global Entrepreneurship Week celebrations.

Startup Week will embrace the local startup community of business builders, founders, investors, industry and future leaders, as well as South Australians working towards a better future. 

It is the first time since 2017, that the startup industry will come together in such a coordinated calendar of programmed events, to create opportunities for connection and knowledge sharing.

AEDA Managing Director Ian Hill says the partnership with _SOUTHSTART will help the city cement its position as a critical facilitator in South Australia’s innovation race.

“This new partnership will support the festival in expanding its core activities across the calendar year to foster innovative ideas and investment connections within Adelaide CBD,” Mr Hill says.

“AEDA aims to leverage investment in the city’s innovation assets to drive greater economic benefit for the CBD.

“We could not be better placed to partner with _SOUTHSTART to host Startup Week this year. It is all about creating opportunities for connection at a local level and knowledge sharing amongst the startup community.

“This is an opportunity to gain industry insights and local knowledge into the challenges facing startups in South Australia.”

_SOUTHSTART Directors Craig Swann and Danielle Seymour have welcomed this new partnership commitment, with plans announced today to host a week-long series of events under the Startup Week umbrella.

“_SOUTHSTART exists to mobilise the skills, connections, and knowledge required to launch and scale high-growth companies. This involves fostering a broader cultural appreciation for entrepreneurship, and we are confident that this new collaboration will accelerate our ability to further achieve this mission,” said Danielle Seymour.

The Startup Week program will feature a host of prominent business leaders, including Flavia Tata Nardini (Co-Founder and CEO, Fleet), Julia Spencer OAM (Chair, Global Entrepreneurs Network Australia), Rebecca Schot-Guppy - Director, Investment Leverage and Portfolio Management, Firemark Ventures at IAG Ventures, Anton Andreacchio (Entrepreneurship Advisory Board) and Richard Turner (Founder, ZEN Energy) to name a few.

“Global Entrepreneurship Week is an ideal opportunity to connect the local community in a city-wide celebration of all thing’s startup and entrepreneurship. It’s a unique opportunity to take the pulse of our local startup scene - discover what’s working and what’s needed to continue to grow,” said Craig Swann.

“This program and all of the conversations that will occur will give us a better understanding and allow us to incorporate these learnings, in unlocking further value in the building of our national flagship event.”

Startup Week is powered by the Adelaide Economic Development Agency with participating event hosts from the Government of South Australia, Stone & Chalk, Committee for Adelaide, The University of Adelaide, AusIndustry’s Accelerating Commercialisation Program, Swarmer, South Australian Venture Capital Fund and more.

To learn more about the Startup Week program visit: https://bit.ly/3CiNO5A