2025/26 Strategic Partnerships Program
What is the Strategic Partnerships Program?
The Adelaide Economic Development Agency (AEDA) invests in external organisations on behalf of the City of Adelaide (CoA), to deliver initiatives that increase economic activity within the city which aligns with the Agency’s strategic priorities.
The current recipients of the program are running initiatives that substantially increase economic activity in the city by achieving one or more of the following:
- Increasing the number of people working and living in the city, including students.
- Attracting new businesses to the city.
- Leveraging investment in the city’s innovation assets and entities (for example Lot Fourteen and BioMed City) to drive greater economic benefit for the CBD.
- Positioning Adelaide as a world class events city by ensuring that events not only attract attendees but also encourage longer stays and repeat visits.
- Driving tourism initiatives that attract regional, national and international visitors.
- Enhancing the value proposition of Adelaide as a destination to work, invest, live, study and visit.
- Decreasing shopfront vacancies in the city
Importantly, the Strategic Partnerships Program supports the development of new relationships between AEDA and other organisations that accelerate economic activity in the City of Adelaide as well as providing a means to deepen and strengthen existing relationships by building on and extending previously funded activities.
Contact Details
Tiffany Katchmar
Executive Manager Business and Investment
Ph (08) 8203 7779
Meet our current strategic partners
Renew Adelaide
Renew Adelaide revitalises underutilised spaces in the city by providing creative entrepreneurs and start-ups with temporary access to vacant properties.
Partnering with AEDA allowed Renew Adelaide to reduce vacancies in the city with the launch of 15 new businesses in 2023/24. These businesses, in turn, created over 50 jobs and activated over 4,450sqm of space. Six ventures have since graduated from the program and are now operating independently.
Business Events Adelaide
Business Events Adelaide drives the city’s economy by attracting world-class conferences, conventions, and business events.
The Strategic Partner Program supported Business Events Adelaide to facilitate 163 business events in the city and North Adelaide in 2023/24. Forecasts show the events will generate $260 million, creating 256,000 bed nights and 2,436 jobs.
Study Adelaide
Study Adelaide is instrumental in positioning Adelaide as a leading destination for international students. Their initiatives support students as they settle into Adelaide, enhancing their experience of the city, and cementing Adelaide's reputation as a welcoming and dynamic place to live and study.
Though partnership with AEDA in 2023/24, Study Adelaide hosted a series of Global Familiarisation Programs and the Australian International Education Conference (AIEC), as well as organising the SACE International Ambassador Program.
Festival City ADL
As the peak body for Adelaide’s major festivals, Festival City ADL plays a crucial role in the city’s cultural and economic standing. Through strategic marketing and support, Festival City ADL ensures that Adelaide remains a vibrant hub of creativity and innovation, drawing local and international visitors and boosting the city's profile on the global stage.
The Strategic Partner Program enabled Festival City ADL to expand its support for the sector in 2023/24. They delivered the Concierge Network Program and the Welcome to Festival City ADL Program, as well as launching Festival HQ, which included a newly developed Crew and Supplier Directory.
_SOUTHSTART
_SOUTHSTART is Adelaide's premier innovation festival, connecting entrepreneurs, investors, and thought leaders to fuel the growth of the city’s start-up ecosystem.
AEDA and _SOUTHSTART worked together in 2023/24, expanding SOUTHSTART's offering beyond the festival delivering a MASTERMIND program of workshops, as well as mentorships for 10 businesses to address specific challenges and pursue opportunities for growth.
MTPConnect
MTPConnect's Intermediary Program accelerates the growth of medical technology, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals sectors in Adelaide by fostering collaborations between researchers, industry, and government.
In 2023/24. the Strategic Partnership Program supported MTPConnect to deliver their Global Market Navigator Program to 10 Healthtech businesses, supporting the expansion of their global footprint though a tailored mentorship program and market strategy building.
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide’s ThincLab, through its ThincSeed Program, nurtures Adelaide’s entrepreneurial talent by providing startups with access to innovative facilities, mentoring, and networking opportunities.
Partnering with AEDA in 2023/24, theThincSeed Program supported 16 businesses to raise early-stage seed capital, culminating in a pitch event that provided participants direct access to private equity investors.
Frequently Asked Questions
To be eligible you must:
- Have a current Australian Business Number (ABN).
- Be a legal entity
- Not be insolvent, or have owners/directors that are undischarged bankrupts
- Be up-to-date with any acquittals or reporting requirements for which your organisation has received funding from the City of Adelaide or AEDA
- Be willing to build the relationship with AEDA by co-designing additional opportunities throughout the life of the partnership.
Funding rounds are offered, typically, when existing Strategic Partners agreements are about to expire. Eligible organisations can apply for one to three years of funding.
The last round closed in December 2024, with projects set to be delivered between 2025 until 30 June 2028. Each participant is set to receive between $75,000 and $330,000 + GST per year from a funding pool of $1,151,000 + GST per financial year. For more information view the funding guidelines for 2025/26.
The purpose of the Strategic Partnerships Program is to fund proposals that substantially increase economic activity within the city, enhance Adelaide’s brand and contribute to a dynamic city experience.
Importantly, the Strategic Partnerships Program aims to support the development of new, relationships between AEDA and other organisations that accelerate economic activity in the City of Adelaide, as well as providing a means to deepen and strengthen existing relationships by building on and extending previously funded activities. For example, additional benefits could include:
- Offering AEDA connections and introductions to new businesses (locally, nationally and internationally) who may be interested in establishing in the City.
- Offering AEDA’s current and relevant data to city businesses and potential investors, aiding their decision-making processes.
- Connecting AEDA’s capacity of offering marketing support and business support to businesses operating in the visitor economy.
- Connecting AEDA to opportunities to increase institutional investment in city residential projects, including student accommodation, vertical retirement living, and build-to-rent developments.
- Bringing opportunities to partner with the State Government, universities, associations, community and advocacy groups to activate and upgrade precincts to stimulate investment, visitation and maximise opportunities.
More broadly, this program is designed to support the outcomes of the CoA Strategic Plan 2024-2028 and the 2024/25 AEDA Business Plan.
If a proposal is successful, you will be assigned a Senior Manager, to work with you to develop the scope of the partnership and funding agreement. This person will connect with partners regularly and specifically at the mid-way progress report.
Under a different set of Strategic Partnership Program Guidelines we funded MTP Connect, University of Adelaide/ThincLab and SouthStart for delivery in 2024. The focus for these partners was to deliver intensive support for small business to scale up.
For more information please contact:
Tiffany Katchmar
Executive Manager, Business Growth & Investment
AEDA is interested in organisations that deliver projects aligned to the City of Adelaide Strategic Plan 2024-2028 and the 2024/25 AEDA Business Plan.
Specifically, the Strategic Partnerships Program is suitable for proposals that substantially increase economic activity in the City.
Projects will need to be able to demonstrate clear outcomes attributable to the funding received, contain quantifiable success measures and an ability to demonstrate ROI.
Moreover, the Strategic Partnerships Program aims to support the development of new relationships between AEDA and other organisations to accelerate economic activity in the City of Adelaide. It also provides a means to deepen and strengthen existing relationships by building on and extending previously funded activities.
The program will only support the delivery of projects that have an impact within the City of Adelaide boundary.
The Adelaide Economic Development Agency (AEDA) is a subsidiary of the City of Adelaide that supports businesses and projects within the City.
Currently via our Strategic Partnership Program we are funding Renew Adelaide, Study Adeliade, Adelaide Business Events and Festival Adelaide, which will conclude on 30 June 2024.
