The McGowan Government is investing more than $615,000 to grow entrepreneur and investor education programs that support the commercialisation of Western Australian innovations.
Eight programs will receive grants ranging from $20,000 to $100,000 through round three of the State Government’s X-TEND WA program.
A diverse range of programs were selected from more than 40 competitive applications, including initiatives developed for female founders, First Nations and regional entrepreneurs.
The grants will be used by service providers to deliver programs that assist Western Australian entrepreneurs, start-ups, and small to medium enterprises (SMEs) to expand their capability and support their innovation journey.
X-TEND also helps fund programs that improve investor education and build confidence in investing in innovative projects.
Grant recipients will have a year to deliver their education program, and have also committed to a co-contribution.
Since establishing X-TEND in 2019, the State Government has awarded more than $1.6 million to 19 education programs for sectors such as health technologies, regional innovation, export market entry and impact, and angel investment.
The X-TEND WA program is part of the McGowan Government’s $16.7 million New Industries Fund, which supports and accelerates new and emerging businesses to diversify the State’s economy and create jobs. Provision to continue the fund until 2025 was made in the 2021-22 State Budget.
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As stated by Innovation and ICT Minister Stephen Dawson:
“The McGowan Government is ensuring our promising innovators have access to programs that will help them build strong, viable businesses and create more local jobs.
“Following a large number of competitive applications for round three of the X-TEND WA program, we have increased the total amount of funding available from $500,000 to more than $615,000.
“Over the next year, the eight grant recipients will deliver education programs that support entrepreneurs on their innovation journey, from ideation to scale up, and help build confidence in investing in innovative projects.”
| Company name | Title of project | Sector focus | Location |
| VentureX HQ Pty Ltd | VentureX HQ | Female founders and female investors networking educational program. | Metro |
| Agristart Pty Ltd | CONNECT Sustainable Industries | Regional focused support for entrepreneurs in the sustainable industries and future energy sector. | Regionally focused |
Life Sciences | Life Sciences WA Investment Series | WA’s first dedicated life sciences investor education program. | Metro |
| Atomic Sky Pty Ltd | Quantum TX WA 2022 | Cross sector industry growth and scaleup program in the space and technology economy | Metro |
| For Blue Pty Ltd | Blue Gravity – growing WA as a centre for marine industry innovation | Investment and support for innovative marine SMEs and WA’s ‘blue’ (ocean) economy | Metro and regionally focused |
| IPS Foundation Ltd | CREATE | Pre-accelerator program for First Nation entrepreneurs from across Western Australia. | Regionally focused |
| St Catherine’s College Inc | Orbit Accelerator Program | Accelerator for youth entrepreneurship | Metro |
| Spacecubed Ventures Pty Ltd | She Codes Female Founders Program | Female founder development through a digital technology incubator program. | Metro |
