The Incubator Support initiative is an important part of the Australian Government’s flagship programme for small and medium businesses: The Entrepreneurs’ Programme. The Incubator Support initiative is committed to aiding new and existing business incubators with grants of up to $500,000 and assisting Australian start-ups in their development of competitiveness critical for their success in the international markets. Since its launch in September 2016, 51 projects have been approved under the Incubator Support initiative, totalling $7.7 million in funding.

The Australian Government has realized that the majority of successful incubators in Australia are based in metropolitan areas, and that more assistance was needed to help develop incubators in relatively less developed regions. In December 2017, the initiative was improved with the addition of the “Regional Incubator Facilitators”. This endeavour was made in hope of involving and engaging expert facilitators in promoting the development of regional incubators and eventually the execution of Incubator Support initiative across the country.

In May 2018, the Australian Government appointed the first four Regional Incubator Facilitators: Andrew Outhwaite, responsible for Western Australia; Brad Twynham, responsible for central and north New South Wales; Daniel Smith, responsible for eastern Southeast Australia and western Victoria; and Mark Phillips, responsible for Northern Queensland. 

These four facilitators are all experienced entrepreneurs who have run successful incubators or start-ups. By taking advantage of their own knowledge, experiences and international networks, they can help regional incubators overcome the challenges they face in the foundation as well as operation. Although they each serve a particular region, they are in the meantime directly accessible to entrepreneurs across the nation, and they can travel extensively to support applicants on the ground.

Regional Incubator Facilitators are mainly responsible for:

• providing advice, support and professional intervention.

• assisting the incubators form their professional development networks and offer support for further growth.

• promoting exchange and sharing between regional and metropolitan incubators.

• providing feedback to applicants to the Incubator Support program.