News + stories
On Wednesday, December 4th, Tamworth founders gathered at UNE Tamworth to celebrate the festive season and an amazing 2024.
UNE SRI Moree celebrated our wins and the wins of local businesses and organisations over breakfast and coffee by Annie at the Social Co House on 3rd December.
Thank you to all who have supported the UNE SRI and Social Co House in Moree in 2024. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
As 2024 draws to a close, we reflect on the year that has been—and the incredible inspiration we’ve drawn from our founders. Their steadfast dedication to their missions has fuelled our determination for us to remain mission-driven. We too have aligned with the New England North West community to set ambitious goals for the future: advancing net-zero agriculture, fostering a connected innovation community, and creating transformative opportunities for our region.
On Friday, 15 November, the University of New England (UNE) celebrated National Agriculture Day by hosting What Does It Take to Make a Net Zero Steak?
This Futures Series event brought together leading voices from research, industry, and innovation to explore how Australian agriculture can achieve net-zero emissions
The New England North West branch of the Royal Society of NSW was officially launched on Monday 25 November, celebrating the contributions of women in STEM and the transformative power of diversity in science.
The event brought together researchers, innovators, and trailblazers from across the region to inspire collaboration and innovation.
Behind the immense challenge of decarbonising global economies lies another: how do we eat without further destabilising the stable climate that supports agriculture?
The Digital Media & Visual Storytelling workshop, hosted by UNE SRI, was a hit among local creatives and business owners, filling up a month in advance due to high demand. Additional spaces were made available to accommodate more participants, eager to enhance their skills in the digital space.
Last week, the UNE SMART Region Incubator hosted an informative session titled Navigating Food Safety Standards for Food Producers and Retailers. The event was designed to equip both new and established food producers and retailers with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate the complex landscape of food safety regulations.
The UNE SMART Region Incubator hosted The Business Case for Community Solar Projects on 27 September 2024 at NOVA in Armidale. The event brought together industry leaders, including David Heine, Emma Stilts, and Gerald Arends, to discuss community-led renewable energy solutions, with a focus on local economic development.
Tamworth small business owners who manage their websites were given insights by Nic Hinwood of KEO on how to improve their websites performance.
Twenty local business owners recently gathered for an exceptional and practical workshop, "Xero In: Mastering Your Business Management," organised by UNE SRI. The event aimed at helping businesses streamline their financial processes using Xero, a leading accounting software.
In recent months, schools across New England North West took part in a unique educational journey aimed at addressing some of the biggest challenges in modern agriculture.
The program culminated in the AgTech Youth Innovation Summit, held at UNE SMART Farm, where students gathered to showcase their solutions, collaborate with industry experts, and explore real-world applications for their ideas using modern technology.
Business owners were treated to 2 part AI4Me: Zero to hero workshops in Tamworth. They discovered how to transform their team into AI-powered heroes with practical tools, thought-provoking insights, and actionable strategies.
On Wednesday, October 3, a small group of Tamworth founders gathered at Deva Chocolate Cafe for a founders-only Fireside Chat with our local mentor, Wade O’Shea.
This informal event provided the group with a great opportunity to connect with each other and Wade, who is a recent addition to the UNE SRI mentor line-up.
The UNE SMART Region Incubator (UNE SRI) recently held two highly impactful events as part of the SPARK New England Festival, featuring the renowned startup mentor, Alan Jones.
These events were integral components of UNE SRI's Masterclass Series and Future Series, drawing a vibrant mix of local entrepreneurs, innovators, and industry professionals eager to gain insights from one of Australia's leading figures in the startup ecosystem.
Titled IMPACT—A Celebration of Unconventional Thinking, the event was a special occasion marking seven years of UNE SRI's contributions to the economic development of New England and North West NSW. This celebration coincided with the 70th anniversary of the University of New England.
The StepChange program, supported by the NSW Government's Accelerating Regional Innovation Fund (ARIF), has recently finished a series of in-depth workshops, masterclasses, and mentoring sessions aimed at fostering business development in regional New South Wales.
Over the past several months, business owners in Armidale, Tamworth, and other New England North West (NENW) locations have had the opportunity to break free from the daily grind and focus on strategic growth initiatives with one of our Expert’s in Residence, Ian Mason.
We are delighted to announce that SimpliMove, one of our UNE SRI Founders. has been named a Joint Winner in the Technology in Health category at the 2024 Primary Care Quality and Innovation Awards. Organised by the Hunter New England and Central Coast PHN, this event recognises outstanding contributions to healthcare through innovative technological solutions.
From a PhD and Master’s degree from UNE, to an award-winning startup; Stoktake. With guidance from UNE SRI, Dr Phillip Zada’s app is begining to transform livestock management.
A small group of local business owners gathered in Glen Innes on the 26th June for a hands-on SMART Session led by Edwina Sharrock, founder and former CEO of Birth Beat.
The workshop provided practical insights into the key principles of scaling a business while addressing the unique challenges and opportunities faced by regional entrepreneurs.
At a recent UNE SMART Region Incubator event, attendees gained valuable insights into Dr. Robert McLeay's transition from academic research to founding and exiting a med-tech startup. With a background in IT, bioinformatics/genomics, and applied pharmacology, Dr. McLeay shared his experiences, starting with his PhD research involving machine learning and genomics.
Our final SMART Session for 2023/24, "Master Your Mindset," hosted by Edwina Sharrock, founder of Birth Beat, was the perfect finish to an incredible series of events.
The Moree AgTech Breakfast, held on 19th June 2024 at Social Co House, brought together 50 attendees from Moree's agricultural community. Hosted by UNE SRI in collaboration with Cicada Innovations, the event featured TED-style talks, interactive discussions, and Q&A sessions, focusing on the transformative power of AgTech in the agricultural sector. The event showcased how technology is revolutionising agriculture, improving efficiency, sustainability, and productivity.
Professor Fred Watson, Australia's Astronomer-at-Large, highlighted the advancements driven by cutting-edge facilities like the James Webb Space Telescope and gravitational wave observatories. He explained how these tools are rewriting our understanding of baby galaxies and detecting vibrations in space caused by colliding black holes.
On the evening of 28th May, NOVA was abuzz with excitement as more than 50 entrepreneurs and industry experts gathered for "The Funding Game for Startups," an exclusive event hosted by the UNE SMART Region Incubator with renowned entrepreneurs Yaniv Bernstein and Scotty Allen.
On May 17, 2024, the UNE SRI proudly hosted an engaging and informative education session titled "Unpacking ESG: Building Sustainable Futures for Ventures" by Dr. Harriet Fesq.
The event brought together a diverse group of entrepreneurs, industry experts, and community leaders to explore the critical role of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles in shaping the future of business and fostering sustainable economic growth.
UNE has entered into a trial with New England’s ‘Outstanding Startup’ award winner (2022), Vesi Water, to deliver pure water at the Armidale Campus.
Vesi’s technology efficiently harvests pure water from the air. It mimics the earth’s natural water cycle, transporting water as a vapor and enabling a sustainable solution.
Did you know? …
Pitch2Grow Moree 2024 brought together a lively mix of entrepreneurs, judges, guests, and locals at the Social Co House on 10 May. With 70 attendees, the atmosphere buzzed with energy and promise as seven innovative pitches aimed to carve a niche in various sectors.
Our recent SMART Session, "Boost your chances of Sales Success," led by Edwina Sharrock, founder and CEO of Birth Beat, was a resounding success. An engaged group of participants walked away with tangible action steps, 'aha moments,' and numerous insights into the true meaning of sales in business, thanks to Edwina's personal stories and examples.
“I soon discovered that innovation challenges are like boot camps for the entrepreneurial spirit. They immerse you in a whirlwind of ideas, collaboration, and creativity, pushing you to think outside the box and challenge the status quo.”