Dear SSE Community,

Happy New Year from your SSE Team! And Happy Lunar New Year to those of you celebrating the Year of the Rabbit or the Year of the Cat.

We hope you enjoyed a rejuvenating holiday season and that 2023 has started well for you all.

At SSE we are already in full flight preparing to deliver an exciting program of learning activities with our business and community partners across New South Wales. This year, we are expanding our impact even further, working with several youth organisations as well as new schools; amplifying our presence in Tech Central and reaching out to other innovation Precincts across the Six Cities; we are activating the regions, and co-developing more programs with Aboriginal communities and entrepreneurial refugee groups, and we are co-developing more skills-based programs in response to industry needs.

Australia has a lot of untapped and under-recognised talent and potential including almost 18,000 Aboriginal entrepreneurs; new generations of home-grown startups exploring food, agriculture, and biotech setting up their headquarters in regional and rural Australia, and not to mention the collective contribution of Australian migrants, which is expected to add an estimated $1.6 trillion dollars towards the economy by 2050.

SSE’s strategic vision is driven by a belief that entrepreneurship is a powerful catalyst for change. In 2023 SSE is committing to work to expand opportunities for more Australians from more diverse backgrounds. We recognise the incalculable talent of Aboriginal people across this land and their overwhelming contributions to this country. We will learn from and collaborate with Aboriginal people from across the State, removing barriers to employment and education for more individuals, and helping Australians to develop practical skills that lead to self-agency, employability and economic prosperity.

We kick-start February with the co-delivery of Invest in Yourself: Exploring Money and Self-Employment with the Gomeroi Culture Academy in Tamworth and the Ezidi community in Armidale. Coming up are the next iterations of our Digital Internship Program with Tech Central in Sydney and Western Sydney University LaunchPad, as well as delivery of our flagship Discovery program for International Grammar School and St Joseph's College.

I look forward to sharing stories from these partnerships over the coming months.

Wishing you and your families a healthy and prosperous 2023. Sincerely,

Sarah

Law Tech Hub

The 2023 LawTech Hub by Lander & Rogers is open for applications. LawTech Hub is for startups and scaleups, who have bright ideas for the future of law. Their highly-focused program offers founders the tools, frameworks, and support to achieve success.

Sydney Startup Hub Lunch & Learn events

Sydney Startup Hub is hosting a Fireside Chat with Luke Cook, founder of Cuppa.tv on Thursday 9 February. At this event, you’ll learn about his journey from losing it all to building what he calls "The Netflix of conversations" - where binge watching improves the well-being, performance and belonging of you and your team.

Stone & Chalk IWD Scholarship

Applications for the Stone & Chalk International Women's Day Scholarship 2023 are now open for female founders and entrepreneurs. Recipients of their scholarship will enjoy access to the full breadth of the Stone & Chalk innovation ecosystem, including a tailored program, vibrant community of founders, and state-of-the-art hubs in major Australian cities. Applications close at 5pm AEDT on Thursday 23 February.

2023 Ignition Startup Accelerator

Applications are now open for Western Sydney University Launch Pad’s Ignition Program. Their Ignition Program is a ten-week startup accelerator program with a focus to help founders refine their value proposition and business model. Join their online info session on Wednesday 15 February to find out more.