City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore. Image: CeBIT Australia
In a keynote address to CeBIT Australia 2016, City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore has called for a greater focus on supporting entrepreneurialism across all levels of government.
The theme of her address to the CeBIT delegates was one of helping to create an “ecosystem” that nurtures start-ups in not only the City of Sydney, but across the state of New South Wales and all of Australia.
Ms Moore noted that Australia has a long history of innovation, “though in the past many of the innovators were starved of resources and support that would have allowed them to develop their brilliant ideas”.
But with innovation “now firmly on the agenda”, as it’s being heavily pushed by all levels of government, Ms Moore said there is now an opportunity to develop a more proactive approach to fostering this key area of the Australian economy.
The City of Sydney hasn’t let the notion of becoming a tech start-up hub slip away. It has an action plan to help lift these start-ups off the ground.
“At the City, we are acutely aware of the fierce international competition for jobs, and the economic benefits that tech start-ups can bring,” Ms Moore said.
“We’re also aware of the programs developed by other governments from around the world to support their tech entrepreneurs.”
She said the City’s own tech start-up action plan encourages more people to become entrepreneurs, to increase opportunities for them to access investment and talent, and to expand hubs of office and event space, create a more connected ecosystem, and reduce the regulatory barriers that they face.
Referring to the City’s collaboration with the NSW government on this plan, Ms Moore said “No one level of government can drive innovation on its own”.
“We need a collaborative, strategic plan to capitalise on Australia’s strengths as an innovative and entrepreneurial country,” she said.
She said “we can build an entrepreneurial culture through specific action such as an awareness campaign focusing on innovation or a Sydney innovation festival”
“We can help build skills by including digital technology education activities into our city program,” she said.
“We could expand our business 101 seminar series focusing on how to establish your start-up and support networking for information sharing and collaboration.”
According to Ms Moore, planning regulations can be used to encourage innovative and affordable spaces, host events, information exchange programs and develop access to markets by leveraging our international city relationships, connecting entrepreneurs with city stakeholders, and increasing opportunities for start-ups through our procurement procedures.
