The AusIndustry Entrepreneurs’ Programme:

Helping Australia’s small to medium manufacturing firms grow and improve.

2020 has been exceptionally challenging for Australian businesses.

Faced with the impact of severe drought in 2019, then bushfires, followed by floods and now COVID-19, business owners and their employees are hurting and many need help from the Australian Government.

In addition to JobKeeper and JobSeeker support for employees, the Australian Government also has resources and funding to assist business owners via the Entrepreneurs Programme.

The Entrepreneurs Programme offers a FREE business review by an independent facilitator to identify opportunities to grow and improve your business.

The output from the review is a 12-month Action Plan based on your needs and challenges. This can address remedial actions to address areas of operational weakness. However more importantly – it also provides a fresh perspective on new areas of opportunity where a change to your business model can transform what you do and how you do it in terms of achieving future growth in revenue, profit and employment.

When you join the program, you will receive practical advice and mentorship from a dedicated team of facilitators, who will work with you to help you achieve your business goals. Our facilitators can help guide you to be more competitive and productive, to grow your business, attract investors and commercialise your products or services, and work with the research sector to innovate and solve problems.

Customer stories describe the results achieved by current customers who have engaged with the Entrepreneurs Programme.

More info

Entrepreneurs Programme free services to eligible businesses:

GROWTH ROADMAP

A broad review of your business, a roadmap and support from a mentor for up to 1 year. You will also have the opportunity to then apply for funding to action the facilitator’s recommendations.

More info

GROWTH GRANT $20k matched funding

The Growth Grant will help you improve specific business areas that your facilitator recommended in your roadmap or plan. You must have received a roadmap or plan before you can apply for a Growth Grant.

You must use the grant to improve the ability and skills of your business to trade. For instance, you can engage external experts to help implement recommendations from the roadmap or plan.

More info

Are you eligible?

You Must:
  • have an Australian business number (ABN)
  • be registered for goods and services tax (GST)
  • have filed business activity statements showing ongoing trading in Australia, for at least 3 consecutive years
  • have the intent and opportunity to engage in or increase trade in Australian or overseas markets

Your business must also be one of the following:

  • an incorporated company
  • an incorporated trustee applying on behalf of a trust

Your annual turnover or operating expenditure, in the current or one of the two past financial years, must be either:

  • between $1.5 million and $100 million
  • between $750,000 and $100 million if you’re located in remote Australia or northern Australia

You must also meet one of the following criteria:

  • be already operating in one or more specified growth sectors, such as manufacturing
  • have intent and ability to operate in a specified growth sector
  • provide enabling technologies or services to a specified growth sector

For more information

There are now different organisations managing the Entrepreneurs Programme dependent on the State or Territory you are in.  FTMA Australia works with members to find the right Business Adviser and put you in contact with them to save you chasing your tail and dealing with the bureaucracy.  You can either call us, or visit the site at business.gov.au.

Another option is to contact the author of this article who is John Mills, Business Adviser at MILLS Business advice & Consulting on 0400 662 083 or you can message him directly at Mills.businessadvice@outlook.com

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