Bega Circular Valley Challenge! $35,000 prize pool

The Bega Valley Innovation Hub (BVIH) alongside Bega Cheese and Bega Valley Shire Council are pleased to announce the 2022 Bega Circular Valley Challenge to kick-off the Bega Circularity Coop in our region and cement our goal to become the most Circular Valley in Australia and the World!

Background

BVIH is funded by the Federal Government Entrepreneurs Program and has had four regional cohorts undertake the iAccelerate start up education program in Bega since 2019.

BVIH has partnered with Bega Circular Valley, offering a significant prize-pool for SouthEast NSW regional Circular Business Ideas/Services to join the next regional Activate cohort to accelerate their business idea.

A circular economy is one in which a corporate, city or region keeps resources in use for as long as possible, extracting the maximum value from them whilst in use, then recover and regenerate products and materials at the end of their life. All materials are kept in a ‘close loop’ right along the value chain all the way to consumption.

The Circularity Challenge

$35,000 has been committed through BVIH’s sponsors: the University of Wollongong, Bega Valley Shire Council, Bega Cheese and ANU Institute of Water Futures towards a prize-pool for this program.

Successful applicants will join the 9 week iAccelerate Activate Program, a combination of online modules + live/zoom mentored session weekly from mid September 2022. This program includes mentorship from experts across Australia, overseas and right here in the Bega Valley.

The Circularity Challenge will culminate in a Pitch-Final event in Bega on 24 November 2022.

This event will be attended by regional community, local, state and national MPs, AusIndustry, Bega Circular Valley founding members, local and national media.

Prizes

Winning Circular business/idea: $10,000
Best Water Innovation: $5,000
Best Circular Social Enterprise: $5,000
Circular businesses completing full program: $1,000+

Call out

We are now putting a call out to current businesses, entrepreneurs & social enterprises to apply to join this program!

Full terms & conditions agreement will be provided to successful applicants by University of Wollongong by 7 September 2022, with program commencing 15 September 2022

For all enquiries please don’t hesitate to contact us at BVIH.