INVESTinWA opens innovation to the public with Perth showcase

Western Australians will get a first look at curated innovation deal flow at a free public showcase in Perth on Wednesday, 24 September, with INVESTinWA bringing together investment platforms and the state’s innovation hubs at the Pan Pacific Hotel.

The government-supported event aims to help individual investors upskill and connect with opportunities across startups, scaleups and listed tech-enabled “stayups.”

Program lead Greg Riebe, of Entrepreneurs in Residence, said widening access to innovation investing can build a larger local investor base and fuel regional growth.

“If innovation is accessible to the public, there is going to be a greater critical mass of investors that will fuel local and regional growth, locally,” Riebe said.

“INVESTinWA aims to facilitate more investment in cutting-edge WA-owned and developed startups, scaleups and ‘stayups’ that could include tech-enabled companies listed on the ASX. All these have very different risk profiles for investors.”

The showcase targets a broad mix of attendees, from high-net-worths and philanthropists to financial advisers and the general public, with exhibitors spanning investment platforms such as Liquidity and Wholesale Investor alongside hubs including the WA Data Science Innovation Hub, WA Life Sciences Innovation Hub, CyberWest and GreenTech.

The event sits within a broader policy push to diversify WA’s economy with the government creating its Department of Energy and Economic Diversification (DEED) earlier this year to lead the state’s transition and industry development.

Late last year, the WA government launched a $150 million startup investment program underpinned by a $45 million commitment from the WA Venture Capital initiative (WAVC).

Geraldton-based VC Brad Hill framed next week’s showcase as a way to connect regional and metro investor communities as WA positions itself for deep-tech breakthroughs tied to sustainability and energy.

“Innovation is essential for solving future challenges like sustainability, food security, climate change and population growth,” he said.

“The question is not whether WA will produce the next innovation success story, it is whether you will take the chance and participate in that innovation. Not if you should invest, but how. Innovation can come from anywhere – from Broome to Esperance, from a garage startup to boardroom scaleups, to leaders on the global stage.”

Registration for the INVESTinWA event is free.