Innovation Program

We were delighted to host businesswoman and online personality Brittney Saunders in Singleton on Wednesday 28 August as the keynote speaker of Reimagine Regional Business 2024.

Her sit-down talk with emcee Jess Rouse was insightful, inspirational and drew quite a few laughs as she shared her personal journey in founding her six businesses, lessons learned along the way, the highs and lows of growing her successful fashion brand FAYT The Label and innovative business tips.

We also heard some fantastic insights, tips and funny stories from our panel of regional innovators – Kate Lyall, founder and chief technology officer of Bee Innovative, Jeremy Brett, general manager of Morgan Engineering, Colin Peterson from Petersons Wines and Two Rivers Wines, and facilitator Claire Quigley, director of Launchpad9.

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Reimagine Regional Business is proudly funded by NSW Government Resources for Regions Program and delivered in partnership with Business Singleton.

The Innovation Workshop Series is part of the Innovation and Investment Activation program, proudly funded by the NSW Government's Resources for Regions program.

Coming off an inspiring Reimagine Regional Business event that was aimed to encourage local businesses of Singleton to think differently about their business in an innovative way. This workshop series will dive into greater details of innovation on the simple principles of See It, Solve It, Scale It.

Outcomes:

• Learn how to map out your business model to spot the gaps and opportunities.

• Get underneath the hood with your current and future customers, design a proposition canvas and understand how to serve them better.

• Conver all your learnings into an action orientated plan that will keep you accountable.

Presented by Claire Quigley, Director of LaunchPad 9, the Innovation Workshop Series is a FREE, three-part workshop series to assist you to innovate in your business.

Workshop 1 - See It

Wednesday 23 October | 9am – 12.30pm

In this workshop participants will learn how to map out their business model to spot the gaps and opportunities and identify new ways to add more value to current and future customers.

Workshop 2 – Solve It

Wednesday 30 October | 9am – 12.30pm

In this workshop participants will get under the hood of their business and design a proposition canvas and understand how to serve them better and solve the problems they have identified to solve from workshop 1.

Workshop 3 – Scale It

Wednesday 6 November | 9am – 12.30pm

In workshop 1 and 2 you have identified the problems and opportunities. In workshop 2 you have mapped out the solution and how to solve these problems. In workshop 3 participants will be putting in place an achievable plan to scale their ideas into action.

The Sustaininnovation Challenge creates opportunities to empower young people in the Upper Hunter to have their say in the evolving economy.

The Sustainnovation Challenge is an innovation and growth program designed to empower young people as active participants and contributors in transitioning their communities into the evolving economy. 

This program is being delivered across the Central Coast, Mid Coast and Hunter regions. 

Singleton Council was a proud partner of the Upper Hunter Sustainnovation Challenge involving students from Singleton, Muswellbrook, Scone and Cessnock. 

Over 60 high school students joined business, industry and government stakeholders at Singleton Youth Venue on Wednesday 22 May and Thursday 23 May for the Challenge.

The annual challenge aims to inspire and equip the next generation with the skills and mindsets vital for the Upper Hunter region's future prosperity.

The students, a majority of which were from Singleton’s three high schools, took part in discussions on the changing economic conditions and future vision of the region, the challenges of the local and global skills and workforce shortage, opportunities presented by emerging industries and businesses and how young people are driving change.

Singleton Council’s Business Innovation Officer Lisa Harpley and Skills and Employment Officer Kevin Lomax were among the speakers, sharing their insights into the economic makeup of the region and the importance of developing a strong workforce locally.

Following discussions, students were tasked with a challenge to craft a compelling sales pitch that positions the Upper Hunter as a destination where young talents can thrive, innovate, and contribute to solving global challenges.

The Upper Hunter Sustainnovation Challenge is a collaborative effort between Singleton Council, the NSW Government's Regional Industry Education Partnerships program, Committee For the Hunter, Newcastle Institute for Energy and Resources, Go Circular, BHP, AGL, the Federal Government and an alliance of businesses and industries.

Students who participate in this challenge and complete the program will be awarded and Active Citizen Digital Credential.  The ideas deemed worth of acceleration by government and industry stakeholders will be developed further in collaboration with the students.