Accelerator Program Commences with Civic Reception
Announcement posted by Innovyz START 29 May 2012
The ten companies selected to participate in the ANZ Innovyz START program were welcomed by local dignitaries, councillors, members of the Adelaide business community, ANZ General Manager of Small Business Mr Nick Reade, and ANZ Innovyz START program director Dr Jana Matthews.
Dr Matthews, an international leader in entrepreneurship, told the audience that she was excited to be involved in a program that positively contributed to the local and international innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem, stating that Adelaide had all of the necessary features required to make the program successful.
“Adelaide is diverse with many initiatives going on and is poised to become a regional [Asia Pacific] hub for innovation. All successful technology and innovation hubs in the world have similar attributes – universities that are active in innovation and commercialisation; a high standard of living to attract world leading mentors, high net worth individuals and investors; and innovation communities driven and lead by the private sector.”
Dr Matthews was also extremely appreciative of the support that the ANZ bank has given to the program, stating that “Without ANZ as a partner, this program would not have been possible. They are truly demonstrating their commitment to start-ups and to the broader small business sector.”
Over the next three months these ten companies will be mentored by 45 mentors from Australia and around the world. Some of the best innovators and business minds will come to Adelaide to work with the participants to refine their business concepts, shape their business plans, offer advice on marketing and product positioning and leverage their own personal networks.
The intensive program will culminate in a presentation by each company to potential investors on August 16 at the Adelaide Town Hall – making it the largest event of its kind for Adelaide.
For more information about the program visit www.innovyzstart.com
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About ANZ Innovyz START
ANZ Innovyz START is 12-week accelerator program modelled after the highly successful TechStars program in the United States (rated as the world’s #1 accelerator program). Many companies apply but only 10 are accepted. Those CEOs and one or two team members move to Adelaide, Australia for 3 months (May 28 – August 17, 2012). ANZ Innovyz START will give a $6,000 grant to each founder (up to $18,000 for three founders) to participate in the program. The Program Director works with each company to develop a viable plan for commercializing its break-through innovation. The program includes mentoring by successful entrepreneurs, learning programs around growing a company, identification of target markets, working and reworking the company’s plan, and a presentation to potential investors on the final day of the program. ANZ Innovyz-Start is one of 40 accelerators in the Global Accelerator Network that was created by TechStars.
About ANZ Small Business
ANZ is committed to Start Up businesses and the broader small business sector. Currently the bank of choice for over 390,000 small business customers, ANZ has one of the highest approval rates of loan applications from Start Up business approving 76 per cent for ANZ start up loan applications. ANZ offers small business customers a range of easily accessible tools and resources to support their business at any life stage, including the ANZ Business Insights Tool which allows registered customers to track sales trends and compare performance with local competitors.
About Dr Matthews
Dr Matthews was recruited to the original senior team of the Kauffman Foundation’s Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership and was the architect of highly successful programs designed to teach CEOs and their executive teams to lead and manage growth.
She is the author of fifty articles and seven books, including Lessons from the Edge and Leading at the Speed of Growth. She has worked with CEOs of growth companies in the USA, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, India, China and other countries in Asia Pacific, has taught at several universities in the region, and was a Global Thought Leader for SAP.
Dr Matthews is the founding CEO of The Jana Matthews Group, based in Boulder, Colorado and an international expert on entrepreneurial leadership and business growth. Named “One of 18 women business gurus in the world” by Pink Magazine, Dr Matthews studied at Yale, the University of London and has a doctorate in management and planning from Harvard University.
Media Enquiries
Dr Jana Matthews
0450 163 326