KPMG and Advance ally to elevate Australia’s entrepreneurs on global stage

EXTRA >> ADVANCE, the global network for Australia’s high achievers and business alumni, has been joined by global professional services firm KPMG in a program to fast-track innovative early-stage companies.

Named elevate⁶¹– in reference to Australia’s IDD code – the program designed “to help fast track Australian entrepreneurs and enable growth and productivity for globally competitive industries” has been introduced to entrepreneurs, government and business support organisation through a series of presentations around the country, completed at KPMG’s Brisbane office on February 19.

KPMG’s Queensland chairman Robert Jones said the vision for elevate⁶¹ was to help shape and empower Australia’s entrepreneurial eco-system, leading to high value job creation and corporate and social growth for Australia. 

“In a high stakes global economy, Australia needs new sources of growth,” Mr Jones said. “To improve corporate efficiency and advance technology-driven entrepreneurship, innovation and someone to take a risk is required.

“Sometimes the effort will not pay off, but just occasionally it will and when it does, we find a better process, a more efficient organisational design or an idea that radically transforms how we do things.”

Showing their support for the program at the Queensland launch, and outlining key areas in which Australia can step up to help drive its entrepreneurs to success globally, were Southern Cross Venture Partners managing partner Bob Christiansen, iLab CEO Bernie Woodcraft, RedEye Apps CEO and founder Wayne Gerard, and Innovation Clearinghouse founder Sandy Plunkett.

According to Advance global CEO Serafina Maiorano, target industries for the program are agriculture, energy, natural resources, financial services, healthcare, infrastructure, telecommunications, media and technology.

Ms Maiorano said for the first time the complementary international business and advisory networks, technical expertise and global experience of the two organisations will be integrated and made accessible to the ‘best of the best’ Australian entrepreneurs, through elevate⁶¹.

She said elevate⁶¹ was the third business innovation initiative from Advance, and part of its highly successful Advance Innovation Program launched in 2012. The program has been

More than 100 entrepreneurs and 55 start-ups are already benefiting from these programs, Ms Maiorano. So far, about 30 percent of participating start-ups secured investment in Australia following the program; 60 percent reported an increase in Australian investor interest following the program; 25 percent secured strategic partnerships in the US due to the program; and 65 mentors have contributed 400 hours of mentorship.

www.elevate61.com.au

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