WAGGA’S burgeoning reputation as a start-up hub has been heard from up high, with prime minister Malcolm Turnbull this week lauding the city for its entrepreneurial spirit.
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Mr Turnbull made the comments to the nation’s business leaders at the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry dinner in Canberra on Wednesday night.
He singled out the efforts of Wagga “start-up queen” and 365Cups founder Simone Eyles.
“Every business has a part to play in building a robust culture of entrepreneurship,” Mr Turnbull said.
“Michael McCormack likes to remind us that his own electorate is leading the way, with Wagga striving for 100 start-ups by 2020.
“This is an idea driven by local entrepreneur, Simone Eyles. Simone’s 365Cups coffee app is a favourite of Michael’s he tells me because it enables him to order a coffee ahead of his arrival into town when he is travelling around the electorate.
“Simone has not been content with running a highly successful business with $7 million in revenue.
“Now Simone in Wagga has unearthed start-ups ranging from health and fitness and photography, to agricultural and food technology.”
Ms Eyles said she was “stoked and humbled” to be reocgnised so publicly by the PM.
“Wagga has been doing such great things and it seems like everything I’ve been talking about for so long is coming to fruition,” Ms Eyles said.
“Even the prime minister has taken notice.”
Mr McCormack said the success of 365Cups and the recently-launched WorkingSpacesHQ project were key examples cited by the PM.
“The prime minister understands the future of innovation and new small businesses is not just in Sydney or Silicon Valley, it’s something we see in rural and regional Australia every day,” Mr McCormack said.
Mr McCormack has travelled to every state and territory to meet with small business owners in the three months since his appointment as the federal small business minister.
