START-UPS, co-working spaces and innovative businesses are emerging right across the country and the Riverina is in the thick of it.
All manner of innovators are flocking to Working Spaces HQ in Wagga Wagga. The co-working space was established by local businesswoman Simone Eyres to provide an environment for budding entrepreneurs to share their ideas and work on their start-ups.
“I want the Riverina to become a centre of excellence and a light house for other regional centres to embrace innovation in business,” Mrs Eyles, the founder of multiple apps, said.
She established the space last year with funds she was granted from Beyond Bank.
“Demand for desks and workshops from the business community was so high we outgrew our original premises within six months of opening our doors. We built the extra space and they came,” she said.
Since launching Working Spaces HQ has helped kick start 23 businesses in the region.
Mrs Eyles regularly teaches workshops and organises other business experts to share their knowledge in the space.
“I’ve given lessons on marketing and brand building and we’ve had accountants teach business basics and solicitors speak about intellectual property.”
She has big plans to grow the services on offer at Working Spaces HQ.
“We want to run an incubator and build some minimum viable products for people who have great ideas but don’t have the tech skills to build their own products to take to market.”
Mrs Eyles runs her own start-up. 365cups is an app which is used to order coffees remotely. Its spin-off, 365BLT, is an app used by nursing home staff to order residents’ meals.
