Big year for Food Leaders
Organisation all set for bigger year in 2018
AS 2017 draws to a close, we should all look back and celebrate the success of the year that was across the region.
For us here at Food Leaders Australia, 2017 was a great year of events and member delivery, but more excitingly, it was the perfect platform to build into a year of delivery in 2018.
The highlight event for us this year was the 400M AgTech Investment Forum held in Toowoomba in May.
Never before in the region have we had the ability to showcase the best of our agricultural innovators, and match them so well to investors.
In 2018 we’ll host the next 400M conference and build capability within the region to assist innovators move through to commercialising their new product or service.
This will be through specific commercialisation events and building the private sector’s ability to invest in innovations.
This is becoming increasingly important as all levels of government fail to keep pace with their own R&D programs.
Behind the scenes we have been working hard to build, and fund, programs that will drive real change within the region.
Our Advancing Regional Innovation Program is a $1 million program over three years, bringing out the best innovators in the Darling Downs and Maranoa region.
Excitingly, we have just launched the new Emerging Exporters Program, powered by QGC.
EEP will take up to 10 businesses a year in the Western Downs on a
12 month extensive program to get them export ready, including a target trade mission.
This program has QGC’s
❝Excitingly,
we have just launched the new Emerging Exporters Program...
— Bruce McConnel
support to supply another two years of mentoring and guidance for each participant to ensure their export journey gets all the support required to succeed, as well as welcome a new cohort each year.
In 2017, we launched our informal Meat Up events
which industry embraced as a way to network and build greater relationships.
In 2018, these events will include bus trips to take in much more of our great region’s offerings.
We have now also welcomed Gerry Doumany to our FLA team as our Export
Manager.
Gerry brings with her a wealth of experience in assisting local businesses to build their capability to export, and maximise opportunities once they are export ready.
She is known to many through her previous work with Austrade and Trade and Investment Queensland, and is a fantastic addition to our team.
At FLA we have a clear goal to maximise the opportunities that have been given to us through the investments in the region.
In short, expect to see us around a lot in 2018!