



Over 22,000+ innovators in our community
Where entrepreneurs make an impact
CBRIN connects entrepreneurs, SMEs, academia, industry, investors, government and the community in the Canberra region to accelerate innovation that creates real-world impact.
Our members and partners
CBRIN is backed by a growing coalition of world-class higher education institutions, government and industry partners.
















Pathways
Find your community
Whether you're just starting out or scaling new heights, we support innovators at every stage. Learn more about opportunities catered to you through our curated community hub
Programs
Empowering innovators through targeted programs
Programs designed to help you progress on your journey through our innovation ecosystem.

Book a free 30-minute meeting with a member of our growth team!

FWC is a regular monthly networking event that activates the ACT innovation ecosystem.
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Students can pitch a business idea to a panel of judges to win from a pool of $10,000 AUD!

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Join a cohort of business peers for a full day of intensive work on unblocking your business growth.

Idea to Impact is designed to help entrepreneurs sharpen their skills and drive business growth.
ON Prime equips researchers to explore where their expertise can make the greatest impact.

A bi-monthly event dedicated to empowering and inspiring female entrepreneurs in Canberra.

Innovation Connect (ICON) Grant program and provide matched funding between $10,000 and $30,000.

Matched funding from ACT Government of up to $30k targeting early stage social enterprises.
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Bring your physical prototype to life with a $10,000 voucher.
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Fast-track your startup with essential skills, knowledge and networks for young entrepreneurs.

Teams of innovators led by expert mentors competing to solve real-world challenges
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Are you an ambitious founder of an SME, looking to network and a morning event before work?
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Growing and consolidating the ACT's energy innovation ecosystem

Midday sessions where speakers share knowledge and connect over lunch.

Access experienced mentors and connect with potential investors to grow your venture.

Annual event showcasing Canberra's innovation community and emerging ventures.

We bring in relevant, highly experienced people as our brains trust.

CBRIN hosts events that bring entrepreneurs together with industry experts

Bringing diverse groups of people together to solve complex issues.

An annual event connecting Canberra's innovative companies with investors.

Ready to launch your Social Enterprise but need some help getting started? GRIST can help!
Events
Upcoming events
Browse our upcoming events
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SME Breakfast February 2026
- 26 February 2026

First Wednesday Connect March 2026
- 4 March 2026

Book Launch: Handbook of Innovation Ecosystems | John H. Howard
- 8 April 2026
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Female Founders: Panel
- 10 March 2026
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Online Group Intro Meeting
- 12 March 2026
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ACET Workshop 1: Electrification
- 19 March 2026
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The Canberra Young Entrepreneur Sprint Workshop 1
- 31 March 2026
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ACET Zero-Emission-Transport Hackathon
- 2 April 2026
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The Canberra Young Entrepreneur Sprint Workshop 2
- 14 April 2026
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ACET Workshop 2: Grid Resilience & Peak Demand Management
- 23 April 2026
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The Canberra Young Entrepreneur Sprint Workshop 3
- 28 April 2026
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The Canberra Young Entrepreneur Sprint Workshop 4
- 12 May 2026
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The Canberra Young Entrepreneur Sprint Workshop 5
- 26 May 2026
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The Canberra Young Entrepreneur Sprint Workshop 6
- 9 June 2026
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ACET Workshop 3: Gas Transition
- 16 June 2026
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ACET Workshop 4: Circular Economy
- 11 August 2026
Stories
Real people, true stories
Find inspiration and knowledge from those who might be on a similar path to you

Human Connection. Relationships. Customers.
For startups and high-ambition innovation companies, one thing is increasingly obvious: your competitive advantage is no longer just about your product or technology. Human connections, relationships and presence with customers are the new driving forces.

Early retirement doesn't mean never working again
When you are financially independent, you have plenty of choices. So when Serina was asked if she wanted to return to her old job for a short-term contract that was full-time in the office, she said yes.

Check out how an ANU startup is about to change hardware as we know it

Barbell Foods adventure, authenticity and biltong

Top 5 reasons to join a coworking space
There are so many benefits to coworking; Here are the things we love most about working up on Level 5, 1 Moore Street.

BoomBox Booth DJ in a box with Dan Rawson, Founder & Director of BoomBox Industries
We had the pleasure of attending the Idea to Impact 10-week workshop with Dan Rawson, Founder & Director of BoomBox Industries, and no lie – this guy nailed it. Before the program had finished he had the emcee on the phone with CEOs to spruik the business.

Canberra start-up changing the world of 3D printing
Canberra advanced technology startup Syenta has been listed among top ten 3D printing startups to watch by 3D print.com, an online magazine that covers industry stories to help investors, enterprises, and decision-makers understand and tap into the potential of the rapidly growing additive manufacturing sector.

New ANU hub to support First Nations innovators
The Australian National University (ANU) has launched a new Indigenous-led innovation hub to develop long-term partnerships and collaborations with First Nations businesses and communities, which already contribute billions of dollars to the Australian economy.

Canberra companies named in AFR's list of Australia's 50 most innovative
The Australian Financial Review last week released its list of Australia’s 50 most innovative companies for 2016, with Canberra based companies Thinkplace and Seeing Machines both making the list, placing 19 and 27 respectively.

8 Innovative Canberra Businesses Awarded $237,000 through the Innovation Connect Grant Program
$237,000 awarded to 8 local innovation businesses in the second round of the 2025 ICON Grant. Three of the funded projects are led by local female founders.

So, you’re thinking of coming along to a Female Founders event?
Excellent choice. You’re about to join a community that’s equally inspiring, energising, and to be perfectly honest, sometimes overwhelming in the best possible way.

AI Colab: Action Cluster Ignition Collab Lab
Participants examined seven key landscape rehydration techniques across a range of contexts throughout the workshop, sharing their experiences and building a group understanding of the high-level issues that need to be addressed.
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ACTNRM Rehydration Collab Lab
Participants examined seven key landscape rehydration techniques across a range of contexts throughout the workshop, sharing their experiences and building a group understanding of the high-level issues that need to be addressed.
Swiss Embassy Innovation and Trust Hackathon
CBRIN partnered with the Embassy of Switzerland to deliver a two-part innovation program exploring the theme of trust and innovation in the modern day.

SpaceHack 2023
Calling earthlings excited by all things space and space technology! CBRIN has teamed up with UNSW Canberra to launch SpaceHack 2023, a 2 day challenge to develop out of this world ideas.

Not-For-Profit Innovation Forum
CBRIN partnered with Hands Across Canberra, the University of Canberra and a coalition of sector, research and government partners to deliver the inaugural Not-for-Profit Collaborative Innovation Forum. The forum brought together community organisations, funders, researchers and innovators to build innovation capability in the NFP sector, with loneliness selected as the first annual challenge theme.
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Got an innovation idea? This new pilot will help you build it
Sixteen Canberra inventors will soon have the means to bring their visions to life, thanks to a new grants program by the capital’s leading innovation institutions.

2025 End of Year Message from the CEO
With over 250 events, across all sectors and stages of maturity of firms, close to 10,000 participants in those events, over 20 programs targeting different needs across the ecosystem, CBRIN brings together people to create an environment in which you can access mentors, customers, partners, investors, collaborators, makers, creatives, researchers, students and other talent and connections.

Canberra innovator turns natural waste products into useful home compostable items
In December 2020, ANU Research School of Chemistry PhD student Ashwani Kumar set out to achieve the seemingly impossible.

Jack Cassidy: 10 Weeks Isn't 10 Weeks
This post is about how I’ve grown in my role, what I’ve learned, and why I’m so enthusiastic about embracing change. Spoiler alert: it pays dividends to lean into new experiences and be comfortable with not having all the answers.

SME Business Accelerator: Unlocking Potential for Canberra's SMEs
The Accelerator, is the cornerstone of the Canberra Innovation Network’s support to local small businesses to use innovation methods to create better business outcomes.

Griffin Accelerator
Over the past decade, the GRIFFIN Accelerator has been a cornerstone for entrepreneurship in Canberra, connecting driven founders with seasoned local mentors. By pairing founders with mentors, providing investment, and pushing them to scale ambitiously, the program has become an integral part of our ecosystem.

What Is Innovation ACT?
InnovationACT is an entrepreneurship competition for students and researchers who are looking to gain experience in the world of business.

Canberra’s OX Rooms joins GRIFFIN Accelerator Program to drive innovation, efficiency, and security in real estate transactions
OX Rooms delivers unprecedented transparency for buying and selling real estate to agents, lawyers, buyers and sellers setting the stage for industry-wide transformation.

The Power of Community in Coworking
Coworking spaces have become thriving communities that encourage innovation, collaboration, and personal growth.

9 Local Female led businesses receive funding to launch their innovative projects

Turning your Idea to Impact with these innovation skills: Workshop Series with fresh content for 2025

10 Innovative Canberra Businesses Awarded $276,500 through the Innovation Connect Grant Program
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First Wednesday Connect Pitch List October 2025

Meet the team: Kate Stevens
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Australian Catholic University Joins CBRIN as Education Partner

Canberra innovation ecosystem recognised at Global Triple E Awards

ACT Winners of iAwards25: Australia’s longest running innovation recognition program
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Coworking at CBRIN and raising capital: some success stories

What It Feels Like to Build an Innovation Company in Canberra?
Challenging journey in a highly supportive ecosystem. What does it take to build an innovation-first entrepreneurial venture in Canberra?
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What is the SME Business Accelerator?

Connect with the Canberra Innovation Community

Canberra scale-ups have a new home base in the heart of the city

2024 End of year CEO message
We create impact together as a collective of entrepreneurs, innovators, business owners, educators, researchers, partners, mentors, investors, government and community organisations.

Phillipa Leggo – Where are they now?
We sat down with Phillipa Leggo, to hear about what has changed since we last interviewed her about the SCOTT LEGGO business.

PV Labs: Leading Australia in solar renewable energy
As the ACT moves to net-zero emissions by 2045, Canberra’s innovative start-up culture is well placed to help meet this target. We spoke with Lawrence McIntosh, co-founder and director of PV Labs, on how the Energy Innovation Fund is supporting Canberra companies in the transition to renewable energy.

HYREA: Driving a hydrogen powered Canberra
The ACT transitions to net-zero emissions by 2045, Canberra’s strong and vibrant energy innovation and start up culture is well placed to help reach this target. HYREA, a Canberra-based technology pioneer working to make green hydrogen a viable alternative to fossil fuel, is contributing to this goal with the help of the ACT Government’s Energy Innovation Fund (the Fund).

Fatigue Hack
Fatigue Hack, a 48-hour hackathon organised by CBRIN and the Australian Trucking Association in 2018. Seeking solutions to address and manage fatigue in long-haul drivers, Fatigue Hack brought together nine teams to tackle the challenge.
Coworking
Looking for an inspiring space to work, collaborate and connect?
Right at the heart of Canberra city, we have a space for your unlimted potential and growth.
Spaces
Spaces for entrepreneurs and innovators
The Canberra innovation community offers a variety of spaces and facilities to help you start. build and grow your next ambitious projects or initiative. CBRIN connects a growing network of hubs that offer innovation infrastructure and support for people to start, build and contribute to growth of ACT innovation companies.

Agrifood Innovation Institute (ANU)

Spacecubed

Game Plus (AIE)

Film Plus (AIE)

iAccelerate

ANU Makerspace

Mill House Ventures

Collab Brindabella

National Electric Vehicle Centre Of Excellence

Workshop 7

Innovation Central Canberra
Impact of the Canberra Innovation Network
Success measured by tangible statistics
When we work together as a collective, the impacts multiply across the network. Read our Impact report to understand better how we encourage entrepreneurs across the ecosystem to grow companies that can change our world for better from the Canberra region..
1615
Jobs supported in 2024. This figure includes both direct and indirect impacts of the activity attributable to CBRIN.
$900M
Cummulative impact of the network on the Gross State Product of the Australian Capital Territory between 2014 and 2024.
$195M
Economic contribution to GSP of the ACT attributable to CBRIN in 2024 alone.
$57
Ecnomic return on every $1 of cash invested by ACT Government in CBRIN
























