MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
10 AUGUST 2015
A night of high hopes and big ideas!
One of the most sought after creative minds in the country will be in Geelong this Thursday for an
evening of innovation, creativity, entrepreneurship and fun!
Jason Clarke, founder of Minds at Work, is special guest at the Upstart Entrepreneurial Challenge
2015 Business Dinner at Truffleduck, Thursday August 13 from 6pm.
He been helping people ‘think again’ since the end of the last century, working with clients across
Australian in virtually every industry and government sector on issues ranging from creativity and
innovation to culture change and leadership. He’s an Advisory Board member to both Engineers
without Borders and the Future Business Council and co-Founder of the Centre for Sustainability
Leadership.
As Jason says: “We help people find fresh solutions to old problems. We support those who want to
make a difference. We work with anyone who thinks things could and should be better.
We help people see past What Already Is to create What Might Be.”
The Upstart Entrepreneurial Challenge is an Entrepreneurial Program and Business Ideas
competition for secondary school students which aims to develop an entrepreneurial culture
through strong relationships between students, educators, industry and the community. This
program truly reflects Geelong as a ‘21st Century Smart City’ and a place where jobs of the future
are created and nurtured.
In 2015, 150 students from 13 schools across the G21 region have been involved with the Challenge.
Part one:
Through a series of workshops facilitated by industry mentors and guest speakers, participants,
working in small teams of two or three learn new skills including innovation, entrepreneurship,
pitching and commercialisation. Participants submit their ‘Big Idea’ to ‘Positively Change their World’
with cash prizes available.
Part two:
Teams with the best ideas are mentored further and given support from industry to develop their
‘Big Idea’ using a business planning process and prepare their ‘pitch’. They are then invited to the
Upstart Business Dinner where a pitching competition is held. The Upstart Business Dinner includes
an audience of 150 people from business, industry and the community who participate in judging
the people’s choice award. On the night, the final participant’s pitches are judged by a panel of
industry mentors to win the ultimate cash and technology prize.
The judges include Philippa Bakes, Director, Philippa Bakes Advisory Services, Nick Stanley, Founder,
Sky Software and Rohan Workman, Director of Entrepreneurial Programs, Carlton Connect Initiative,
University of Melbourne.
The big ideas being judged on the night include:
 Heated swag utilising new technologies for the homeless and campers - Belmont High
School
 A modular robot that adapts to its environment and reforms without touch - St Joseph’s
College
 Anti-bullying device which alerts contact/emergency services that the person is under threat
and in need of urgent assistance – Mathew Flinders Girls College
 A medical wristband with barcode technology linking to an App to provide essential medical
information to emergency services/medical teams– St Joseph’s College.
 An App designed to provide a more efficient and enjoyable online shopping experience
targeting women – Sacred Heart College
 Programmable drones that carry advertising – St Joseph’s College
 A business model that allows people work shifts of their choice in a variety of workplaces –
St Joseph’s College.
For further media inquires: Pauline Braniff McCo Group
0448815637 or [email protected]
About the Upstart Entrepreneurial Challenge:
It began four years ago as a concept created by the St Joseph’s College Foundation.
In 2014, the Upstart Challenge became an independent not for profit organisation with
Directors, an advisory committee and six participating schools. Support from St Joseph’s College
Foundation has been integral to its development as an independent organisation – which is key
for the program to achieve its goals.
In 2015, the program achieved part funding support from the Victorian State Government’s
Skilling the Bay investment and has developed a three year plan to grow the Upstart Challenge
through the G21 region and beyond.