WA’s innovation ecosystem marked a major milestone this week, with Meshpoints celebrating three years of impact, connection, and community-led change.
Launched in July 2022 by Spacecubed with support from Lotterywest, Meshpoints was envisioned as a three-year initiative to strengthen WA’s entrepreneurial foundations. Last week, that vision came full circle at a special Town Hall event at Riff, where ecosystem leaders gathered to reflect on achievements to date and preview what’s still to come.
A three-year mission to unite WA’s innovators
At its core, Meshpoints was built to connect the dots — people, projects, and potential — across all corners of the state. Since its launch, it has operated through three main streams: the Meshpoints Partner Network, the Innovative Society Fund, and the WA Innovation Ecosystem Index.
Through these initiatives, Meshpoints has worked to empower both the people driving innovation and the communities they serve. Whether that means creating new startup pathways in the Kimberley or fostering student entrepreneurship through hackathons in the Great Southern, the goal has always been the same — to build a thriving, resilient innovation ecosystem that reflects the full diversity of Western Australia.
Statewide impact by the numbers
In just three years, Meshpoints has reached more than 14,000 Western Australians and helped fund 86 grassroots initiatives across areas including youth innovation, sustainability, female entrepreneurship, and regional development.
A total of $2.6 million in grant funding has been awarded, with a further $1.89 million in matched contributions unlocked as a result. The numbers tell a story of deep and broad impact:
- 97 early-stage founders supported through the Lotterywest IdeaStarter program, with 93% saying it helped them apply new skills
- More than half of all funded initiatives directly involved regional communities
- 83% of partners report that Meshpoints has enhanced entrepreneurial capability in WA
- And 78% say the innovation ecosystem would be worse off without Meshpoints
The Partner Network itself has now grown to over 170 organisations, actively collaborating across government, education, community, and industry.
Nate Sturcke, Head of Impact at Meshpoints, said, “The real success lies in the collective efforts of the 170+ partners, organisations, and individuals who’ve come together to strengthen WA’s innovation ecosystem,” he said. “Over the past three years, this shared commitment has driven new initiatives, empowered local talent, and expanded opportunity across every region. It’s through this collaboration that we’ve built a more connected, inclusive, and resilient ecosystem, one where every innovator has the chance to thrive.”
Grassroots innovation in action
Beyond the numbers are the stories, and it’s these that illustrate what ecosystem-building really looks like on the ground.
In the Great Southern, more than 700 students were introduced to tech and entrepreneurship through the region’s first Hackathon. In Broome and surrounding communities, Maganda Makers empowered First Nations women to co-design a community-led finance model rooted in cultural values.
Elsewhere, the Young Entrepreneurs Academy of WA supported enterprise education from early learning through to high school, while programs like Closing the Loop on Clothing encouraged sustainable innovation in fashion and textiles. In Fremantle, the Propel Program helped startups working in sustainability and the blue economy get off the ground.
Each of these initiatives started with a local need, and grew with the support and scaffolding Meshpoints was able to provide.
A data-driven foundation for WA’s future
Perhaps one of the project’s most significant contributions is the WA Innovation Ecosystem Index, a free online tool that maps, tracks, and visualises ecosystem activity statewide.
Viewed more than 60,000 times, the Index has become a go-to resource for researchers, funders, policymakers, and founders alike, enabling data-led decision-making and bringing long-overdue visibility to innovation efforts across metro and regional WA.
Released at last week’s Town Hall event, the 2025 WA Innovation Impact Report reveals some of the deeper outcomes Meshpoints has helped shape. Collaboration is up, with 84% of innovators now working beyond their own organisations. Confidence is high, too, with 82% of founders optimistic about the future. But the report also notes ongoing challenges — most notably, access to capital (only 27% believe there’s enough) and the continued need for targeted, culturally appropriate support for CALD and First Nations entrepreneurs.
$360,000 in new grant funding
This week’s celebration brought the ecosystem together for a moment of reflection and ambition. Hosted at Riff in Perth, the Meshpoints Town Hall gathered partners, founders, funders, and policymakers to mark the culmination of the three-year initiative.
The event included the announcement of $360,000 in new grant funding, the public release of the 2025 WA Innovation Impact Report, and the presentation of WA’s first Innovation Ecosystem Survey results.