REGENERATIVE ECONOMY ACTIVATOR PROGRAM

A 9-week growth program for entrepreneurs regenerating the Adelaide Hills and Southern Coasts region

APPLICATIONS ARE CLOSED

We pay our respects to Peramangk, Kaurna, and Ngarrindjeri people and elders, past and present. We sincerely appreciate the opportunity to work with Aboriginal entrepreneurs on Country.

What is the Regen Economy Activator Program?

The Regen Economy Activator Program (REAP) is a 9-week program designed for enterprises in the Adelaide Hills and Southern Coasts. It includes a combination of in-person, virtual and self-paced learning and collaboration.

The REAP brings together a cohort of passionate enterprise leaders from this region who want to collaborate for greater impact across social, economic, cultural and ecological realms. We are ready to help these local leaders to grow their capabilities, their revenue and their impact.

Program focus

Together we can:

  • identify the potential, needs and opportunities of this region

  • create local meaningful employment for people living with disability and mental illness

  • increase climate resilience and viability of the local food system

  • regenerate degraded landscapes and habitat for threatened species.

Program features

The REAP includes:

  • world-class enterprise development modules

  • identifying where you fit in the region’s enterprise map

  • wellbeing support and insights on inclusive workplaces

  • shared learning and collaboration with brilliant enterprises in regional leadership

  • opportunities to increase your enterprise’s impact

  • guidance from experienced leaders in social enterprise, finance and regeneration

  • networking with ecosystem partners, including government, business, community development and philanthropy

  • connection with investment and catalytic finance opportunities through Regen Labs’ forthcoming Regen Community Investment Fund (coming soon)

Who is this program for?

The REAP is tailored for up to 12 enterprises seeking to regenerate the Adelaide Hills and Southern Coasts region of South Australia. We are seeking entrepreneurs who are passionate about the region and the opportunities of the regenerative economy.

The eligibility criteria are:

  • Your enterprise operates in or near Adelaide Hills, Fleurieu Peninsula and Kangaroo Island on Peramangk, Kaurna and Ngarrindjeri Country

  • You’re passionate about leading an enterprise that is creating social, environmental, cultural and economic impact for your region

  • You’re an existing business looking to scale impact in terms of strengthening the local economy, social outcomes, and environmental conditions of the region

  • You’ve been trading for at least 12 months, and have an annual trading revenue of greater than $25K.

  • You are willing to share what you have learned as a participating enterprise to improve this program for future cohorts

  • You’re an enterprise leader motivated to collaborate for greater viability, resource sharing, and impact

What are the benefits?

✔ Four masterclasses & peer learning sessions with specialist advisors

✔ Access to the Business for Good Network Changemakers Hub

✔ Enterprise profile hosted on Regen Labs’ website

✔ Connections with local enterprises, networks and partners

*Exclusions. The program does not currently include tailored business advisory services or 1:1 mentoring for each enterprise. We are identifying additional funding for this aspect of the program.

REAP Foundation Modules

1. Foundations of regenerative enterprise

  • Regenerative enterprises work to catalyse the shift to an economy that works to heal our social, ecological and economic challenges. Delivered by Regen Labs and partners

    What do we cover in this Module?

    • Principles of place-based regeneration and regenerative enterprise

    • Example business models for regenerative enterprise

    • Introduction to philanthropy and catalytic funding

    Sessions and dates:

    • Online, onboarding session to meet your program leads, cohort, and onboard to our digital learning space - 24 July, 12:00-1:00pm (Adelaide Time)

    • Access to digital learning space on the Business for Good Network platform - self-paced, preparatory content, space to chat and ask questions - commencing 24 July

    • Online, peer learning session - 14 August, 12:00-1:30pm

2. Mapping collaboration & impact

  • Regenerative enterprises deliver multiple benefits by design, harnessing value by responding to challenges and needs of a region in an entrepreneurial way.

    What’s involved in this masterclass:

    • Connect to Country

    • Understand place-based regeneration

    • Map relationships between enterprises, networks and support (including funding pathways)

    • Explore the region’s regenerative potential, viability and impact

    • Identify strengths and opportunities

    • Clarify needs and challenges

    • Network with supporters and partners of the program

    • This is an in-person module held in the region.

    Format and session times:

    • In-person masterclass held in the region, with light refreshments - 28 August, 1-4pm

3. Wellbeing & inclusive workplaces

  • This masterclass will show how place-based regenerative enterprise can create opportunities for supportive workplaces and employment for people with lived experience of mental ill health. The content will also share ways to support the wellbeing of entrepreneurs. Delivered by experts in this field, Topsoil Garden Project.

    What’s involved in this masterclass:

    • Understanding difference as a foundation: supporting enterprises to develop the practical and relational skills needed to engage with our most vulnerable and foster inclusive workplaces

    • Building psychologically safe businesses: accessing tangible tools for creating safe environments free from prejudice, sexual violence, and bigotry, for both staff and the wider community

    • Gaining strategies for maintaining individual and collective wellbeing in high-pressure settings: gaining experience with practical tools to support health, safety, and sustainability in the workforce

    • Peer learning to explore this knowledge

    Format: 

    • In-person masterclass held in the region, with lunch - 9 September 2025, 930-130pm

  • Enterprises in the region have identified the need to improve their capacity to communicate their unique value and impact to funders.

    In this module, you will learn how to clearly articulate the unique value and impact of your enterprise in ways that are attractive to investors and funders (as well as your teams, partners and customers).

    What’s involved:

    • Create an effective impact narrative

    • Review impact measurement approaches.

    • Interpret the needs of grant providers and catalytic financiers

    • Communication and presentation tips (including exemplars)

    • Review of social enterprise verification processes, including such as People and Planet First Verification

    • This is an in-person module, delivered in the region.

    Format: Three sessions as follows:

    • In person masterclass, including lunch - 25 September, 930-230pm

    • Online peer learning session - 15 October, 12-130pm

    • In person final masterclass and close of the program, including networking - 23 October, 3-530pm

4. Impact narratives for growth

Meet your REAP team

Dr Dimity Podger, Program Director and facilitator

Matthew Wright-Simon, Place Convenor and facilitator

Phil Freeman, Finance Lead

Reece Proudfoot Innovation Lead

Dave Booth, Cultural advisor

Guest speakers will be announced during the program

Liz Sanders, Food system activator

Program fees and funding

Your investment

The program fee is $1500+GST per enterprise* (payment plan available).

Successful applicants will be invoiced at program commencement. A small number of bursaries are available, should this fee prevent participation.

*Each place is valued at $10K+GST. The balance of $8.5K is generously contributed by our philanthropic funders.

Our funders

This program would not be possible without the generous contributions of our partners:

  • Fay Fuller Foundation

  • English Family Foundation

  • S Pfeiffer

  • Mount Barker District Council

  • Bendigo Bank

FAQs

  • The fee for an enterprise participating in the REAP is $1500+GST (this represents 15% of the value of the program). We are able to offer this subsidised rate because of the generous support from the Fay Fuller Foundation, English Family Foundation, S Pfieffer, and Mount Barker District Council.

  • This program is tailored for entrepreneurs seeking to regenerate the Adelaide Hills and Southern Coasts region of South Australia. This includes Adelaide Hills, Fleurieu Peninsula and Kangaroo Island on Peramangk, Kaurna and Ngarrindjeri Country.

    You are likely to be an:

    • existing business looking to scale impact in terms of strengthening the local economy, social outcomes, and environmental conditions of the region

    • also, you’re an enterprise leader motivated to collaborate for greater viability, resource sharing, and impact

    • trading for at least 12 months

    • operating with annual trading revenue of >$25K

    • Your enterprise has been trading for at least 12 months

    • Your annual trading revenue is >$25K

    • Your enterprise is based in or near the focus region (Adelaide Hills and Southern Coasts region of South Australia)

    • Your enterprise could be operating in almost any sector, such as the food system, mental health and wellbeing, housing, hospitality, renewable energy habitat restoration, or textiles.

    • You have strong interest in the principles of regenerative business and how it can positively benefit the communities of this region

    • You’re available to commit to the 9-week program schedule which includes five in-person sessions

    • You’re eager to explore collaborative opportunities in your cohort

    • You are seeking to grow your business and may be seeking grant funding or finance (e.g. to add a revenue stream, purchase plant or equipment, enhance marketing and brand etc)

    • You are open to becoming verified as a People and Planet First enterprise or social enterprise

    • You are willing to share what you have learned as a participating enterprise (to enhance the program for future participants).

  • We recognise that your core leadership team will need to be aligned. Therefore, two people from each participating enterprise are welcome to join the program.

    We also know that some modules make sense to be undertaken by key team members.

    We are open to discussing during the application and enrolment process who attends. It is important that anyone participating at any time attends the first in person workshop for Module 2.

Applications are now closed

We are kicking off the 2025 program on 24 July with 12 enterprises.